5th Suzuki Saburosuke Zenkoren Regional Advertising Award Grand Prix Goes to Iwate Nippo Co., Ltd. for "If I Knew It Was the Last Time Educational Program: March 11th, A Day to Say 'I'm Sorry' to Loved Ones"
The 'If I Knew It Was the Last Time Educational Program: March 11th, A Day to Say 'I'm Sorry' to Loved Ones' by Iwate Nippo Co., Ltd. received the Grand Prix and Campaign Division Award at the 5th Suzuki Saburosuke Zenkoren Regional Advertising Award. This program, designed to prevent the fading of memories from the Great East Japan Earthquake, has been adopted by over 90 schools and organizations nationwide, generating significant impact. The award ceremony will be held on May 13th in Shizuoka.
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The selection committee for the 5th "Suzuki Saburosuke Zenkoren Regional Advertising Award" was held on April 15th. From 145 entries submitted by 27 advertising associations and the general public, Iwate Nippo Co., Ltd.'s "If I Knew It Was the Last Time Educational Program: March 11th, A Day to Say 'I'm Sorry' to Loved Ones" was selected for both the Grand Prix and the Campaign Division Award.
The purpose of this award is to promote regional revitalization by commending excellent advertising communication activities that contribute to the revitalization of various regions across Japan through advertising activities related to local industry, economy, culture, and sports. It consists of four categories: "Print Division," "Film/Audio Division," "Campaign Division," and "Challenge Division," with two works selected from each category. Additionally, starting this year, a "Digital Communication Special Award" will be presented to one excellent communication activity using digital and web platforms.
A total of nine divisional awards were selected, and then the Grand Prix was determined.
The awards ceremony will take place on May 13th, during the 74th All Japan Advertising Federation Shizuoka Convention.
[List of Award-Winning Works] *There is no ranking among the two works in the same division.
◆ 5th "Suzuki Saburosuke Zenkoren Regional Advertising Award"
Grand Prix and Campaign Division Award
Recipient: Iwate Nippo Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: If I Knew It Was the Last Time Educational Program: March 11th, A Day to Say 'I'm Sorry' to Loved Ones
Recommending Association: Iwate Advertising Association
■ Print Division Award
Recipient: Chugoku Shimbun, Nagasaki Shimbun, and cooperating companies
Awarded Work: PEACE FOREVER PROJECT
Recommending Association: Hiroshima Advertising Association
■ Print Division Award
Recipient: Koizumi Yakumo and Setsu's Drama Revitalizing Matsue Promotion Council
Awarded Work: Age, Soge, Bake. Matsue, the town where Koizumi Yakumo and Setsu met
Recommending Association: San'in Advertising Association
■ Film/Audio Division Award
Recipient: Toyota Motor Corporation
Awarded Work: Road Rage Stakeout Interview
Recommending Association: Aichi Advertising Association
■ Film/Audio Division Award
Recipient: AEON Financial Service Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: AEON Pay Payment Drama
Recommending Association: Fukuoka Advertising Association
■ Campaign Division Award
Recipient: Hiroshima Prefecture
Awarded Work: OK!! Hiroshima (Oishii-ke, Hiroshima)
Recommending Association: Hiroshima Advertising Association
■ Challenge Division Award
Recipient: Akita Sakigake Shinpo Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: Akita Revitalization Junior High School Championship
Recommending Association: Akita Advertising Association
■ Challenge Division Award
Recipient: Marimo Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: Honon Socks that can be slipped on with one hand
Recommending Association: Aichi Advertising Association
■ Digital Communication Special Award
Recipient: Wide Leisure Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: Dekkai Gakko (Big School)
Recommending Association: Fukuoka Advertising Association
[Overview of Works and Reasons for Award]
◆ Grand Prix and Campaign Division Award
Recipient: Iwate Nippo Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: If I Knew It Was the Last Time Educational Program: March 11th, A Day to Say 'I'm Sorry' to Loved Ones
(Newspaper, Video, Website, Teaching Material)
As disasters frequently occur nationwide, 14 years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the fading of memories and the challenge of passing them on to generations who did not experience the disaster have become national issues. In educational settings, there are concerns about the increasing number of inexperienced teachers and their anxiety about taking on recovery education, while the chronic busy-ness of teachers has also become a social problem.
Therefore, this advertising project, which has been ongoing since 2017, was re-structured as educational material, and a package including teaching plans was developed and provided for free through a special website to reduce the burden of lesson preparation for teachers. Starting with a model class supported by a teacher from Saga Prefecture who said, "It was the first ethics class in over 30 years of teaching where so many students cried," the program expanded to newspaper advertisements, TV commercials, and social media, with continued outreach classes by employees. It has been utilized by over 90 schools and organizations nationwide and has received high acclaim. Furthermore, by calling March 11th a day to say 'I'm sorry' to loved ones, a web initiative was implemented. Related videos received approximately 7 million impressions, and about 50 regrets were sent to the "Gomenne Post," generating a significant response in preventing the fading of memories of the disaster and raising psychological disaster preparedness awareness.
