ZenMarket Ad Series
Customer Story #2
"It will be fun but I would say that trust Mar in her process because she has the ability to understand what you are envisioning. Not only that, she includes you through the thought process and makes sure that everything is taken care of."
Akiko Sato, English Marketer (ZenMarket)
Teaser Clips
The ad series is currently being released.
If you're outside Japan, you may watch the final videos on platforms like Crunchyroll, YouTube or Instagram. More information, images, and videos will be added to this page as the campaign progresses.
The Client
ZenMarket is a proxy shopping service headquartered in Osaka, Japan. They provide a seamless buying experience, enabling users to purchase items from Japan and have them shipped efficiently to their country. With over 1 million parcels successfully delivered to more than 2 million users worldwide, ZenMarket is a trusted name in global e-commerce. Their services are accessible in 19 languages, ensuring a broad international reach.
The project's goal was to expand ZenMarket’s follower base and increase purchases by creating five engaging anime-style videos that advertise their services through captivating storytelling.
Why Anime-Styled Ads?
A Natural Fit for the Platform
The ads were primarily distributed on Crunchyroll, a platform renowned for streaming Japanese anime. By aligning the ad format with the anime content viewers came to see, the videos were more likely to capture and retain attention.Legitimacy Through Animation
Custom anime-style animation demonstrates a significant investment in quality. This format helps the brand appear more legitimate and trustworthy—key factors for overcoming hesitation among proxy shopping clients.Impactful Storytelling
Stories resonate more deeply than straightforward service explanations. By weaving relatable narratives into the ads, viewers are encouraged to watch through to the end, making the content memorable and engaging.Audience Connection
The characters in the ads reflect the struggles of the target audience, such as challenges with collecting merchandise or navigating online shopping. This relatability fosters a stronger emotional connection with potential customers.Standing Out from Competitors
An anime-style ad distinguishes ZenMarket from competitors, showcasing creativity and reinforcing its appeal to fans of Japanese culture.
Key Challenges
To ensure the campaign's success, we focused on overcoming these key challenges:
Seamless integration. The ads needed to blend in naturally with the platform’s content, making users believe an unknown anime had begun, rather than an ad.
Engaging Storytelling. We crafted compelling short stories that clearly explained the service and its value while keeping viewers entertained.
Easy Localization. The ad was designed for effortless adaptation into 19 languages, minimizing logistical complexity for the client.
Mascot Redesign. The brand’s mascots were reimagined to maintain recognizability while aligning with an authentic anime style—striking the right balance in simplification.
Standalone Yet Connected Episodes. Each ad/video functioned independently, allowing viewers to enjoy any single "episode." However, watching the full series in order delivered additional layers of meaning and value.
"Most of the stuff I liked with Mar's Studio is the story telling. We were interested in a studio who is able to communicate to the audience with minimal lines. I thought that Mar Exposito's studio could achieve this."
Akiko Sato, English Marketer (ZenMarket)
If you wish to collaborate or hire us, fill in this form to ensure we are the right fit.
Step 1: Script and Storyboard
STRENGTHENING THE SCRIPT THROUGH COHESION AND CONFLICT
ZenMarket provided us with details about their service and baseline scripts to start the project. Before suggesting changes or diving into the storyboard, we thoroughly explored their brand. This included reviewing existing advertisements, experiencing the service’s "feel" through a virtual office tour, and asking detailed questions to capture the vibe they wanted. Our studio’s familiarity with anime goods and alignment with the brand made the process feel natural and organic.
Once the research phase was complete, we focused on refining the script to enhance its cohesion and storytelling value.
The client’s original structure remained intact:
The customer, Sora (mascot), wants an item only sold in Japan.
Sora uses ZenMarket, with BoxHead (mascot) taking on the task of retrieving the item by navigating the Japanese marketplace and delivering it.
Across multiple episodes, BoxHead visits different worlds, faces unique challenges, and overcomes obstacles to fulfill the mission.
Conflict was key to making the stories engaging—conflict is the oxygen of storytelling. We introduced the overarching theme, "think out of the box," tying all episodes together. This meta concept was a natural fit, given BoxHead’s design and ZenMarket’s core shipping service.
We created a fictional version of the "Japanese Internet Marketplace," which served as the perfect setting for crafting compelling challenges. Each episode introduced fantasy-like obstacles to showcase BoxHead’s problem-solving abilities. Ultimately, the message was clear: BoxHead (ZenMarket) will go above and beyond to ensure the item is delivered.
Conflict examples: Someone else grabs the last item you want, you can’t access the shop, or you’re overwhelmed by unorganized options.
Solutions: Without giving away spoilers, BoxHead tackles these challenges in unexpected and creative ways.
The most significant change from the original script idea was the development of these conflicts. The key was designing obstacles and solutions that could be quickly conveyed on screen. This required alternating between scriptwriting and storyboarding to ensure the story worked within a tight screentime.
