Komatsu breaks industry stereotypes in first global brand campaign

1 October 2024: Komatsu, a leading global manufacturer of heavy equipment and related technologies, is launching its first global brand campaign in the company’s 103-year history.
Through a range of creative expressions including anime inspired videos, and the juxtaposition of nontraditional industry pairings, the company strives to break away from category norms that have long defined its core industries.

“Construction and mining feature some of the most innovative, ground-breaking applications of automation and connected products, but new generations of talent with the skills to further those innovations don’t typically make that connection because they see big machines and assume the work is destructive,”says Caley Clinton, Director, Global Brand Communications and Creative at Komatsu.“To break away from outdated perceptions of our category, we knew we had to try a vastly different approach that challenged the status quo.”

With a focus on Komatsu’s work to support at-risk communities around the world and career paths within the company that contribute to these efforts, the company’s “Gentle giants” campaign will bring to life the impact one can have working at Komatsu with the goal of increasing brand awareness to attract diverse talent.

 Breaking from heavy equipment category norms that emphasize the size and prowess of machines, the campaign will focus on Komatsu product innovations that are positively impacting society while advancing use of technology, data, automation and engineering.

The first story to launch, called Demining Cambodia, will use anime-inspired storytelling to depict Komatsu’s more than decade long efforts to remove landmines in the country.
Cambodia is one of the most heavily landmine affected countries in the world as a result of war and civil war, with anti-personnel landmines having caused great suffering in the country since the 1970s.
Since 2008, Komatsu’s specially engineered demining dozers and support staff have helped clear millions of meters of land.
The company’s equipment is also used to help Cambodia residents reclaim farmland and community spaces previously compromised by buried landmines.

“The cheerful smiles of elementary school students benefitting from the progress we have been able to support in Cambodia is very rewarding,” said Hiroyuki Ogawa, President and CEO of Tokyo-based Komatsu Ltd.
“As a company, we are honoured to do this work and be part of this vital community support. I am hopeful that we can reach new audiences by sharing this story in a style that might interest new generations of talent to someday work at Komatsu.”

To tell the Demining Cambodia story, Komatsu and creative agency Prime Weber Shandwick drew inspiration from the company’s Japanese roots, creating a visually captivating campaign inspired by anime.
In addition to the animated hero video, the campaign will include stories and experiences of Komatsu engineers and technicians who work on the project.
The production company behind the videos is the Swedish animation studio Brikk, known for their previous work on Minecraft, among others.

Watch the Demining Cambodia hero video here ( YouTube )

“We wanted to differentiate Komatsu from the competitors and the generic communication that has characterized the heavy equipment industry for a long time. With ‘Gentle giants,’ we describe who Komatsu are through a concept that opens up for several exciting, creative and engaging stories about their machines and engineers,” says Petter Lublin, Creative Director at Prime Weber Shandwick.

The integrated global campaign goes live on October 1 and will be shared globally through social media, digital storytelling, advertising, OOH and more.