Acanthus are large perennial plants that are commonly known as bear's breeches and are called haazami in Japan. Although people in Japan may not be as familiar with them, they are very much loved by people who live on the Mediterranean coast where they originated, and especially so in Greece, where it is designated as its national flower. During flowering season, its flower stalk grows long, and it features dense spires of blossoms. The contrast between the flower's multiple layers of purple calyxes and white petals is very attractive. Its large, dark green, glossy leaves are beautifully shaped and are often used as decorative patterns in architecture, vases, and other things. It is resistant to both heat and cold and is strong enough to grow in the wild, growing as tall as 150 cm—making its presence known to everyone around. As I mentioned, their leaves are known to have been used as inspiration for column decorations in ancient Greek architecture. In the Victorian Flower Language, the acanthus symbolized “fine art” and “artifice.” The scientific name of the genus Acanthus comes from the Greek word “akantha,” which means “spine” and refers to the spine-like points of acanthus leaves. I can't help but imagine that the word “artifice” often refers not only to beauty but also to an edgy approach that's sharp to the touch. Buildings and structures seen in Greek architecture may have at first been simple and made using only the minimum building materials required to make them, but as we see with the introduction of Greek sculptures, more varied meaning and values were placed in them. If these “artifices” have fascinated many people over the ages, perhaps there are some hints hidden here we could use in trying to gain the interest of people who all have layers and various preferences.

It may be too much to include historical buildings and structures in what I'm going to talk about, but it is these kinds of “artifices” that form an important part of “delivering information to others and creating encounters,” which is the theme of LIONS GOOD NEWS 2023. In the past, we used to hear the phrase “advertising is a love letter.” These days, however, it is becoming more and more important to know how one should skillfully approach people in the early stages of an encounter. In this era of information, we are confronted with information overload with the rise of social media, and it has become extremely difficult for a single consumer to decide which information to look at. As with the fake news mentioned in the other chapter, if we do not select and confront correct information, it can have a significant impact on our actions and the results thereof afterwards. It is possible to have positive results, both large and small, but there is also the possibility of these results having a negative impact. In this sense, we can say that this is an era in which Art & Copy, the most traditional method of spreading information in the communication field, is needed most and even more influential. It is truly a phenomenon where things have gone full circle and are returning to the basics. We must remember, however, that it is also true that in this era of being flooded with information, no matter how great the copy is written or how powerful and emotionally appealing a creative commercial can be made and run in large quantities, it is almost never known by everyone the next day. The competition has shifted from being about how to express what we wanted to say in the most witty and attractive way to how to convey the story behind the message and move people's emotions. It's possible that today's required skill is the ability to send messages at a deeper level. Even if we aim to differentiate ourselves through wordplay and cutting-edge technology, even that has already become a commodity. Only actions that truly touch our hearts take firmly root in the waves of information and may be maintainable and continue to exist. The truth that lies in modern communication is that the definition of the word “artifice” is no longer limited to the level of skill or technique but has come to imply knowing how to move people's hearts. And in order to convey this truth, it is becoming important to express who used the artifice and for what purpose, as well as the thoughts and background that motivated its creation.

Although the cases we are going to look hereon may be unique in that they are based on the strong feelings of the actors and the backgrounds and issues they face, they are not just shouting at society to listen to their thoughts. They are good examples of very influential messages, constructed through ingenuity in a way that shakes the emotions of the people who take that in and in a way that the core message that's being conveyed isn't blurred; in other words, they can be called an evolution of Art and Copy. These messages firmly embedded themselves in people's feelings, made them think, and changed their values. The first example is #flutwein - our worst vintage.

The tragedy happened in Ahr Valley, a region in Germany known as “red wine paradise.” In the summer of 2021, the Ahr region, one of the most distinguished red wine-growing regions in Germany, was hit by a devastating flood that washed away homes, businesses, bridges, roads, and entire communities. Wineries were not spared either, with more than 46 wineries losing their facilities, cellars, wine barrels, machinery, and several hectares of vineyards. What was left were unsellable 200,000 bottles of wine that were stained with mud and dirt. The producers named it “flutwein” (Flood Wine) and started selling them on a crowd-funding platform dedicated to the rebuilding of the wine region. Every bottle symbolized the tragic fate of those winemakers who were involved in the catastrophe, and this platform gave them the opportunity to widely inform the world of the economic devastation that the winemakers were facing. As a result, more people gradually started showing support. With more than one billion media hits, 200,000 bottles of wine were sold to 50,000 supporters.

The sense of loss among the people who were affected by the floods must have been immeasurable. They, however, did not give up and focused on trying to change their situation. Society in turn was drawn by their courage, which is why they tried to help them. Generally speaking, some people would think these muddy wine bottles may be considered too “dirty” to be sold or worthless. From a different perspective, however, these wine bottles survived catastrophic floods—a story that makes them more valuable than a mere commodity. Rather than just being a tear-jerker, its story naturally stirs people's emotions and fosters new values in them, and even the muddy bottle design has come to be appreciated as something unique. The delicate bottles beautifully contrasted with the rough mud on them, giving them a sophisticated design that they were recognized for. This sharp and iconic wine bottle likely had much more value to it in terms of design. The wine became a hot topic, especially among influencers who are particular about design and have avant-garde ideas, and the value of the wine increased by 45 times, eventually raising 4.4 million euros in donations. It is not only an item that could be bought to show your support for rebuilding the region, but it also has a value that leads to self-expression as an item that visualizes one's sophisticated sense of values.

Let's look at a similar initiative taken here in Japan that I'm sure you have heard of. In the summer of 2018, when the torrential rains hit various parts of Japan, Asahi Shuzo in Yamaguchi Prefecture, which was affected by the disaster, began selling sake that was supposed to be discarded as “Fukko-shu” (Recovery Sake) Sold as 200-yen contributions, a total of 580,000 bottles were sold, generating 116 million yen. Similar approaches may follow in the future, but they will most likely not be simple replications. As can be seen in this case, the background story of trying to save people suffering from a disaster can be seen everywhere, but what makes people care about it is that it could happen to them and their surroundings at any time. Putting yourself in their shoes and thinking about how you would feel and act is the narrative, which factors into current communication. This is why this support activity is not only a short-term action of trying to get donations due to being in trouble, but also a variety of actions such as sharing information about the difficulties and evaluating muddy bottles, which in themselves create secondary effects. Indeed, it's just like what we saw with the bottle's value increasing from being appreciated in terms of design. The various values that emerge from the narrative make people think, talk, break existing conventions, and create new rules. This process of creating the new normal can be clearly seen here.