The French Tourism Development Agency held an online press conference on July 20 to announce its 2022 tourism campaign for the Japanese market. This year’s campaign is based on the keyword “What kind of France is your France? the campaign will promote the attractions of France through original animated films. This is the first time since 1971, when the French Tourism Promotion Agency was established in Japan, that a promotion using animation will be held in Japan.
Frederic Mazenck, the representative of the French Tourism Development Agency in Japan, who is a fan of Japanese anime, commented, “We have to think positively about the future. We have to think positively about the future. We thought it was important because this is a campaign to be implemented in difficult times. With the Japanese market shrinking due to the impact of Corona, “Considering that our customers have not been to France for a couple of years and have been away from France, we needed something that was French in content and that would resonate with the Japanese people in form,” he said, explaining that he chose anime, which is familiar to the Japanese, as the campaign method. He explained that he chose anime, which is familiar to the Japanese, as the campaign method.
At the press conference, Ms. Natsumi Sako, Digital Communications Manager of the French Tourism Development Agency, introduced the animation. She set “young women,” “couples,” and “three-generation families (grandmother, mother, and daughter)” as characters representing the main clientele traveling to France from Japan. The storyline starts from the Tuileries Park in Paris, visits Paris City, Normandy, and Centre Val de Loire, and returns to Paris along the Seine River.
The animation was commissioned to the Japanese animation studio Studio Daisy, with the intention of “creating content from a Japanese perspective and sense of style, since this is a campaign exclusively for Japan” (Mr. Mazenk). The animation was directed by Ryomo, who worked on the opening animation for the game “Star Ocean: Anamnesis – Twin Eclipse” and “Yozakura Shijyutsu – Hananouta,” while Rio Shimizu was in charge of direction.
The images were created with “impressionist painters” in mind, focusing on the transition of light and time. The narration is abstract so that each viewer can become aware of their own “France. The music was composed by Minji Kim and Nobuhiro Taten of “Butterfly Effect. The music, inspired by French composer Debussy’s “Arabesque No. 1,” invites viewers to travel to France.
This animation can be viewed on the special campaign page. In addition, a “diagnostic game” is being conducted on the special page, in which visitors are asked to answer 12 questions and recommended destinations will be presented to them. Original postcards will be presented to 60 winners.
In addition, mini videos for each group and region will be available on the official YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter pages of the French Tourism Development Agency. Online promotions will also be conducted.
From now on, products from HIS (HIS), a sponsor of the campaign, will be introduced on the official website of the French Tourism Development Agency and on SNS. HIS also plans to introduce the anime through promotions and events.
Mayumi Masuda, public relations manager of the France Tourism Development Agency, then introduced the highlights of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, Normandy Region Tourism Bureau, Centre Val de Loire Region Tourism Bureau, and Samaritaine, all of which sponsored the campaign.
In Paris, the Philharmonie de Paris, home of the Orchestre de Paris and designed by architect Jean Nouvel, Rue Montorgueil, the “Stomach of Paris,” and the Brousse de Commerce, a new contemporary art museum that will open in May 2021. The tour also introduced the new contemporary art museum “Bulles de Commerce,” which will open in May 2021. He also suggested exploring Paris by bicycle, which is a recent trend. The total length of the cycling path is over 1,000 km, and is scheduled to be extended further.
For the Normandy region in northwestern France, we appealed to the easy accessibility of the region, which allows visitors to easily enjoy train travel. In addition to the historic district of Rouen and the Calvados plantation of Pays d’Oge, he suggested a slightly different way to enjoy Mont Saint-Michel: hiking around the surrounding bays.
In the Loire Valley, which is lined with ancient castles, we proposed cycling along the Loire River, which flows through central France. In addition to introducing the Amboise, Chenonceau, and Villandry castles and their gardens, which were visited by the characters in the cartoon, the Gien Pottery Museum, which reopened this year, was promoted.
Lastly, we introduced Samaritaine, a long-established department store in Paris that reopened in June 2021 after 16 years of renovation, offering guided tours of the building to enjoy its historical architecture. The grand staircase of the Pont Neuf building and the glass façade of the Rivoli building, designed by the Japanese architectural firm SANAA, are just a few of the highlights of the Samaritaine.
© Source travel watch