It’s not every day you get to see cosplayers fronting an ad campaign for one of the annual convention’s main sponsors.
For many cosplayers, maintaining a pale complexion to match the skin colour of their favourite characters from the world of Japanese manga and anime can be one of the small details that lifts their look from ordinary to amazing.
It makes sense then, that Shiseido chose to sponsor the World Cosplay Summit this year, bringing attention to their popular range of Anessa sunscreens in a stroke of marketing genius that let cosplayers create their own ads for the brand, complete with official logos and images.
The organisers of the World Summit, which was held in Japan in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, from 29 July-6 August, announced via Twitter that Shiseido was releasing a set of templates so cosplayers could create their own professional-looking ad for Anessa sunscreen.
#コスサミ
— 世界コスプレサミット【コスサミ公式】8月2日(金) & 3日(土) & 4日(日)開催決定‼️ (@cosplay_summit) August 2, 2017
このたびスポンサーの資生堂さまより、
「ANESSAポスタービジュアルにコスプレ姿を自由に採用できちゃう画像」をご提供いただきました!!!!自由に写真合成OK!めっちゃよい!よいですぞ!\(^o^)/
推奨タグ #ANESSA #レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/RcjlEKwnZ4
Cosplayers could choose between two styles of ads, with layouts for vertical or horizontal images featuring both the sunscreens and the tagline, “Beautiful Skin, Forever.”
https://twitter.com/0529shironaga/status/892748653814624256Some cosplayers chose their images carefully, inserting just one of their favourites to share online.
加工OKらしいので流行りに乗っからせてもらった
— サブレ@低浮上 (@kycn360D) August 2, 2017
日焼け止めは欠かせなさそうな渡辺曜さん#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない
#ANESSA pic.twitter.com/D9PaB6SDVf
凛ちゃんだと挑発的になる…。面白いねこれ!#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない#ANESSA pic.twitter.com/EaK9W52J1D
— くりゅ (@rxargyros) August 3, 2017
While others used numerous shots and characters from their portfolio to create a variety of different ads.
https://twitter.com/run_run252/status/892851498320711680流行に少し遅れて乗る、、!!
— まいまい (@0mm_ply0) August 7, 2017
横しかなかったけどな!!!!
透明感はこやちゃんの専売特許( ̄ー ̄)
#ANESSA#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/tDySCucP8E
Characters with pale complexions like these proved to be perfect models for the brand’s skin-protecting properties.
https://twitter.com/10ayumu_ta/status/892746728574640129 https://twitter.com/nonecos074/status/892729999408615424三日月だとなんだかしっとり。笑#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない#ANESSA pic.twitter.com/41FjHzXlSo
— くりゅ (@rxargyros) August 3, 2017
Given the nature of the product, a lot of cosplayers incorporated beachside scenes into their ads.
https://twitter.com/poka_cos/status/893792887824990208私にもやらせろ#ANESSA#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/YfgfQsGnNO
— うらまる🐷 (@uramaru_y) August 4, 2017
すぐやりたがる
— 𝘮 𝘰 𝘧 𝘶 🚪 (@mofmof_jpg) August 2, 2017
#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/aLkkwwrbAP
#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない#ANESSA
— あいかち🐾 (@orange_aiu) August 2, 2017
スクールアイドルだから🍊 pic.twitter.com/7noVsihN0m
▼ Some opted to add parasols to their look.
https://twitter.com/ishikooooo/status/892739403528798210 https://twitter.com/s2skn/status/892736614241157120▼ While others stripped down to their bikinis in the name of sun protection.
https://twitter.com/kouya_sara/status/892741275732000768 https://twitter.com/awmhbietre/status/892718067062456320 https://twitter.com/monhannoero/status/893049747279196160▼ Poolside photos were another popular choice for creating personalised advertisements.
#ANESSA #レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない
— 🍼たつのすけ🍼 (@tatuno_cos) August 2, 2017
🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/wAqVMCHh6A
楽しい😁#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない #ANESSA pic.twitter.com/CblsdlqUfC
— ウサコ (@ASCEUSAKO) August 2, 2017
▼ No matter where the location, sunny days were a key highlight of the ad campaign.
https://twitter.com/azulrojo47/status/892725151388712960これもらって爆笑して満足して上げるの忘れてた。
— ことり (@__kotori__) August 5, 2017
光合成してそうって言われたやつ。#レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない #ANESSA pic.twitter.com/9gSYyGrOJD
TREND.#ANESSA #レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/JsnzOAmDYB
— Utahime❤Kindred🌹🌈 (@utahime_cosplay) August 3, 2017
こうですね?>#ANESSA #着ぐるみが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/7XTij33sd7
— HOSOn (@gakkari_hoson) August 2, 2017
▼ Some of the ads were put together so well they could pass for official ads.
FGOのティーチで流行に便乗してみる(^O^)#ANESSA #レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/stVFH2NGFC
— さくら (@capricoooo5) August 3, 2017
ミシン前で衣装じゃなくコラ作ってるから叱って欲しい #ANESSA pic.twitter.com/0Yhvi4tkUa
— 🦈gyava🦈 (@gyavaaaaa) August 2, 2017
▼ Even seafaring pirates like Jack Sparrow came out to show support for Anessa!
#ANESSA #レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/mKhmAYXaU0
— ふわ (@Fuwa2ndGM) August 2, 2017
▼ Ladybeard was another fan, joining in the fun with a series of poolside photos.
わたしの国オーストラリアに日焼けしたら確かに死にます😇🌞
— Ladybeard🎀 (@Ladybeard_Japan) August 4, 2017
コスプレする人 しない人 みなさんUVCareしましょう🍉❤️#ANESSA #レイヤーが日焼けなんてしてらんない pic.twitter.com/mkZ9VeCJjk
The genius marketing plan by Shiseido was a resounding success, attracting media attention and bringing a huge amount of attention to both the World Cosplay Summit and the Anessa sunscreen range.
Best of all, though, the sense of goodwill and support for the world of cosplay as the company handed power over the brand to the cosplayers themselves is something that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Next time cosplayers are looking for a product to help give them the complexion of an anime star, we have a feeling we know which brand they’ll be turning to.
Source: Net Lab
Featured image: Twitter/@@rxargyros
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