Under the strong determination "not to let the memories of the disaster fade," the initiative was highly praised for redesigning the emotional appeal of newspaper advertising and video directly into an educational program usable by anyone, thereby expanding advertising beyond "transient expression" into "an educational infrastructure used nationwide."
The purpose of this award is to promote regional revitalization by commending excellent advertising communication activities that contribute to the revitalization of various regions across Japan through advertising activities related to local industry, economy, culture, and sports. It consists of four categories: "Print Division," "Film/Audio Division," "Campaign Division," and "Challenge Division," with two works selected from each category. Additionally, starting this year, a "Digital Communication Special Award" will be presented to one excellent communication activity using digital and web platforms.
A total of nine divisional awards were selected, and then the Grand Prix was determined.
The awards ceremony will take place on May 13th, during the 74th All Japan Advertising Federation Shizuoka Convention.
[List of Award-Winning Works] *There is no ranking among the two works in the same division.
◆ 5th "Suzuki Saburosuke Zenkoren Regional Advertising Award"
Grand Prix and Campaign Division Award
Recipient: Iwate Nippo Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: If I Knew It Was the Last Time Educational Program: March 11th, A Day to Say 'I'm Sorry' to Loved Ones
Recommending Association: Iwate Advertising Association
■ Print Division Award
Recipient: Chugoku Shimbun, Nagasaki Shimbun, and cooperating companies
Awarded Work: PEACE FOREVER PROJECT
Recommending Association: Hiroshima Advertising Association
■ Print Division Award
Recipient: Koizumi Yakumo and Setsu's Drama Revitalizing Matsue Promotion Council
Awarded Work: Age, Soge, Bake. Matsue, the town where Koizumi Yakumo and Setsu met
Recommending Association: San'in Advertising Association
■ Film/Audio Division Award
Recipient: Toyota Motor Corporation
Awarded Work: Road Rage Stakeout Interview
Recommending Association: Aichi Advertising Association
■ Film/Audio Division Award
Recipient: AEON Financial Service Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: AEON Pay Payment Drama
Recommending Association: Fukuoka Advertising Association
■ Campaign Division Award
Recipient: Hiroshima Prefecture
Awarded Work: OK!! Hiroshima (Oishii-ke, Hiroshima)
Recommending Association: Hiroshima Advertising Association
■ Challenge Division Award
Recipient: Akita Sakigake Shinpo Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: Akita Revitalization Junior High School Championship
Recommending Association: Akita Advertising Association
■ Challenge Division Award
Recipient: Marimo Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: Honon Socks that can be slipped on with one hand
Recommending Association: Aichi Advertising Association
■ Digital Communication Special Award
Recipient: Wide Leisure Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: Dekkai Gakko (Big School)
Recommending Association: Fukuoka Advertising Association
[Overview of Works and Reasons for Award]
◆ Grand Prix and Campaign Division Award
Recipient: Iwate Nippo Co., Ltd.
Awarded Work: If I Knew It Was the Last Time Educational Program: March 11th, A Day to Say 'I'm Sorry' to Loved Ones
(Newspaper, Video, Website, Teaching Material)
As disasters frequently occur nationwide, 14 years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the fading of memories and the challenge of passing them on to generations who did not experience the disaster have become national issues. In educational settings, there are concerns about the increasing number of inexperienced teachers and their anxiety about taking on recovery education, while the chronic busy-ness of teachers has also become a social problem.
Therefore, this advertising project, which has been ongoing since 2017, was re-structured as educational material, and a package including teaching plans was developed and provided for free through a special website to reduce the burden of lesson preparation for teachers. Starting with a model class supported by a teacher from Saga Prefecture who said, "It was the first ethics class in over 30 years of teaching where so many students cried," the program expanded to newspaper advertisements, TV commercials, and social media, with continued outreach classes by employees. It has been utilized by over 90 schools and organizations nationwide and has received high acclaim. Furthermore, by calling March 11th a day to say 'I'm sorry' to loved ones, a web initiative was implemented. Related videos received approximately 7 million impressions, and about 50 regrets were sent to the "Gomenne Post," generating a significant response in preventing the fading of memories of the disaster and raising psychological disaster preparedness awareness.
Under the strong determination "not to let the memories of the disaster fade," the initiative was highly praised for redesigning the emotional appeal of newspaper advertising and video directly into an educational program usable by anyone, thereby expanding advertising beyond "transient expression" into "an educational infrastructure used nationwide."