Visual EXPO by BRANDED SHORTS

Visual EXPO by BRANDED SHORTS 2026 has announced the winners of the Public Impact Award and New Vision Award, recognizing innovative visual works by SEKAI NO OWARI, Microsoft, and The RealReal.

The Public Impact Award goes to SEKAI NO OWARI’s “THE CINEMA,” while the New Vision Award recognizes Microsoft’s “Doppelmode” and The RealReal’s “L’Ultimo Uomo Reale.”

The award-winning works and nominees will be featured at Visual EXPO by BRANDED SHORTS 2026, taking place in Tokyo on September 28–29.

Public Impact Award

SEKAI NO OWARI “THE CINEMA”｜SEKAI NO OWARI

The Public Impact Award honors works, projects, or individuals that have achieved extraordinary societal reach and buzz through visual branding.

This year’s award goes to “THE CINEMA,” the 15th-anniversary dome tour by top Japanese band SEKAI NO OWARI. Conceptually designed as “the world’s largest movie theater,” the four-show sold-out tour attracted approximately 180,000 attendees. The production seamlessly integrated live performance with cinematic visual art, projecting custom-written short films on massive screens synchronized to each song. The initiative was recognized for transcending traditional live entertainment, leveraging visual storytelling to maximize brand value, and creating a massive cultural phenomenon.

Title: THE CINEMA  / Artist: SEKAI NO OWARI  / Director: Dai Ikeda
Produce: SEKAI NO OWARI

NEW VISION AWARD Winners

Microsoft / Windows「Doppelmode」

Director:Mackenzie Sheppard
Agency：Droga5
Production：ProdCo

Set in a university library, the film captures the clash and balance between study and play in student life. Amid the rise of AI and CGI, the production took a bold live-action approach by casting 25 actual pairs of real-life twins (50 people in total). The intricate synchronization and realistic physical interaction of the twins create a compelling, visually arresting portrayal of internal human duality.

The RealReal「L’Ultimo Uomo Reale」

Director:Sebastian Strasser
Agency：Team One/Publicis Los Angeles
Production：Lipstick

Set in a surreal future where AI has virtually replaced humanity, a man struggles with the anxiety of potentially being “the last real human.” Rather than using AI merely as a production tool, the work incorporates the concept of AI directly into its narrative and direction. By blurring the line between reality and AI-generated worlds, it delivers a humorous, thought-provoking examination of authenticity.