Team project with Anushka Vaidya, Rachel Dionisio, Katie Scoville, and Aki Wang

The Ask: Help Studio Ghibli expand its market presence in the U.S. and reach a wider audience.

The Insight: Curiosity alone doesn’t drive action. When stories move from screen to space, they make people feel personally involved, remembered, and inspired to share.

Our Objective: Increase Studio Ghibli’s visibility and cultural relevance by strengthening awareness, emotional connection, and long-term cultural value.

Our Strategy: Bring Studio Ghibli’s stories into the real world through immersive, interactive experiences in partnership with the Boston MFA.

At a glance:

STUDIO GHIBLI

STUDIO GHIBLI

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio based in Koganei, Tokyo. Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli has produced some of the most critically acclaimed and high-grossing anime films in history.

Overview

What’s unique about Studio Ghibli?

  • Well-known hand-drawn animation films.

  • Quiet pacing and richly detailed world-building.

  • Iconic charaters that feel timeless.

  • Emotionally profound stories with strong spiritual message.

Although Studio Ghibli is celebrated worldwide, it’s still unfamiliar to many in the U.S.

because…

Audience perceived as niche or foreign, not part of mainstream.

Competes with dominant players like Disney and Pixel that saturate the market.

Few real-world brand touchpoints that could attract new audiences.

STUDIO GHIBLI

STUDIO GHIBLI

How do we bring Studio Ghibli into the spotlight?

We bring it into the real world

People connect more deeply with films when they can experience them in real world.

Insight

Transform Ghibli’s world into immersive experiences that spark curiosity, encourage sharing, and build long-term presence.

Strategy

Target Audience

Demographic

  • Young adults age 18-30

  • Families with children

  • Urban or suburban areas

Paychographic

  • Cuturally and emotionally curious

  • Drawn to cultural experience and nostalgia

  • Interested in knowledge of animation on a deeper level

Behavoral

  • Enjoy animation with lasting emotional impact

  • Explore local museums, events, and exhibitions

  • Active social media sharers

we want our audience to

✨Step Into Studio Ghibli✨

X

Venue: Boston Museum of Fine Arts

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM - 8 PM

Duration: 1 month

STEP 1

We place print ads and out-of home installations across high-traffic areas in Boston. Each creative visuals references Ghibli characters or scenes in real-world settings.

The purpose is to spark curiosity and prompt discovery. Through the QR codes, audiences are directed to the MFA website, where they can purchase tickets to the event.

Upon arrival of the MFA, visitors collect custom designed admission tickets and advanced tickets for gift toys.

Entering the exhibition, visitors are fully immersed in the Ghibli world with curated scenes, original concept arts, and interactive displays.

They can even enjoy a delicious meal inspired by iconic film dishes at Ghibli Café.

STEP 2

Following the exhibition, visitors are invited to the Ghibli Film Circle — a curated set of screenings, discussion panels, and special exhibits that share the sketches, cels, and original footage of Studio Ghibli films. There are also workshops on animation techniques and storytelling structure.

STEP 3

Visitors are encouraged to share their Ghibli experiences on social media using hashtags #GhibliMFA. Participants will be entered into our reward program, with chances to receive limited-edition merchandises or a one-month HBO Max subscription featuring the whole Studio Ghibli collection.

STEP 4

STUDIO GHIBLI

STUDIO GHIBLI

Measuring Success

🎟️ Exhibition Performance

  • Target Visitors: 8,000+ attendees

  • QR Code Conversion Rate: 10% of scans result in ticket purchases

  • Avg. Time Spent Per Visitor: 45-60 minutes

📰 Media & Streaming Impact

  • 8+ press mentions in Boston-based media

  • 300+ HBO Max trial redemptions via campaign incentive

  • 10% local spike in Ghibli streaming viewership

📱 Social Media Engagement

  • 500+ user posts with #GhibliMFA

  • 120,000+ total impressions across Instagram, X, and TikTok

  • 3–5 local influencers activated for organic reach