Akihiro Kakuta’s Surprise Continues in Latest Uber Eats In-store Pricing Campaign via Special
The campaign brings back beloved comedic actor Akihiro Kakuta in a full-funnel integrated campaign designed to champion everyday value and selection
Uber Eats is once again surprising Japan with the sheer scale of their in-store pricing initiative, with the second instalment of its ‘Eh?!’ value campaign, developed in partnership with Special and EssenceMediacom Japan.
"The aim of this campaign is to show busy consumers across Japan that Uber Eats offers an extensive selection of products at the same prices as in-store. Building on the first phase of the campaign, we hope to bring this new level of everyday convenience to life through the humorous reactions of Kakuta-san from the comedy trio Tokyo 03. By showing how people can now have the things they need delivered quickly, at the same prices as in-store, we hope to make this convenience feel both relatable and accessible to consumers across Japan,"
said Ai Suzuki, Head of Marketing, Uber Eats Japan.
Inspired by a uniquely Japanese reaction, the campaign's 30” hero film, produced by AOI Productions, turns the chore of shopping into a hilarious, escalating saga. The film opens with Kakuta-san embarking on a multi-stop shopping trip after work, and as he treks from store to store, well-meaning strangers and eager passersby begin sharing the news that Uber Eats now matches in-store prices across an enormous range of items.
What starts with one person sharing, “It’s the same price as in-store on Uber Eats!”, quickly snowballs into an enthusiastic crowd chasing Kakuta-san through the streets to spread the word. Exhausted, Kakuta-san finally makes it home, only to find his wife relaxing - having already ordered everything they need on Uber Eats.
“Hamburger grandpa gets it. Balcony baby formula woman gets it. Heck, even that poodle gets it. Now, we hope Kakuta-san and all of Japan get it too. With this latest ad, we’re literally shouting the benefits of Uber Eats from the rooftops, building on the love audiences have for our ‘Eh?’ campaign. We’re proud of what we’ve created together with the Uber Eats team who always know how to entertain and inform in equal measure,”
said Lisa Fedyszyn & Jonathan McMahon, Chief Creative Officers, Special.
Directed by Junpei Kojima, the films are crafted with a sharp eye for the nuance of Japanese culture and humour, and the universal truth of not believing a price that feels too good to be true.
The campaign launches with a 30“ hero film, supported by a 15” edit, social content, contextual creative, OOH, online video and digital audio.
CREDITS
Client: Uber Eats Japan
Director of Marketing, APAC: Ally Doube
Head of Marketing, Uber Eats Japan: Ai Suzuki
Marketing Manager: Hitomi Abe
Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
Lead Creative Agency: Special
Partners, Chief Executive Officers: Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
Partners, Chief Creative Officers: Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber
Chief Creative Officers: Lisa Fedyszyn & Jonathan McMahon
Chief Strategy Officer, Asia: Celia Garforth
Executive Creative Director: Norio Ichikawa
Creative Director: Shinichi Takizawa
Planner: Reiko Takise
Copywriter: Shinichi Takizawa
Art Directors: Bryant Wutuh, Kaname Yamaguchi
Designer: Takashi Kadoshima
Strategy Director: JJ Bender
Creative Strategist: Kai Lambert
Head of Uber Asia: Rachel McEwen
Business Lead: Cara Simcock
Business Director: Stephanie Cheung
Business Executive: Aliyah Iwai
Production Director: Yeong Lim
Senior Producer: James Hashimoto
Producers: Mina Miyamoto & Kiminori Soga
Production Partners
Director: Junpei Kojima
Cinematography: Ryoken Okamura
Production: AOI Pro. Inc.
Producers: Kyosuke Miyazaki, Teruyuki Utsumi & Koichiro Narita
Production Manager: Rei Nishizono & Yuta Kaneko
Gaffer/Lighting: Shin Takakura
Production Designer: Takayuki Mitsuizumi
Location Coordinator: Ko Takahashi
Post Production: TREE Digital Studio
Offline Editor: Yoshinari Kogure
Online Editor: Yoko Izumi
Sound Mixer: Toru Komatsu
Sound Effects (SFX): Hiromine Tanaka
Music Production: Aiin
Music Producer: Katsuya Yamada
Other
Hair & Makeup Artist: Orie Ishii
Stylist: Yasuhiro Yamasaki
Hero Talent Casting: Choei Suzuki
Casting: Masunobu Motokawa
Food Stylist: Ai Suzuki
Media Agency: EssenceMediacom Japan
Client Partner: Chris Appleyard
Planning Director: Anthony Brown
Strategist: Jasmine Wong
Senior Associate: Mon Medrano
Senior Associate: Amy Sato
