The Advanced Accelerator Association Promoting Science and Technology (AAA) is a collaborative organisation in Japan that brings together industry, academia, government, and the public sector to promote advanced accelerator initiatives, including the International Linear Collider (ILC).
As part of its efforts to raise awareness and public interest, AAA sponsored the prestigious Senden Kaigi Advertising Awards, one of Japan’s most prominent advertising competitions. Under the theme “Ideas that make people want to bring the ILC to Japan,” the competition received over 16,500 submissions, including catchphrases, radio scripts, and TV commercial concepts.
After a careful review by AAA members and researchers from KEK, the winning entry was selected:
“Freshly made Universe, Just for You.” (Original Japanese: 「できたてのうちゅうをどうぞ」)
This catchphrase was created by Mr. Shingo Ishigami, an employee of Miyoshi Oil and Fat Co., Ltd., based in Tokyo.
Notably, Ishigami also received the Grand Prize of the Senden Kaigi Awards for a different entry in the same competition — the highest honor of the event.
“I had never even heard of the ILC before entering this competition,” saied Ishigami. To come up with a good catchphrase, he did a lot of research about the ILC online and through other sources. “I thought, ‘Wow, the ILC is incredible!’ At the same time, I found it really difficult to grasp exactly how it’s incredible in a way that would help me write catchphrase. To be honest, I still don’t fully understand it.”
He reflects that when it comes to solving the mysteries of the universe, he struggled to see what kind of direct benefit it brings to our daily lives. “I thought that understanding this would help me write a better tagline—but it wasn’t easy.” Unlike commercial products, the ILC’s purpose is complex and abstract, so he focused on finding an expression that would help readers feel a personal connection.
Since the contest theme was “an idea that makes people want to bring the ILC to Japan,” he started by asking himself, “What if something like the ILC were built right nearby?” That simple question led to a spark of inspiration. “At some point, the phrase ‘within soup-delivery distance’ came to mind—it gave me a warm, familiar feeling of closeness. From there, the catchphrase ‘Freshly made Universe – Just for you’ naturally followed.”
With just a few words, he managed to make the vastness of the universe feel as close and comforting as a bowl of soup delivered to your door.
“I wanted children and people unfamiliar with science researc to feel that the universe isn’t something distant, but something close. And I wanted to convey that hosting the ILC in Japan would let people here experience a ‘freshly made universe’ firsthand.”
Looking ahead, AAA plans to use this catchphrase in a range of public outreach efforts. It has already made its debut on 3,500 tote bags handed out at Niconico Chokaigi—a major pop culture event held in Tokyo in late April—where KEK hosted a booth.
“The winning catchphrase presents a friendly image but might not entirely reflect the depth and attractiveness of the ILC. I hope it can be paired with more text or design elements to effectively communicate the overall message. If alternative or added content is necessary, I’m willing to help,” he commented, offering his support for future ideas.
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