What is
BRANDED SHORTS ?

As the only international advertising film competition in Japan

In an age when it has become increasingly difficult to engage with customers through traditional communication means alone, companies and their customers are undergoing major changes in the way they transmit and receive information. Communication between companies and their customers have changed dramatically, and an increasing number of companies are now focusing on visual marketing. In particular, branded films are attracting attention as content that can combine “value for consumers (entertainment and usefulness)” with “messages and principles” from the company or brand. In 2016, the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) established the branded film category as part of an international short film festival and established BRANDED SHORTS as an official competition to recognize these films. As the only international advertising film competition in Japan, SSFF & ASIA continues to create new avenues for the growing field of branded films. This year, we received 687 entries (International: 564, National: 123) from around the world. 15 films were nominated for the International Competition and 9 for the National Competition. From these nominated films, the “Branded Shorts of the Year” award will be presented to outstanding branded movie selected by a panel of 7 jurors based on 8 criteria. The winner will be announced at “BRANDED SHORTS 2022” on Tuesday, June 14. On the same day, a talk session will be held by the jury members who will discuss this year’s trends and the potential of BRANDED SHORTS. At the same time, the winner of the 11th VisualTourism Award, (Japan Tourism Agency Commisioner’s Award) will be announced. An online event with the participation of the five finalist regions will be streamed on May 26, Thursday.

Award

International Competition Branded Shorts of the Year
Award given to the best BRANDED short film from outside Japan chosen based on eight criteria: essentiality, ability to change perceptions, shareability, strength of message, viewership retention, originality, timeliness, and memory retention.

National Competition Branded Shorts of the Year
Award given to the best Japanese BRANDED short film chosen based on eight criteria: essentiality, ability to change perceptions, shareability, strength of message, viewership retention, originality, timeliness, and memory retention.

HR Competition supported by Indeed HR Best Short Award 
Award given to the most engaged short film based on the criteria of Purpose, Corporate Appeal, Message, Sustained Viewing, Originality, and Memory Retention chosen from branding perspectives that lead to recruitment.

Deloitte Digital Award
Deloitte Digital and Committee for Short Shorts will select Deloitte Digital Award, with theme of “fusion of digital and humanity” under the following criteria: Purpose, New, Design, Human Experience and Engagement.

Visual Tourism Award, Japan Tourism Agency Commisioner’s Award
Among tourism promotional films, movies, and videos produced in all 47 prefectures in Japan, the Visual Tourism Award, Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner of Tourism Award will be given to the most creative, promotional, and topical work, based on the perspective of tourism promotion.”

Awards

Judging Criteria

Branded Shorts of the Year

“Branded Shorts of the Year” will be selected from each category by a jury gathered from across boundaries of the advertising, film, and other related industries from the BRANDED SHORTS 2022 international and national category nominated short films. Judging criteris: essentiality, ability to change perceptions, shareability, strength of message, viewership retention, originality, timeliness, and memory retention.

Juries

Operating company: Pacific Voice Inc.