STORYBOARDING A NEW WORLD IN AN EXTREMELY SHORT STORY
Given the limited duration of ads and the short attention span of viewers, we aimed to craft concise stories lasting just 20 to 40 seconds. This required carefully layering all essential elements and then cutting anything non-essential.
The final videos ended up slightly longer—around 50 seconds—because we were imitating anime-style storytelling. Rushing the pace would have compromised the authentic anime feel. Additionally, the logo and credits took extra screen time to accommodate important details like the logo, tagline, and promotional codes.
Our approach was to keep things as short as possible during the initial storyboarding phase, then allow for slight extensions during the animation process when timing felt off. While it’s ideal to perfect timings at the storyboard stage, this iterative process is natural. Since the platforms used didn’t have strict time limits, we prioritized ensuring the story and information were delivered effectively and cohesively.
Key logistic decisions
We designed a storyboard that worked seamlessly in both horizontal and vertical formats, making efficient choices to avoid straining the budget or timeline.
All on-screen text and audio were kept in Japanese (with some English), staying true to the style of traditional anime made in Japan. This approach allowed ZenMarket to handle translations easily by modifying subtitles or the credits screen, minimizing localization challenges.
Since the 5 video episodes would air at different times and viewers could watch them in no specific order, each episode was designed to be self-contained.
However, the episodes also built upon one another. For example, Sora’s room gradually fills with more merch in each episode, often with content from prior episodes. This layering encourages repeat viewings, rewarding audiences with additional details and a richer experience.
If you wish to hire us for Storyboarding services only, fill in this form.
Step 2: Creating the Animated Videos
Pre-Production
Pre-production varies based on storyboard requirements and the availability of existing assets.
For this project, the main characters (2 mascots) were already designed but originally intended for other mediums—digital avatars, illustrations, and different animation styles. Since the goal was to make viewers believe "a new anime had started", we updated them to meet modern anime standards. This involved adjusting their body structures and proportions to be easily replicated by animators and simplifying details to ensure efficient production within the timeline. The style aimed for was "TV anime", striking a balance between completeness and simplicity.
Additionally, while Sora is the brand’s mascot and has ZenMarket’s logo on her, in this campaign, she represents the customer, not the brand. As such, we minimized her branded elements to keep the focus on her role as a consumer.
Once the main characters were finalized, additional characters were created to align with the script’s needs.
In this phase, we also prepared the Color Keys, which helped visualize how the ads would look.
A distinctive feature of these ads is that the first two cuts of each episode are nearly identical. Same location and angles. However, each world/episode would have a unique color reflected in BoxHead's "gravity shoes", a key story element.
The art director expanded on this concept by assigning a distinct color palette to each episode, both in the real world and the internet world. This would help viewers quickly recognize that the ads were from the same brand, while also distinguishing each video. This creative approach aimed to keep viewers engaged and encourage them to continue watching.
Production
VISUALS
Visual production includes both animation and background art. While this stage began, some design elements were still pending, such as the smartphone screen components, various background props, or crowd characters. Leaving designs for later was risky, causing some inconvenience and requiring quick creative solutions. However, completing everything in advance would have delayed animation production, which was not ideal for the project timeline.
As usual, animation and backgrounds were the most demanding aspects of the project. There is a cut where we needed 98 "BoxHead"s—easier said than drawn! And some backgrounds were massive enough that standard desktop computers can't even open the files. This is the nature of animation; it is extremely resource-consuming, but it feels like magic when characters come to life and speak.
We adhered to the standard anime-style production process, adding some unique studio approaches for efficiency. Throughout the process, we maintained regular communication with the client, sharing progress at key milestones. This allowed ZenMarket to provide timely feedback, preventing issues from escalating into major challenges later on. For example, changing BoxHead's eye shape from oval to round at character design stage was far easier than making the change after we had already completed colored animations.
While revealing the final product to the client at the very end is always exciting, keeping them updated throughout the process is essential to ensure everything aligns.
AUDIO
To maintain consistency, we decided on a similar intro and outro for all episodes, since the opening and closing scripts were nearly identical. The outro was adapted from existing client audio assets to ensure consistency with ZenMarket's branding.
However, each of the five episodes had a unique "conflict" section, so we created five distinct musical moods for these moments. Each internet world had genre-specific music—for example, the videogame episode featured retro game music.
The challenge was making everything flow in a short timeframe, but our composer effectively synced the music with the characters' emotions and timing. Minimal sound effects were carefully added to enhance believability without disrupting the flow.
During audio testing, we presented relevant samples to ZenMarket along with updated animatics, which included animation progress. This approach helped streamline the review process, allowing the client to assess both visual and audio aspects simultaneously.
