McCann Alpha, together with NTT East and NTT DX partners, releases nap video to enhance creativity

Aiming to create numerous projects to solve sleep issues

URL for distribution of the nap music video "Kare〜naru nap": https://youtu.be/LJP3vvCMmGg

As members of "ZAKONE," the three companies have focused on how napping improves creativity, and have produced this video with the aim of educating people about nap culture and helping innovators improve their creativity. Through this initiative, we aim to create numerous projects that solve sleep issues.

Background and Objectives of this Initiative

According to a 2018 OECD survey, Japanese people sleep only 7 hours and 22 minutes, the shortest sleep duration in the world. Sleep deprivation poses not only individual problems, but also social issues such as risk of disease, daytime sleepiness, and decreased productivity.
As a solution to such sleep deprivation, active "napping," or "power napping," in which 20 to 30 minutes of sleep is obtained during the day, has recently been attracting attention.

Sleep has stages of waking/REM sleep/stages 1-3 as shown in the figure above. (See Figure 1.) Stage 3, stage 4, and slow wave sleep are deep sleep in which the brain and body are completely at rest, while being in a shallow sleep state in which the body is asleep but the brain is awake, as in stages 1 and 2, is called a "nap.

One of the effects of sleep on memory is the organization and consolidation of memories. Shallow sleep through napping is said to be effective in organizing memories touched while awake and activating cognitive functions, and the recommended acquisition time is said to be about 20 minutes. On the other hand, if a nap is continued for a prolonged period of time, it is said to shift to the deep sleep stage, resulting in poor performance upon awakening and a negative effect on nighttime sleep.

Thus, napping, when taken in an appropriate manner, helps to eliminate sleep deprivation, organize and remember information in the brain, and increase motivation and creativity in addition to improving productivity, and its usefulness has been attracting attention in recent years.

Against this backdrop, the virtual community "ZAKONE," which aims to further develop the sleep market through the co-creation of companies wishing to enter the sleep market and companies already involved in the sleep business, has produced a music video that promotes "napping," which has been attracting attention for its usefulness in recent years, in the right way as the first co-creation measure after its grand opening (September 3, 2022). The music video is designed to encourage people to take a nap in the right way, which has been attracting attention for its usefulness in recent years. By promoting the viewing of this video, we aim to educate people about the culture of napping and contribute to improving the creativity of business people.

Outline of Initiatives

In order to create companies and business people (sleep innovators) who will participate in ZAKONE, we have started distributing a nap music video "Kare - Naru Napping," which improves creativity through the process of napping and waking up while watching the following elements. The distribution of the music video, "Kare~naru Napsleep," has begun.

1. Proof of usefulness based on verification using the "Design Thinking Test," which has been adopted by international academic societies.

The "Design Thinking Test" (developed and provided by VISITS Technologies, Inc.), which objectively calculates the "problem finding," "data utilization," and "business building" skills necessary to improve creativity, such as DX promotion, as a Design Thinking Score (®️), was taken while watching this video from nap to wake up. The test is developed and provided by VISITS Technologies, Inc.

As a result, 60% of the verification participants who went through the above flow multiple times during the period increased their Design Thinking score ®️ compared to the first time they took the test in this verification, and 50% of them increased their score rank by one or more levels.

(Verification period: September 13-October 18, 2022, 16 participants)
*Usability may vary depending on the viewing environment and physical condition.

2. Original music that promotes sleep onset and brain activation upon waking to encourage a pleasant nap

This music video consists of two parts: a "napping part" with relaxing music to help you fall asleep, and a "creativity awakening part" with awakening music to help you wake up. (about 30 minutes in total).

The music used in both parts was produced by Masayuki Noda (INVISI). The "napping part" used a relaxed, beatless tempo with fewer overtones, and adopted the rules of relaxing music, The "Creativity Awakening Part" is rich in overtones and up-tempo, and has more notes than the nap part, with a composition that gets more lively in the latter half, and tempo changes that make it easier to wake up. The music is created in a way that enhances its affinity with the world of the video.

