Nostalgic "Showa-Era" iPhone Ad Captivates Seniors

Mar 01, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Seniors in Japan are buzzing with excitement over a fictional commercial on YouTube that advertises iPhones in a "Showa" retro style.

Nostalgic

The video, titled "What if there was an iPhone commercial in the Showa 30s era? [もしも昭和30年代にiPhoneのCMが放送されていたら【架空CM】]", introduces the modern iPhone in a style that screams "Showa," complete with nostalgic animation and catchphrases. The internet has erupted with comments like "Pure Showa brilliance. Fantastic!" and "This takes me back. I remember watching this commercial as a kid. Glad the footage survived (joking)!"

When we showed the video to people on the street, we wondered what kind of reactions we'd get.

In Sugamo, Tokyo, a popular spot for seniors, some were so impressed by the quality of the video that they mistook it for an actual commercial from the past.

Street Interviewer: "Have you seen this video before, ma'am?"

Reporter: "It's a fictional commercial imagining if the iPhone existed in the Showa 30s era."

Street Interviewer: "Oh, ah... Aha!"

A 70-year-old woman who watched the video said, "If it existed back then, I think it would have been very interesting. I'd like it. It's like a phone and a notebook combined, right?"

A 70-year-old man commented, "It kind of reminds me of the Tris (whiskey) commercials," while another 70-year-old woman added, "It's so nostalgic, really amazing."

What's surprising is the age of the creator of this Showa-era commercial. The video was made by 22-year-old Kazuya Kanehisa, who was born in the Heisei era.

Why did he decide to make this commercial?

Kazuya Kanehisa, the video creator, explained, "I used to play with the film projector and record player that my grandfather had when I was in elementary school. I've always liked content from around the Showa 30s and 40s. (What did you focus on in the video?) I tried my best to replicate the way product names are repeatedly chanted in a melody and how explanations are given in a simplified, cartoonish style."

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