Voice actors were cast for BoxHead, Sora, and other characters, all native Japanese speakers. Moreover, the Japanese casting director reviewed the dialogue to ensure accuracy and natural delivery, ensuring the characters spoke in a way that felt authentic for their roles.
Some voice actors were cast for multiple characters to optimize cost and time.
Post-Production
This stage involves combining all production assets into the final video files: animation, background art, music, voices, and... effects!
We used classic anime production tools and techniques to assemble everything, then added what we call "fancify" elements—gradients for cohesiveness and intricate details that bring magic and life to stories. For this project, we also enlisted a guest Motion Graphics designer to add smooth animations to text key on-screen elements.
Deal Summary
Deliverables:
Character design adapting client mascots into Animation, plus extra characters and environment design to fit storyboard
Five Animated Videos FHD (1920x1080) .mp4
The videos (episodes) are 20 to 40 seconds long each and are based on
ZenMarket’s approved storyboard.
The videos include audio provided by Mar’s team with: custom music, library-based sound effects, custom voice acting lines, and a custom doorbell sound.Background art and design images in JPG format
Value-ups requested:
Editable Adobe format files of the videos
The 5 final approved videos optimized to vertical format. (1080x1920) .mp4
Youtube Thumbnails
Custom wallpapers based on the animation art and characters
"[The best part of working together is] Transparency, which is also something we value as a company.
I think our work dynamic was very good. I am sure we can improve a lot more in the future we work together now that we know how each other's work ethics."
Akiko Sato, English Marketer (ZenMarket)
Cross-Marketing Efforts
Our team would also create several pieces of content in collaboration with ZenMarket.
Note: some of these are in progress!
Live streams done during production to build excitement and increase hype
Edited videos including a "Making of" reel, project highlight reel, and edited live stream recordings
Social media posts to engage the audience
This Customer Story page
Results
"I expect to see our audience falling in love with the characters and receive a much higher interest in our service."
Akiko Sato, English Marketer (ZenMarket)
The on-demand release of the video ads will be as early as March 2025. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications about the YouTube release and other updates from the studio, generally sent monthly.
Team Credits
DIRECTION AND STORYBOARD
MAR EXPOSITO
SCRIPT AND CONTENT CONSULTANT
AKIKO SATO
VISUAL TEAM
MAR EXPOSITO Animation (Direction, Layout to Inbetween), Animation Character Design
PEDRO MARCELINO DA SILVA Animation (Direction, Layout to Inbetween), Background direction
MARIA EDUARDA BARCELOS Production Assistant
IVY ARJONA Animation (Layout to Inbetween), Animation direction assistant, Mob character design
JOSEPH TRUONG Animation (Layout to Color)
PAZ GÓMEZ Animation (Layout to Key Frame)
REI LYNN Animation (Layout to Key Frame)
JUAN CERECEDA CRIADO Animation (Layout to Inbetween)
THE XEONIST Animation (Inbetween to Color)
AGUSTINA CEBALLOS GHIBAUDI Animation (Key Frame to Color)
ANDREA MALEN MIRAMONT Animation (Inbetween to Color)
ALICE HUNGRIA Animation (Inbetween)
DESIRRÉE BISKUP Animation (Inbetween)
LUCAS MORAES Animation (Inbetween)
CECÍLIA MACCHI Animation (Color)
KEISHI WATANABE Prodcution assistance, Animation (Color), 3D Character model
AURORE LOPEZ Art Direction, Background Art
ANNA IVANOVA Background Art
JOHANNA GUILLAUME Background Art
VICTOR AMORIM Background Art
CATHERINE DAME Cel Color Design
COMPOSITING
EUGENIA GARCIA Compositing, Editing, Effects
ANNA SALAMANYA Compositing, Motion Graphics
AUDIO TEAM
AYAKA NAKAMOTO Music Composition
TAKAMUNE MASUKO (MCO CAFE’) SFX Design, Sound Engineer
SHINGO SAWADA Voice Engineer
VOICE CAST
AIDO ISSEI BoxHead
NOHANA KOYORI Sora
MAMIYA KOTARO Otaku 1, Cosplayer C
NIRAYAMA SOTA Tropical Otaku, Cosplayer, Gamer 1
EI MIYUKI Cosplayer B, Gamer 2, NPC
SPECIAL THANKS
PORKKY, KISAMI MOMINORI, JORDI, AIREN, ZI WEI, CRIS, XAVI
Asking ZenMarket to advise someone who wants to get animations from us:
"It will be fun but I would say that trust Mar in her process because she has the ability to understand what you are envisioning. Not only that, she includes you through the thought process and makes sure that everything is taken care of."
Akiko Sato, English Marketer (ZenMarket)
Make your dream animation a reality with us!
Whether you already have a script and need stunning visuals, or you're interested in collaborating on another type of animated project, don't hesitate to get in touch with us!