Creative agency TBWA\HAKUHODO won nine awards, including Grand Prix of the Year, at MAD STARS 2026, the creative festival held in Busan, South Korea.
“RADIO TIME MACHINE” was awarded Grand Prix of the Year, the festival’s top honor across all categories. The campaign also won a Grand Prix in Health Stars and a Gold in Radio & Audio Stars. “CHEER SIGNS” won the Grand Prix in Entertainment for Sports Stars, along with a Gold in Brand Experience & Activation Sectors, a Silver in Brand Experience & Activation Use of Activation, and a Silver in Design Stars Sectors. “Fandom Feast” won Crystal awards in Direct Stars and Commerce Stars.
“RADIO TIME MACHINE” is an AI device developed for client Nichii Gakkan that recreates vintage radio. When users tune the physical dial to a past era, the device generates period-specific news broadcasts and hit music.
The device is powered by a combination of generative text and voice AI and operationalizes the principles of Reminiscence Therapy, a non-pharmacological approach that stimulates cognitive function and emotional well-being in seniors through nostalgic recall.
In trial deployments across eldercare facilities operated by Nichii Gakkan, an observational study using facial-expression analysis found an 8.7% average increase in positive facial expressions during device interaction and a 10.0% increase in expressive physical gestures compared to non-use baselines.
“CHEER SIGNS” was developed for the 100th anniversary of the Deaflympics for clients Tokyo Metropolitan Government, NHK Enterprises, and NHK Global Media Services. It is a visual cheering system created for athletes competing in a world without sound, co-created alongside Deaf community members and active Deaf athletes. The project replaces auditory cheering, such as applause and shouting, with a visual language of support.
“Fandom Feast” is an interactive live-streaming platform for McDonald’s Japan that allows fans to share a real-time meal with idols on screen. Exclusive artist-curated menu sets were made available through the official McDonald’s app ahead of each stream, allowing fans to eat the same meal as the performers. The platform launched in partnership with pop group XG.
