FOUND IN TRANSLATION
Minus 196 had a cult following in Australia, but even its biggest fans weren’t sure what to call this strange Japanese beverage. Depending on who you asked, it might be “Suntory”, “Strong”, or just “that Japanese lemon drink”.
So we decided to teach Aussies the name of Minus 196 in the most Japanese way possible…
By having them translate it.
Illustrated by Kentaro Yoshida/UX by Unbound
TRANSLATION TIME.
Doing so triggered an AR-powered mobile animation that translated the copy, in characteristically extreme Minus 196 fashion.
ZERO ENGLISH. ALMOST.
We designed a series of illustrated posters with a catch.
There wasn’t a word of English in any of the messaging.
Plastered in front of baffled Aussies all over Sydney, the only way to figure out what they said was to translate via a QR code built into the artwork.
TA-DA.
The translated poster spelled out the name of Minus 196 word for word in English.
Oh, and it also contained a hidden invitation to a three storey, 12m high vending machine at SXSW.
That’s one way to make people remember your name.
