Advertising Age has included TBWA\HAKUHODO’s Kazuaki Kuribayashi on its prestigious global list, 40 under 40, which recognizes the high achievements of individuals working across the industry.
He is well-known within the Japanese industry as the ‘Buzz Machine’, a title earned for his innate ability to identify cultural trends and insights around the internet, then translating this knowledge into breakthrough ideas for clients, creating both impact and buzz.
Kuribayashi’s most recognizable work includes Nissan’s ‘Intelligent Parking Chair’ – an office chair that automatically resets to its original position, at the clap of a hand. The idea enabled Nissan’s complex car parking technology to be easily understood by the millions on social media.
He also developed ‘Knock Knock Cat’ a CSR-focused project for Nissan after following conversations on social media about cats dying when seeking shelter from the cold by curling up near car engines. The campaign was so successful it even engaged Nissan’s competitors. Kurabayashi also contributed to the agency’s award winning work, ‘GIGA SELFIE’ for Tourism Australia, and ‘Native Mobile Music Video’ for King Records.
Kuribayashi joined Hakuhodo in 2011, as a social media specialist and planner, and then joined TBWA\HAKUHODO in 2014. Using a monitoring tool, Kazuaki analyses over 30,000 videos annually and developed ‘Buzz Acupuncture Points’, a principle that can be used across various platforms.
Through the application of his own theory, he forensically observes conversations on social media and identifies what specific aspects will create buzz for our clients. His passion and insights for buzz has led the agency in winning numerous awards including Gold Lion, Spikes Asia Grand Prix and AdStars Grand Prix. In 2016, Kazuaki was named Japan\Korea Young Achiever of the Year, by Campaign Asia Magazine.
Kuribayashi is just 29.