3. Animation to activate the brain gently when napping and stimulatively when waking up

The entire animation production and planning and development, including the two parts provided within this music video, was directed by Marina Takahashi (DRAWING AND MANUAL), who has worked on various music videos and educational program footage.
For the overall visual theme of the music video, we chose "curry," which is a part of Japanese food culture, as something that is "rich when you sleep and stimulating when you wake up (eat). Like curry, you can feel the richness (creativity) by sleeping and waking up through this video.

Role of each company

This initiative was developed through the co-creation of NTT East and NTT DX Partner SleepTech business, which operates "ZAKONE," and McCann Alpha, a business co-creation organization within McCann Erickson, a foreign-affiliated advertising company.

project team
Planning and development: NTT East/NTT DX Partner Sleep Tech Business, McCann Erickson/McCann Alpha
Video Production: AOI Pro
In cooperation with: VISITS Technologies, BRAIN SLEEP, ARCH, QUINTBRIDGE

Midori Sasaki (NTT East SleepTech Project / ZAKONE Community Leader)

We are grateful for the many companies that have contacted us to participate in ZAKONE, which officially opened on September 3, the Autumn Sleep Day. However, we believe that we still need more people to join us in solving this problem in Japan, where sleep satisfaction ranks among the lowest in the world. We are looking for people who would like to see this napping music video, boost their creativity, and work together with us to solve the sleep problem with innovative ideas.

Mr. Ryosuke Yoshitomi (McCann Erickson, McCann Alpha Creative Partner / ZAKONE Creative Member)

Try taking a nap for 30 minutes after lunch or in the afternoon when you have some free time. You will be amazed at how much clearer your head will feel and how much more efficient you will be afterwards. We have created this nap music video with the help of many people in order to make this effect work in a more innovative way. Watch it and join us in confronting our sleep challenges!

Upcoming events

ZAKONE continues to recruit "companies that co-create solutions to sleep issues".
In addition, events will be held in the future to experience napping using the newly released napping music video "Kare〜naru Napping".
Detailed event information will be posted on ZAKONE's official website and official SNS as needed.

Sleep Network Hub ZAKONE
Official website:https://zakone.jp/
Official Twitter:https://twitter.com/zakoneforpeace
Official Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/zakonesleep/
Official NOTE:https://note.com/zakone/

What is Sleep Network Hub ZAKONE?

Grand opening on September 3, 2022, Autumn Sleep Day, a virtual community where various companies collaborate to create new businesses, develop services, plan events, etc. that contribute to sleep improvement in response to Japan's sleep challenges. The community is a forum for companies from different industries and fields to work together to create new businesses, develop services, plan events, etc., that contribute to improving sleep. So far, 20 companies have participated.
This "Kare~naru Sleep" project is ZAKONE's first co-creation project, and was created with the hope that it will provide an opportunity for future co-creation partners to be born.
Official website:https://zakone.jp/

Sleep Tech Business Team, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation and NTT DX Partners, Inc.
https://business.ntt-east.co.jp/content/sleeptech/
This team provides business support, solutions, and data analysis related to "sleep" utilizing the data analysis technologies and networks of NTT East and NTT DX partners. With leading experts in sleep research and other partners, we provide medical and smart solutions to help solve sleep issues for businesses, the community, Japan, and the world.

McCann Erickson Inc. / McCann Alpha
https://www.mccannwg.co.jp/
McCann Erickson is the flagship agency of the McCann Worldgroup and the only truly international advertising firm capable of independent media planning and buying.
Since its founding in 1960, McCann Erickson has worked with leading companies, both Japanese and foreign-affiliated. McCann Alpha, established in 2021, is a creative partner organization with a focus on business co-creation. We are currently working with NTT East, Panasonic, and many other companies on projects ranging from 0 to 1 to 10, including services, products, and brands.