Women, you have the power to #CHANGEDESTINY. That’s the message SK-11 is sending out in its campaign, VS.
VS is an animated meets real-life anthology “with a big purpose”, a collection of six films across a broad range of genres including sci-fi, fantasy, action and sports, based on the real-life experiences of six Olympic athletes.
Simone Biles, the world’s most decorated gymnast; LiuXiang, world-record swimmer; Ishikawa Kasumi, table tennis player and two-time Olympic medallist; Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo, badminton duo and Olympic gold medallists; Mahina Maeda, surfer; and Hinotori Nippon, the Japan Volleyball team explore what it means to take destiny in their own hands, overcoming societal pressures which dictates how they should look, act and feel to be perfect.
The huge undertaking was carried out by talent hand-picked from from across WPP agencies, Grey and MediaCom, the same group that was responsible for SK-II Studio’s launch film, The Centre Lane.
Each film within the VS Series explores a different aspect of societal pressures that women experience: Trolls. Pressure. Image Obsession. Rules. Limitations. Machine-Like Mindsets, each of which is represented by a strange beast or kaiju in Japanese. Each kaiju reveals the inner demon each athlete must defeat to pursue their destiny. Each episode is independent, with its own universe and style, featuring the work from awarded animation studios, Imaginary Forces, Passion Pictures, Platige Image and C3 and original music from John Legend and Lexie Liu.
Sandeep Seth, chief executive officer, Global SK-II, explained, #CHANGEDESTINY is at the heart of our brand purpose at SK-II. For years, we have celebrated how destiny is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice through the stories of courageous women around the world. This year, we want to further and strengthen our commitment towards our brand purpose.
“We know from our conversations with our consumers that there are much bigger issues than skin and beauty that they are concerned about. We also know that from the pandemic and coming out of it, consumers have a higher expectation towards brands and businesses. With the release of the SK-II Studio films, we a celebrating a moment in SK-II’s #CHANGEDESTINY history. We hope these films can give women worldwide the courage to take destiny in their own hands and be a starting point for us—brands and businesses—to come together and act as a force for good and growth to create positive and meaningful change.”
The VS series was released worldwide on May 1 2021 with a global premiere in Hainan, China together with the debut of an social retail pop-up store in Sanya’s Haitang Bay Duty Free Shopping Centre Haikou in partnership with China Duty Free Group.
Siddika Dehlvi, executive creative business director said: “All of us face pressures that hold us back, and stop us from feeling in charge of our own destiny. By focusing on the stories of these incredible athletes, we’re showing how even the best of us have to face challenges when chasing dreams. We wanted to celebrate these journeys in a way that has never been done before, bringing together elements from Japanese culture through anime, live action, different film genres and unique soundtracks.”
Nihar Das, WPP team lead, added, “It is rare when a brand’s purpose aligns perfectly with the need of the hour. Not only to highlight the pressures surrounding women in our society, but also to share the incredible human stories of how 6 women overcame these pressures. It has been a rewarding experience to create and be part of this work.”
VS follows SK-11’s brand docu-drama, The Center Lane, by award-winning director, Hirokazu Koreeda. This was the inspiring story of swimmer, Ikee Rikako’s, return to competitive swimming.
SK-II will also set up the #CHANGEDESTINY fund, contributing $1 for every view of each SK-II STUDIO film in support of women in pursuing their destiny to create positive change as part of its brand purpose this year. Total contribution to the #CHANGEDESTINY fund will be capped at US$500,000. Participating organisations will be announced at a later date.
Credits:
Lead Creative Unit: WPP Agencies (Grey and Mediacom)
Partners: HUGE, VaynerMedia, Mano, Hogarth Worldwide
Client: SK-II
Executive Creative Director: Leo Savage & Graham Drew
Executive Creative Strategy Director : Danni Mohammed
Executive Creative Business Director: Siddika Dehlvi
Executive Creative Producer: San Takashima
WPP Team Lead: Nihar Das
Integration Lead: Nathan Wilson
Creative Strategist & Copywriter: Katie Mulligan
Executive Account Director: Yukiko Ochiai
Creative Consultants: Stuart Harkness & Shane Lester
Creative Directors: Ashley Chen, Ken Mitani & Sudhir Pasumarty
Strategy Director: Hiroko Matsuo
Senior Copywriter: Yukika Anan
Senior Art Director: Yoichai Inamura
Art Director: Jerry Li
Designer: Amanda Ang
Project Director: Lorysa Rossnagel
Account Manager: Eulisa Tan
Senior Producers: Miwako Yasukouchi & Shoko Akutagawa
Producer: Hayato Chaki
Senior Account Executive: Iris Gu
Business Director: William Godwin
Senior Project Director: Angelique Malabanan
Account Director: Sue-Ann De Cruz
Account Executive: Sneha Basu & ChiewLing Loke
Assistant Account Executive: Sho Ikegami
Executive Media Director: Prajat Khare
Media Strategy Director: Archana Ram,Siddharth Singh,Varsha Sethia, Rohit Khanna,
Songwriter/Singers: John Legend (‘VS’ Trolls) & Lexie Liu (‘VS’ Obsession)
Music Studio: Simon Elms, Eclectic Sounds
Photographer: Matt Holyoak
Production Credits:
VS Rules & VS Machines
Production Studio: Imaginary Forces
Director: Alan Williams
Producers: Jon Hassell & Melody Alexander
VS Pressure & VS Obsession
Production Studio: Platige Image
Director: Bartek Kik & Damian Nenow
Producers: Robert Stasz & Justyna Supernak
VS Trolls
Production Studio: Passion Pictures
Director: Jon Saunders
Producers: Rick Bland, Mike Turoff, Ioan Holland & Luiza Cruz-Flade
VS Limits
Production Studio: C3
Director: TAKCOM
Producers: Yuki Iizumi & Yuto Adachi
Casting: Gambit
Hogarth Singapore: Daryl Bryan Lim
Event Partner: Yucolab
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