The universal value of paper as seen in Brother’s “ORIGAMI LETTER”, which has been used for 2 million letters

Since ancient times, paper has been used as a communication tool and recording medium for human beings. In recent years, however, there has been a tendency to avoid using paper as much as possible due to the spread of mobile devices and environmental considerations.

Newspapers, magazines, manga, novels, etc. are read more and more in e-books, and many people may feel that they have fewer opportunities to touch paper.

Demand for graphic paper, which is actually used for newspapers and magazines, has been on a downward trend since around 2010.

The digitization of in-house materials not only reduces paper consumption, but also has many other benefits, such as reduced storage space and improved searchability.

However, the intrinsic value of paper as a medium has not yet diminished.

What is the value of paper in the digital age?

Provided at the Japan Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai as an initiative to show the value of paper in combination with digitalBrotherof”ORIGAMI LETTERThis project is one of the most prestigious design awards in the world.iF DESIGN AWARDwhich is given to particularly excellent designs.iF GOLD AWARD 2021” was awarded.

In “ORIGAMI LETTER”, in addition to actually folding paper printed with a printer, you can also simulate origami by touching the screen on your smartphone.

As a reason for winning the “iF GOLD AWARD 2021”, “I have sublimated the traditional Japanese culture of origami into a communication tool for the digital generation, and by using a printer, I can easily feel the tradition and culture at home. In addition to making it possible to use origami messages, it was highly praised for the fact that it provided guidance on how to easily start exchanging origami messages.”

Shining a new light on the possibilities of paper and printersIt can be said that this was also appreciated.

Bringing Japan’s “ORIGAMI” culture to the world

What was the background of “ORIGAMI LETTER”? What kind of thoughts were put there? We spoke with Toshio Iwata of Brother.

“We established Brother International (Gulf) in Dubai in October 1996 and have been doing business there for over 20 years. , Dubai World Expo Japan Pavilion will not only be a sponsor, but will also produce content for promotional purposes.

And the reason why I chose origami as a motif is that the image of the building of the Japan Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai was origami, and it had an affinity with it. Also, I thought that visitors to the Expo 2020 Dubai would probably want to tell their family and friends about the pavilion, so while waiting in line to visit the Expo pavilion, I sent out messages in a form different from e-mail and SNS. The idea was that it would be interesting if we could provide a tool that could do this.

I made it public with the hope that it would be used as a digital communication tool with important people, but as a result, it was used by about 2 million people.(Mr. Iwata)

This “ORIGAMI LETTER” was released in English and Arabic at the Dubai Expo, but this time, the letter content for Japan “origami letter” will be released.

“Even in times of COVID-19, when opportunities for face-to-face communication are declining, we are living in an age where we can easily send messages via social media, etc.I want to give words that I thought of the other person more than usualI thought that many people would have this feeling, and I had a strong desire to respond to that feeling.

Instead of just recreating it as a Japanese version, we added a function to insert messages and photos into the origami pattern. This might make you want to print the origami letter on your printer, fold it, and keep it as an object.

It takes a little more effort than leaving it as data, but it makes me happy to think that this effort will remain as an important gift.

Christmas and the year-end and New Year holidays will bring more active communication, so I would like you to use it at such times.” (Mr. Iwata)

I also asked Japanese people how they would like to use the Origami Letter.

“Families, friends, couples, and important people who can’t easily meet,We hope that you will use it as a warm communication tool that is different from usual.. It would be great if you could use Origami Letters to express your feelings that you normally don’t put into words, such as how you miss being able to see each other, how grateful you are, or how you feel embarrassed to express your affection.” (Mr. Iwata)

“Origami Letter” is likely to be a good opportunity to reconsider the meaning of information transmission that can be completed only digitally. Furthermore, this time, a video was also made to coincide with the launch of “Origami Letter”.

The characters are a father, mother and daughter living in a local city. After her daughter got a job, she started living alone in the city, but she is busy with work every day. She remembers her father there and sends her a message.

It is a video explaining the concept and function of “Origami Letter”, and at the same time, it is also Brother’s corporate advertisement.

Future of Brother

Demand for paper and printers has changed due to the wave of digitization, but what kind of specific changes have there been for Brother, whose printing business accounts for more than half of its sales?

In the long term, the amount of printing in the office is on the decline due to the shift to DX and changes in work styles.As Brother, which has strengths in products for SOHO (Small Office, Home Office), sales were strong even during the COVID-19 pandemic.. In fiscal 2021, demand for small multifunction devices and printers for telecommuting and home learning will continue to show steady growth in each region following fiscal 2020.

Under such circumstances, what kind of business expansion does Brother have in mind in the future?

“Print volume will increase in the field of commercial and industrial printing in the futureI think.

Brother anticipates steady growth in printing production dates and expiry dates for food and beverages, printing lot numbers to ensure traceability of pharmaceuticals, and printing for high-mix low-volume product packaging. I’m here. In addition, the development of garment printers that use special ink to print directly onto cloth such as T-shirts, and the expansion of e-commerce have led to an increase in demand for commercial label printing.” (Mr. Iwata)

Finally, we asked Brother what kind of attitude they are taking in the face of changing attitudes towards “paper” and “printing” these days.

“Brother started out as a sewing machine repair business, and has grown by changing its core products in line with changes in society and markets, such as household sewing machines, typewriters, and printers.

We were able to achieve this because we took advantage of the opinions and improvements we received from our customers when working on product development for new businesses, and responded quickly.

The catchphrase “I want to be your brother” expresses our commitment to developing, manufacturing, selling, and servicing products, putting the customer first in every situation.

We want to be a company that supports the productivity and creativity of our customers and contributes to the development of people’s lives and the global environment.. To that end, we would like to build trust in Brother by delivering products that enrich people’s lives.

At present, Brother’s core business is the printing business. The most important thing is to print what you need quickly and neatly, but by adding extra value such as the origami letter released this time, printers and paper can become a single communication tool. I think it’s great.” (Mr. Iwata)

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