Droga5 takes a strangely philosophical approach in the first global campaign for Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo, entitled “The Science of Lifewear.” The :60 asks viewers, “Why do we get dressed?”
Good question…?
The ad concludes that “there’s not one answer” but that the brand will keep posing such larger-then-life queries as part of “the science of Lifewear.”
There’s some of that science in the spot as well, which references warm colors releasing dopamine and soft clothes making people feel more secure. These factoids are delivered amidst questions related to the main question at hand, such as whether people choose their clothes based on a mood or the local weather. The voiceover ponders such questions over an ambient backing track and footage of a man running to catch up with an acquaintance, filmed in slow-motion.
Notably, while the spot is intended as part of a push for an international audience, it is set in a Japanese city.
“By producing a global brand message from Japan, we are being authentic to our origin and who we are,” John Jay, president of global creative at Uniqlo parent company Fast Retailing, explained in a statement. “Our endless curiosity to explore the meaning of clothing is at the heart of our new campaign.”
The spot’s reach arguably exceeds its grasp, as it’s fairly ridiculous for a clothing brand like Uniqlo to wax philosophical for 60 seconds while showing you a variety of its (intentionally utilitarian) products in the process. On the other hand, it’s hard to argue that the spot doesn’t stand out from the retail pack, even if it does so largely as a head-scratcher.