Cross-Cultural Branding for TV Documentary Series

Area: Broadcast Cross-cultural Brand Strategy for TV Series
Sector: Storytelling, Culture & Humanity
Type: TV Documentary Branding, Creative Direction
Market: Japan, NHK World and on-demand (worldwide)
Documentary Production: NHK Cosmomedia Europe / T-media Lab
Broadcast: NHK, NHK World

Context:
A long-running NHK documentary featuring Dalemain Mansion and the wider Lake District required a branding and creative approach built for Japanese broadcast. The brief called for a fairytale quality that respected the heritage of Dalemain and the Lake District, while giving a Japanese audience history and depth of story associated with Dalemain and English culture. Ishiguro wrote the novel. The adaptation starred Ken Watanabe, and NHK produced it.

Approach:
Branding strategy considered traditional English style in a modern approach. The Lake District’s literary heritage, including its connection to Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit, informed the visual world built around the programme. A red squirrel was introduced as a guiding character through the series, standing in for the region itself. Broadcast creative direction held consistently across the run of the series.

Outcome:
The series has broadcast on NHK and NHK World since 2016, with repeats and new instalments added over the years, and continues in production. It has become one of NHK’s notable long-running documentary series on England, and the Dalemain brand has grown widely recognised in Japan, contributing to its sustained popularity there.
The series has also contributed to tourism, with Japanese visitors travelling to Dalemain for its gardens, nature, history and story. It has further contributed to the profile of the marmalade competition associated with Fortnum & Mason as well as Japan marmalade festival.