To the naked eye, these advertisements appear to be meaningless images, but students preparing for entrance exams can see through the mystery.
When presenting advertising messages, sponsors often aim for maximum visibility. However, the Japanese energy drink company Zone Energy has taken a completely opposite approach with its new advertising campaign. The company has chosen Shibuya and Ikebukuro stations, two of the busiest train stations in Japan, to display its advertisements.
Advertisements by Zone Energy.
While everyone can see that the Zone Energy brand is advertising in the stations, not everyone can see the content of those advertisements. They are designed to be invisible to the naked eye, and according to a company representative, these are “advertisements that can only be seen by students preparing for entrance exams.”
You won’t be able to see this advertisement with the naked eye.
At first glance, most of the advertisements look like printing errors or display glitches. However, there are hidden messages within those chaotic blocks of white, pink, and bright red. And they will only reveal themselves if you carry a piece of opaque red plastic with you.
The advertisement content will only display when viewed through a piece of opaque red plastic.
But who would go to the station carrying such a strange item? Only one group: students preparing for exams.
In Japan, supplementary textbooks and study tools often come with solutions to exercises. However, they are printed in a way that makes them invisible unless viewed through a red plastic sheet. Almost any student attending school or participating in exam prep classes, or who regularly studies on the subway, carries this plastic sheet. They come in various sizes, from as large as a hand to as small as a thumb. Nevertheless, it is something that students commonly have on them.
Green and red plastic sheets are essential for Japanese students during exam preparation.
When writing with a red pen, students can use the plastic sheet to temporarily hide the content for memory review.
Especially at this time, this will be an inseparable item for high school students in Japan. Because the common university entrance exams for many schools are approaching in mid-January next year. Therefore, to further encourage candidates during this preparation period, the advertisements carry messages such as:
“To those studying with a red sheet on the train, we are confident that you will succeed.”
“Little by little, you are unlocking your potential.”
“Good luck to all who read this.”
Zone Energy’s unique and humane advertising approach will surely “score points” in the eyes of the community.
The advertising messages are hoped to boost the spirits of candidates and perhaps even motivate them to purchase more energy drinks for daily consumption. For those who cannot read the messages, their curiosity will drive them to find a red plastic sheet to decipher the content of the advertisements.
