NTT Docomo's 'Bakumore Exhibition' Wins Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at 12th JACE Event Awards

NTT Docomo Inc. (hereinafter, Docomo) has received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (Japan Event Grand Prize)—the highest honor—and the Gold Award in the Corporate and Industry Association Category at the 12th JACE Event Awards, hosted by the General Incorporated Association Japan Association for Convention & Event Industry (hereinafter, JACE). This recognition was awarded for the 'Bakumore™ Exhibition※1,' held in February 2025, themed 'Ordinary Moments Are Precious.' The exhibition featured only smartphone 'glamour' photos, and was praised for its innovative communication design leveraging the duality of images that appear 'glamorous' but actually 'leak' personal information. The approach successfully engaged younger audiences in risk awareness messaging, which is often perceived as rigid.

The JACE Event Awards is a comprehensive event recognition program that solicits and honors creative, innovative events held domestically and internationally. Since its inception in 2014, the awards have aimed to elevate the entire event industry by discovering and recognizing talent who lead the times. The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (Japan Event Grand Prize) is the most prestigious honor, selected from all entries as the single top winner.

1. Award Details

Award Name: 12th JACE Event Awards

Top Honor: Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (Japan Event Grand Prize), Gold Award in Corporate and Industry Association Category

Award Theme: Bakumore Exhibition

2. Key Reasons for Recognition

The following points were highlighted in the evaluation:

① Innovative Communication Design Using Duality

The experiential design leverages the dual nature of photos that appear 'glamorous' but actually 'leak' information. This brought novelty to risk-awareness communication—typically perceived as dry—and created a strong, memorable experience.

② Target-Optimized Planning and Promotion Strategy

By minimizing corporate branding and using a photo exhibition format that visitors could enjoy, the campaign naturally attracted interest from younger audiences toward the seemingly complex and distant topic of information security, encouraging self-driven awareness.

3. Overview of the 'Bakumore Exhibition'

The 'Bakumore Exhibition' was an experiential photo exhibition showcasing 70 'glamorous' photos featuring 10 influencers, including popular influencer 'Katoyuri,' who has over 1.5 million total social media followers. The overall supervision was led by Professor Masanori Mori, Special Professor and Professor Emeritus at Kobe University, an expert in information security.

On the first floor, the 'Baku-More Zone' displayed photos capturing relatable everyday moments, such as relaxing at a café or taking selfies in school uniforms. The second floor, the 'Baku-More Zone,' revealed the hidden risks of information leakage present in the displayed photos. Visitors experienced firsthand how seemingly harmless social media posts could lead to serious personal data breaches—such as location identification via reflections in eyes, address exposure from utility pole signs, misuse of fingerprints visible in photos, and risks of key duplication.

The 'Baku-More Zone' was kept secret until just before the exhibition opened, with no details disclosed in advance, maximizing the element of surprise for visitors. Attendees shared feedback such as, 'I realized information leakage could happen to me,' and 'I want to share this with my children.'

Bakumore Exhibition Summary

Name

Bakumore Exhibition

Dates

February 22 (Sat) and 23 (Sun), 2025

Venue

LIGHT BOX STUDIO (5-16-7 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

Organizer

NTT Docomo Inc.

Based on insights from the 'Bakumore Exhibition,' Docomo is providing simulation-based games and original educational materials for schools to help more customers experience the risks of information leakage when posting on social media.

Moving forward, Docomo will continue its efforts in information dissemination and environmental development to realize a society where customers can safely and securely use smartphones and digital services.

※1 NTT Docomo press release (Topics), February 10, 2025

'NTT Docomo Launches Innovative Smartphone Photo Exhibition: The Bakumore Exhibition'

※2 Official 'Bakumore' website: https://www.docomo.ne.jp/corporate/csr/social/kodomo/bakumore/

* 'Bakumore' is a trademark of NTT Docomo Inc.