ADC Awards
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Learn more about ADC105
Category
Data Visualization
Annual ID
ADC104_INT015B
Background
Fujitsu's breakthrough solutions are aimed at addressing crucial societal issues, such as air quality, but their true value has become obscured by technical jargon and complexities. Making it challenging for clients and the public to understand and relate, thus diminishing its emotional impact.
To bridge this gap, Fujitsu needed to reframe the global air quality issue, while showcasing their prime innovation, the Digital Twin™ technology. Its magic lies in its ability to make the invisible, visible—transforming abstract environmental data into a tangible experience. To do this, we reimagined how to talk about it, weaving it into a story that would resonate on a human level.
The aim was also to foster understanding and media interest, to help spread the message far and wide that this is more than just another high-tech tool, but a pathway towards meaningful change, transforming how we tackle problems that matter to us all.
To bridge this gap, Fujitsu needed to reframe the global air quality issue, while showcasing their prime innovation, the Digital Twin™ technology. Its magic lies in its ability to make the invisible, visible—transforming abstract environmental data into a tangible experience. To do this, we reimagined how to talk about it, weaving it into a story that would resonate on a human level.
The aim was also to foster understanding and media interest, to help spread the message far and wide that this is more than just another high-tech tool, but a pathway towards meaningful change, transforming how we tackle problems that matter to us all.
Creative Idea
To raise awareness about Fujitsu’s Digital Twin™︎ Technology for clean air, we wanted to make pollution data more visible and emotional, by delivering it in an unexpected way.
In a unique collaboration that blends technology with culinary art, we created Carbon Cakes: a collection of cakes made with the same amount of pollution we breathe in every day.
Each Carbon Cake reflects levels of CO2 and PM2.5 that are gathered from environmental data via Fujitsu’s Digital Twin™︎ simulations, showcasing the balance between environmental, social, and economic factors. These black, dirty, misshapen cakes, filled with pollutants, helped people visualize the tangible amount of pollution that surrounds us, stimulating real conversations around CO2 and PM2.5 reduction - with the ultimate aim to drive debate around finding solutions for change.
In a unique collaboration that blends technology with culinary art, we created Carbon Cakes: a collection of cakes made with the same amount of pollution we breathe in every day.
Each Carbon Cake reflects levels of CO2 and PM2.5 that are gathered from environmental data via Fujitsu’s Digital Twin™︎ simulations, showcasing the balance between environmental, social, and economic factors. These black, dirty, misshapen cakes, filled with pollutants, helped people visualize the tangible amount of pollution that surrounds us, stimulating real conversations around CO2 and PM2.5 reduction - with the ultimate aim to drive debate around finding solutions for change.
Insights & Strategy
Using Fujitsu’s multimodality Digital Twin™, we generated a simulation of the CO2 emissions from a densely populated city, which produces 460,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, or 4.6 tonnes per person.
We then conducted several Digital Rehearsals™ to find the optimal balance between environmental, social and economic factors as solutions: for example, making tolls on the motorway free; set lower tolls; set low tolls and reduce bus fares; make tolls free, but also with an EV adoption rate set at 30%, etc.
The cakes were then made based on the pollutant/environmental data obtained from each rehearsal.
We then conducted several Digital Rehearsals™ to find the optimal balance between environmental, social and economic factors as solutions: for example, making tolls on the motorway free; set lower tolls; set low tolls and reduce bus fares; make tolls free, but also with an EV adoption rate set at 30%, etc.
The cakes were then made based on the pollutant/environmental data obtained from each rehearsal.
Execution
Each cake is a physical manifestation of the different digital rehearsals we conducted using Fujitsu’s multimodality Digital Twin™, and the pollution levels derived from each: the darker the cake and the more distorted its shape, the higher the cake's contaminant value and the lower its environmental score.
We translated the environmental data collected through these simulations into grams, so that the ingredients of each cake would reflect the different resulting levels of CO2 and PM2.5.
For the PM2.5 ingredient we used an ink made from fine particles captured from the atmosphere. And we used sodium bicarbonate as CO2, because carbon dioxide is one of the main gasses responsible for fermentation in baking. So, when you combine “baking soda” with an acid like buttermilk, the mixture fizzes, creating a chemical reaction that produces bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.
We translated the environmental data collected through these simulations into grams, so that the ingredients of each cake would reflect the different resulting levels of CO2 and PM2.5.
For the PM2.5 ingredient we used an ink made from fine particles captured from the atmosphere. And we used sodium bicarbonate as CO2, because carbon dioxide is one of the main gasses responsible for fermentation in baking. So, when you combine “baking soda” with an acid like buttermilk, the mixture fizzes, creating a chemical reaction that produces bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.
Results
Carbon Cakes significantly elevated awareness around Fujitsu's technologies, brand perception, and environmental consciousness itself:
The event engaged 22 key attendees, achieving coverage across 80 media outlets worldwide, dramatically broadening awareness surrounding Fujitsu’s technology, and far surpassing traditional methods like white papers. It garnered an impressive JPY 24,813,000 in earned media value, and
221 million social media reach.
Additionally, Fujitsu reshaped its image, showcased by headlines like - "A project that is as educational as it is unconventional" and “A deliciously stark reminder of our carbon footprint."
The campaign inspired attendees to rethink their environmental impact, with reflections like, "I was given the opportunity to think more deeply about aspects of environmental issues I had not considered before," demonstrating its effectiveness in inspiring behavior shifts toward sustainability.
The event engaged 22 key attendees, achieving coverage across 80 media outlets worldwide, dramatically broadening awareness surrounding Fujitsu’s technology, and far surpassing traditional methods like white papers. It garnered an impressive JPY 24,813,000 in earned media value, and
221 million social media reach.
Additionally, Fujitsu reshaped its image, showcased by headlines like - "A project that is as educational as it is unconventional" and “A deliciously stark reminder of our carbon footprint."
The campaign inspired attendees to rethink their environmental impact, with reflections like, "I was given the opportunity to think more deeply about aspects of environmental issues I had not considered before," demonstrating its effectiveness in inspiring behavior shifts toward sustainability.
2025 Awards
Total Points: 9
Bronze Cube
Credits
Agency
R/ga Japan
Media Agency
Sunny Side Up Inc.
Production Company
Visions And Paradox Ltd.
Chief Creative Officer
Tiffany Rolfe
Copywriter
Aoi Nameraishi
Claire Rorke
Jovi Harrison
Creative Director
Marta Caseny
Nicholas Hannon
Sam Maguinness
Director
Yusuke Ishida
Editor
Alexandra Redd
Executive Creative Director
Ari Halper
Masaya Nakade
Producer
Anton Karyakin
Hyerin Ryu
Kyohei Fukatsu
Stella Park
Takanobu Oki
Tomochika Komoriya
Yoshimi Koizumi
Strategist
Rita Goh
Roana Brito
Executive Producer
Joel Simon-Vermot
Kyle Belcher
VP, Executive Strategy Director
Brady Ambler
Account Planner
Anna Yano
Kazuki Kusu
Chef-patissier
Asako Iwayanagi
Event Operation Director
Marie Nakayama
General Manager
Anthony Baker
Group Account Director
Naru Kudo
Media Promoter
Shonosuke Maeda
Planner
Kazuki Kameyama
Noriaki Murata
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