Grand Prix winner at the Cannes Film Festival! “Yubari Fusai”
“Yubari Fusai”, a husband-and-wife team recognized worldwide!
The Japanese were the most stunned!
“Who are the ‘Yubari Fusai’?”
With melon-shaped caps on their heads, this husband-and-wife team clad in patched clothes has a cart that they pull while singing, “We don’t have money but got love!” Although introduced as characters of Yubari City, Hokkaido in 2007, the citizens were not all too pleased with this couple since they looked so shabby. Therefore, the “Yubari Fusai” failed in gaining name recognition nationwide.
However, to everyone’s shock, the pair was chosen among the 1,118 entries and received the Grand Prix in the Promo category at the Cannes Film Festival, known as the Oscars of the advertising world, in June 2009. Hearing such great news, the citizens of Hokkaido were indeed elated.
Where is Yubari City?
Yubari City is less than a two-hour drive from Sapporo. Although there was a time in the past when it flourished as a coal mining town, it is now known for its expensive but delicious melons and is also visited by many skiers during the snowy winter season.
Unfortunately, this peaceful town experienced financial collapse in 2007 due to coal mines closing one after another and failed investments in tourism. Even the International Fantastic Film Festival, which now cannot receive any subsidy, is now being held thanks to donations from volunteers.
Explore Japan "Yubari"
http://www.japan-i.jp/explorejapan/hokkaido/dohoku-asahikawa-furano
/asahikawa-furano/d8jk7l000002l7al.html
Restructuring by promoting poverty
The Yubari Fusai couple was created to lure more tourists to the city in this time of financial restructuring. Fusai, meaning both “debt” and “husband and wife”, also symbolizes Yubari itself since it actually is a “town of love” with a low divorce rate.
“All our friends have left town. Turing around, we realize that the lights have gone out, too.”
“The next thing we knew, population declined. The only things left are melons and debts.”
“Bitter legacy.” “We’re at the end of our rope.”
The couple’s song titled “Ai-no-Shihatsueki (starting station of love)” has self-depreciating lyrics that make you doubt your ears. Initially embarrassed, the citizens were not very happy. However, they now understand that “they have nothing to lose” and are promoting PR activities in any way that they can.
Yubari Fusai meets the world!
Currently, various goods featuring the two are sold at the souvenir store in the hotel directly connected to a ski resort such as CDs, T-shirts, bags, local beer, and steamed bean-jam buns. Many couples are also spotted taking pictures in front of their panel.
This type of region-wide advertising activity that promoted poverty indeed measured up to the concept of “new advertising method that is brilliant” of the Cannes Film Festival’s Promo category.
The couple who was presented with the greatest honor will continue pulling their cart from now, being backed up by the rest of the world.
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