Double A: Obsession For Smoothness
Double A wanted to revitalize its brand in a stagnant global paper market. SIX Tokyo was tasked with proving the superior smoothness of their paper to a worldwide audience. The goal was to shift perception from a basic office commodity to a premium, creative tool by demonstrating product reliability in a way that would capture global attention and social media engagement.
Creative Idea
Created a synchronized "paper mapping" music video using 567 printers to prove product smoothness.
To prove the extreme smoothness of Double A paper, the brand collaborated with OK Go to create the world's first "paper mapping" music video, using 567 synchronized printers to generate a flawless, real-time backdrop without a single paper jam.
Five Hundred Printers and Zero Paper Jams
Three Years of Creative Sandbox
While the final video for Obsession feels like a seamless four - minute burst of energy, the project required three years of trial and error to perfect. Lead Creative Director Jin Saito described the process as a "creative sandbox" where the team had to invent an entirely new medium: Paper Mapping. To achieve the effect, the production utilized 567 printers synchronized by a custom system developed by Daito Manabe and the Rhizomatiks Research team. The technical precision required was so high that OK Go lived in Japan for four weeks just to rehearse the frame - perfect choreography.
The Rhythm of the Machine
The choice of the song Obsession was not arbitrary; the band selected it specifically because its tempo matched the maximum mechanical speed at which the printers could eject paper without jamming. Despite the "crazy difficulty" described by agency Spa-Hakuhodo, the shoot was completed over five days of continuous filming in Japan with no CGI. Every sheet of paper seen forming the backdrop was a physical printout. In a nod to the brand's Thai roots, the team tucked an "Easter egg" into the sequences: a printed image of Maiton Island in Phuket.
Doubling the Impact for Greenpeace
The visual scale of the project expanded when a member of OK Go suggested using two walls of printers instead of one to "double the impact," a move that serendipitously aligned with the Double A brand name. Beyond the viral success of 10 million views, the campaign maintained a commitment to sustainability. All paper used during the grueling production was collected and recycled, with the resulting proceeds donated to Greenpeace. This collaboration successfully transformed a functional office supply into a global creative icon, marking the first time a paper company secured a Gold Lion at Cannes.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
A premium paper brand capable of high-speed performance without jamming in demanding environments.
Category
Commodity paper advertising usually focuses on dry functional specs or generic office settings that people ignore.
Customer
Creative professionals and office workers who value reliability but find paper marketing incredibly dull and uninspiring.
Culture
The viral popularity of OK Go's complex, one-take music videos that celebrate technical precision and creative ingenuity.
Company
A premium paper brand capable of high-speed performance without jamming in demanding environments.
Category
Commodity paper advertising usually focuses on dry functional specs or generic office settings that people ignore.
Strategy:
Transform a mundane functional attribute into a high-stakes performance metric through extreme technical stress-testing.
Customer
Creative professionals and office workers who value reliability but find paper marketing incredibly dull and uninspiring.
Culture
The viral popularity of OK Go's complex, one-take music videos that celebrate technical precision and creative ingenuity.
Strategy:
Transform a mundane functional attribute into a high-stakes performance metric through extreme technical stress-testing.
Results
The campaign achieved massive global reach with over 10 million views in just two weeks. It generated significant earned media coverage from major outlets including Rolling Stone, BGR, Shots, and Rockcellar Magazine. The video was so popular it reportedly 'broke YouTube' due to high traffic and complex visual data. Beyond entertainment, the project is being used as an educational tool to inspire creative thinking. All paper used in the production was recycled, and proceeds were donated to Greenpeace, enhancing the brand's sustainability credentials.
10M+
views in two weeks
567
printers synchronized
100%
recycled paper used
Strategy Technique
Dramatize the Invisible Benefit
Paper "smoothness" is an invisible, boring commodity trait. By subjecting the paper to the ultimate high-speed stress test in a viral music video, the brand made a functional benefit visually spectacular and undeniable.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Technology
The campaign utilized custom-programmed synchronization of 567 printers to create a physical stop-motion animation, turning a mundane office tool into a high-tech creative medium that physically demonstrated product reliability.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's brilliance lies in its 'analog-digital' hybrid, using massive-scale hardware synchronization to create a physical version of digital mapping.
The custom software required to synchronize 567 printers to fire precisely with a musical score is a feat of engineering.
The physical construction of the printer wall and the logistical management of thousands of sheets of paper is immense.
The use of long takes and precise camera movement is essential to capture the scale and timing of the performance.
The meticulous planning of color patterns and geometric shapes created by the paper output is visually stunning.
The magic comes from the seamless integration of complex software engineering with physical, tactile materials to create a 'real-life' digital effect.
