Canva Japan has launched its first fully animated television advertising campaign, titled “Beside Your Feelings: The Blue Sea Shopping Street.” The campaign is airing nationwide in Japan and is available in both a 30-second television commercial and a three-minute web-exclusive animated film.
The story follows Natsuki, a young musician who returns to her coastal hometown during the summer and discovers that the shopping street she grew up on is in decline. Seeking to revitalize the area, she reunites with her childhood friend Minami and works with local residents to organize community activities centered around music and creativity.
Throughout the campaign, the characters use Canva to create recruitment flyers, posters, presentations, videos, and social media content. Their efforts eventually lead to the formation of a band with Misaki, a fishing-focused YouTuber, and the growth of a wider community initiative.
The campaign features the song “Haikei, Shonen Yo” by the Japanese rock band Hump Back and stars voice actor Kaori Maeda as the character Natsuki. Kaori has voiced several anime roles, including Nice Nature in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, Shizuku Osaka in Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, Haruka Hanabishi/Magia Magenta in Gushing over Magical Girls, and Maia Azuma in the second season of Chained Soldier.
Moreover, the animated story explores themes of creativity, self-expression, and community engagement. The project was directed by filmmaker Toshitaka Shinoda and represents Canva Japan’s first animated television campaign. Toshitaka has served as the director for Road to You, a trilogy of commercials for Dunlop Tyres Japan, and worked as the opening theme song director for Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It, and the ending song director for Horimiya.
The story concludes with a letter created by Minami using Canva, reinforcing the campaign’s focus on communication and personal expression. The advertisement ends with the message: “Canva. For every feeling worth sharing.”
Brand marketing lead of Canva Japan Asumi Yamayoshi commented on the campaign:
“Some of the most meaningful ideas start small: a conversation between friends, a handwritten note, a poster pinned to a wall. This campaign is a celebration of those moments. It’s about the courage to care deeply about something and invite others to care alongside you. Through creativity, ordinary people can spark extraordinary change, whether that’s revitalizing a local community, bringing a dream back to life, or simply helping someone feel seen. That’s the story we wanted to tell, and it’s the role we hope Canva can play in people’s lives every day.”
Source: Canva official press release
