Social-good action for the next generation: a reality show in which Gen Z takes on climate change

SPINZ is an audition-style reality show for Gen Z that encourages the next generation to take action on social issues, with themes such as climate change and plastic.
In the show, participants take on practical challenges to tackle environmental issues and carry out actions that make an impact on viewers.

What we did

Program concept: designing an audition-style show on social issues for Gen Z
Film production: structure and framing for the opening and in-show footage
Following social action: depicting the process of the social actions Gen Z participants actually take

Results and reach

Encouraged a shift in awareness of environmental issues among Gen Z viewers
After broadcast, its influence spread through social media and the press
Real activities that created social impact inspired viewers

Viewers' voices

“Watching this show, I realized climate change and plastic are close to home and can be solved. I want to start doing what I can!” (20s, university student)

“I felt Gen Z can change society, and it gave me the courage to act. This show has a big impact!” (18, high school student)

A message from the director

“I made this show because I wanted to spread a culture where the next generation can take social-good action casually, and in a cool way.
Through the show, I depicted real activities so that Gen Z viewers could see that they too can get actively involved in social issues.”
— Narita Jun

A reality show in which Gen Z leaders chosen from across Japan team up with celebrities of their generation, spending three months working to solve social issues and win a 1 million yen prize. There were four themes: “climate change and plastic,” “food and health,” “gender and LGBTQ,” and “education and inequality.” As director of the climate change and plastic team, I followed four people for three months.

Program: SPINZ　A social-good program for Gen ZPlanned and produced by Sustainable Game / SEAMES Inc. / Qulii Inc.
Aired: June 27 — October 3, 2021　YouTube (SPINZ official channel)Six episodes + mid-term and final presentations
Team: Climate change and plastic (four members)Category sponsor: Suntory Holdings / with allbirds, mymizu, Patagonia Japan and others
Role: Team director / animation
Location: Shinagawa Shouei High School, R-StartupStudio and others

Reality showDirectionAnimationClimateGen Z

Timeline

Three months with the climate change and plastic team

2021.06.27

#1 “Eat every last bite.”

The first mission was a cooking battle. Could they become a team that trusts each other while cutting food waste? We filmed with six cameras.

#1 Eat every last bite.Released 2021.06 · 18:27 · SPINZ
2021.07 — 2021.08

#2 — #4　Telling, and knowing

The leader's honest words revealed the difference between telling and being heard. They visited a company that makes and sells environmentally friendly products and worked in its store, and after a shoot at allbirds, discussed how to move forward.

#2 Telling, and being heardReleased 2021.07 · SPINZ #3 Start by knowingReleased 2021.08 · SPINZ #4 What we can doReleased 2021.08 · SPINZ
2021.08.27 — 08.28

Mid-term presentations and #5 “All together, as one”

All the teams brought together about two months of work.

#5 All together, as oneReleased 2021.08 · SPINZ SPINZ mid-term presentationsReleased 2021.08 · about 60 minutes · SPINZ
2021.09.13 — 10.03

#6 “From consumers to stakeholders” and the final presentations

In the final episode, they toured a Suntory recycling plant online. Having changed from consumers to stakeholders, the members took on the final presentations.

#6 From consumers to stakeholders (final episode)Released 2021.09 · SPINZ SPINZ final presentationsReleased 2021.10 · about 1 hour 46 minutes · SPINZ