Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo has used its flair for creativity to dream up a series of quirky stories whose light humour and endearing characters underline Canva’s flair for creativity. The eight-part series, directed by filmmaker, Yuki Tanada, known for her popular drama films, The One Million Yen Girl and My Broken Mariko, follows Yuki, a precocious young girl, and her fellow islanders on a small, picturesque island somewhere in Japan.
Each short film highlights a relatable, everyday challenge faced by the islanders, problems that are solved through Canva’s intuitive design tools. The stories highlight Canva’s power to create digital artwork, craft presentations, edit videos and design printed materials easily.
The lead role of Yuki is played by child actor, Rana Izutani, who is known for her performances in TV dramas such as Umi no Hajimari (The Beginning of the Sea).
Max Pilwat, creative director W+K Tokyo, commented, “This year, we explored the power of Canva on a deeper level. Through this series, we brought the app to an unexpected setting, an island, demonstrating how it can allow real people to design and connect beyond their imaginations.”
The series will continue into 2025, with upcoming episodes introducing additional island characters played by a range of familiar faces, creating an ongoing narrative that celebrates creativity, community, and connection.
Credits:
Creative Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Tokyo
Creative Chief Officers: Vivian Yong & Erwin Federizo
Creative Director: Max Pilwat
Copywriters: Yumiko Ota, Marina Danjo & Kiran Strickland
Art Directors: Josh King & Kazuhi Yoshikawa
Designer: Akane Yasuda
Agency Producer: Siyun Kim
Brand Management Chelsea Hayashi & Ryu Kaida
Translator: Mako Tomita & Takuro Kobayashi
Head of Production: Michelle Brough
President: Yosuke Suzuki
Production Company: AOI Pro.
Producers: Masahiro Oyamada & Ryuta Iwasa
Director: Yuki Tanada
Director of Photography: Tadashi Kuwabara
Production Manager: Nanami Sano
Production Assistants: Kanon Ayabe, Masaki Nojima, Lu Zhao & Natsumi Sekine
Art Departmen:t Kayoko Matsuda
Casting Directors: Tsubasa Hashimoto (A3), Masanobu Motokawa (Rapallo), Azusa Taguchi (Dragonfly) & Yoko Yamashita (Dragonfly)
Gaffer: Naoki Nomura
Sound Mixer: Masaaki Yoshizaki
Stylist: Mari Ishibashi
Hair & Make-up: Michiru Iwamoto
Location Manager: Hajime Nakagaki | Rina Shinkubo
1st AD: Hisayoshi Yamashita
1st AC: Takuya Cho
2nd AC: Kota Watanuki
Data Wrangler: Toshiyuki Oshima
Post & VFX Companies: Digital Garden & FLUX Inc.
Producer: Kohei Iwasaki
Online Editor: Sakiyo Yamaguchi
Offline Editor: Sachi Sasaki
Colourist: Ai Hirata
Music Company: SIREN @ Factory Ltd
Music Publisher: SIREN Publishing Ltd
Composer: Chris White
Producer: Sian Rogers
Sound Designer: Kenji Shibasaki
UIUX Production: Dadab
Producer: Kazuhide Adachi
Editor: Mayuko Hanada
