Hakuhodo Gravity and Hakuhodo Cabin Win Silver at the 105th NY ADC Awards

The 'CRAFTMAN, SHIPS' campaign, created for the 50th anniversary of SHIPS, led by the 'CREATIVE SESSION' project team (a collaboration between Hakuhodo Gravity and Hakuhodo Cabin), has won a Silver award at the 105th NY ADC Awards in the Brand / Communication Design category.

This follows a streak of international recognition, including a Grand Prix at Spikes Asia 2026, Gold and Silver at ADFEST 2026, and Gold at the 2026 Clio Awards, one of the world's top three advertising awards.

The NY ADC Awards, established in 1921 by the Art Directors Club in New York, are among the world's oldest and most prestigious awards for advertising and design. In their 105th year, they continue to honor exceptional talent and groundbreaking work across all creative fields, including advertising, graphics, digital media, packaging, architecture, photography, and illustration.

For this campaign, the team visualized the unwavering spirit of SHIPS' 50-year history—defined by the statement 'Proceed in Blue'—through overwhelming craftsmanship. By excluding all digital processing, the team used canvas fabric (often used for ship sails) and iconic blue threads to breathe life into the brand through embroidery, the origin of garment making. In an era where AI can generate videos in minutes, artisans dedicated 600 hours to craft hundreds of 'embroidery frames,' using 42.5km of thread to create a stop-motion animation that captures the texture and subtle vibrations of the thread, ultimately resulting in 'a piece of clothing that comes to life.'

[Award Details]
- Client: SHIPS Co., Ltd. 50th Anniversary Campaign 'CRAFTMAN, SHIPS'
- Award: Art Directors Club Annual Awards (NY ADC Awards)
- Silver: Brand / Communication Design, Promotional - Wildcard category

[Recipients]
- Creative Director: Ryo Hozoji (Hakuhodo Gravity)
- Art Director: Kentaro Harano (Hakuhodo Cabin)
- Copywriter: Koji Nozawa (Hakuhodo Cabin)
- Producers: Yusuke Tabata (Hakuhodo Gravity), Daichi Yaginuma (Hakuhodo Cabin)
- Production Company: Hakuhodo Cabin

[Comments: Ryo Hozoji]
'Design over AI.' In an era where efficiency is everything, we challenged ourselves to question the 'essence of design.' To shape the identity of SHIPS for its 50th anniversary, we entrusted all expression to the origin of garment making: thread and needle. A series of 'embroidery frames' totaling 600 hours of labor and 42.5km of thread. This accumulation of obsessive craftsmanship is the pinnacle of design that AI cannot reach. It is about visualizing the warmth and perseverance of the creator rather than superficial visual generation. I am convinced that this award proves the 'victory of design through craft' to the world.

[About CREATIVE SESSION]
A project team formed by Hakuhodo Gravity and Hakuhodo Cabin to pursue exceptional creativity in fashion and lifestyle sectors. By blending Hakuhodo Gravity's expertise in global branding with Hakuhodo Cabin's high-quality implementation, they build impactful brand experiences through a synergy of messaging, visuals, video, and interactive elements.