"Global" is a major theme not only in the fashion world but in society as a whole in recent years, and its brand name, GLOBAL WORK, is a brand of Adastria. It's not widely known that Cambodian-American Tom Tor is the creative director behind this growing brand, primarily in shopping malls. Diversity has become a common creative theme among international brands over the past few seasons, and it's an important strategy for globalizing brands.
Under Tom's direction, GLOBAL WORK featured the band Alexandros in its TV commercials in spring 2016 and singer AI in spring 2017. While no Japanese models appear in the commercials, the commercials feature original songs written by talented J-pop artists, creating a hybrid approach. Furthermore, this fall, the brand launched a new video site to promote the brand's worldview on social media and the web.
He has won numerous awards for his advertising design overseas and has built a 20-year career in the United States, making him an unusual advertising creator. We spoke to him about his philosophy and his thoughts on his work, which are likely influenced in no small part by his background.
––––First, please tell me about your background. I apologize for being so rude, but I heard you come from a refugee background.
Yes. I left Cambodia and moved around in more than 10 refugee camps. I came to the United States when I was 14 years old. At the time, the US government was proactive in accepting refugees, but the process was slow due to the refugee status screening process. It was said that it took between four and 15 years to leave the camps and move to the US, and it took me more than ten years. Unable to wait that long, my relatives each went to Europe, Canada, and Japan.
––––Do you think moving to the US changed your life?
Yes. There were tough times that are hard to imagine for those who don't know, but now I live as an American. The situation in my home country, Cambodia, has improved, and the times and the global situation have changed dramatically. In that sense, I feel like the first chapter of my life has closed and the second chapter has begun in the US.
I immigrated to the US and started school at the age of 14. At first, I couldn't speak any English, so I studied hard. Because of my poor English, I was placed in a lower class, but I managed to convince my teacher to move me to the top class. I promised myself I would study hard. In class, I made friends with students who tutored me and helped me in other ways. I made an effort to integrate myself into the American community.
Also, people are willing to lend a hand to those who work hard. If you just hang out with people in the same situation and complain about your bad luck, you won't get anywhere. You won't learn or acquire anything. That belief remains my philosophy to this day.
––––After that, I decided to pursue a career in art.
Or rather, since I struggled to read and write, art was the quickest way for me to express myself.
I actually wanted to pursue a career in filmmaking. I received a scholarship to study at UCLA's Film Department, but although my classmates included talented people like Sofia Coppola, the tuition fees for a film project were between $20,000 and $40,000. "That's just impossible!" (laughs) I thought, and got back on track. I then studied advertising design at Art Center College of Design, and after graduating, I began working as an art director at an advertising agency.
––––You worked in advertising in the United States and won numerous awards, but how did you end up in Japan?
I had the opportunity to exhibit in several art exhibitions held in Japan, and gradually gained more partners in Tokyo. That's why I wanted to present my work and express myself in the Japanese cultural scene, but more simply, I came here because I felt comfortable in Japan (laughs).
When I'm in Japan and experience the politeness and kindness of the Japanese people, I'm truly moved. It's a virtue that Americans don't have, and I think it's cool. I myself have become a calmer person since living in Japan.
––––In 2015, I started working as the creative director of "GLOBAL WORK." I've been creating ads for 20 years and know a lot about them, but since coming to Japan, I feel like I'm relearning everything. I'm observing with interest what Japanese people feel, what they like, and what their customs are, and updating my own view of Japanese people.
––––Is there anything about your work that feels different from before?
In advertising, the emphasis is inevitably on impact. That's why the ads we see today tend to prioritize which talent or actor to use over creativity. Commercials featuring celebrities are aired repeatedly, but many of them are impactful but don't fully convey their message. Of course, there's only so much you can do in the short 15-second time frame, but I think it would be good to incorporate more of the message you want to convey to consumers.
––––What was important to you in this production?
The story. We put the concept of "FEEL IT" front and center, creating a video that conveys "comfort" and "true happiness." We wanted to convey that true happiness lies in the simple, everyday things that connect people with open minds.
It's difficult to express "comfort" and "happiness" in a video, but we focused on the desire to "feel" that we all have. For example, when you go to the beach, you want to touch the sand with your fingers and walk barefoot on it. We aimed to create a video that would awaken that desire to "feel."
We believe it captures the current mood and offers a new approach to clothing commercials.
Under Tom's direction, GLOBAL WORK featured the band Alexandros in its TV commercials in spring 2016 and singer AI in spring 2017. While no Japanese models appear in the commercials, the commercials feature original songs written by talented J-pop artists, creating a hybrid approach. Furthermore, this fall, the brand launched a new video site to promote the brand's worldview on social media and the web.
He has won numerous awards for his advertising design overseas and has built a 20-year career in the United States, making him an unusual advertising creator. We spoke to him about his philosophy and his thoughts on his work, which are likely influenced in no small part by his background.
––––First, please tell me about your background. I apologize for being so rude, but I heard you come from a refugee background.
Yes. I left Cambodia and moved around in more than 10 refugee camps. I came to the United States when I was 14 years old. At the time, the US government was proactive in accepting refugees, but the process was slow due to the refugee status screening process. It was said that it took between four and 15 years to leave the camps and move to the US, and it took me more than ten years. Unable to wait that long, my relatives each went to Europe, Canada, and Japan.
––––Do you think moving to the US changed your life?
Yes. There were tough times that are hard to imagine for those who don't know, but now I live as an American. The situation in my home country, Cambodia, has improved, and the times and the global situation have changed dramatically. In that sense, I feel like the first chapter of my life has closed and the second chapter has begun in the US.
I immigrated to the US and started school at the age of 14. At first, I couldn't speak any English, so I studied hard. Because of my poor English, I was placed in a lower class, but I managed to convince my teacher to move me to the top class. I promised myself I would study hard. In class, I made friends with students who tutored me and helped me in other ways. I made an effort to integrate myself into the American community.
Also, people are willing to lend a hand to those who work hard. If you just hang out with people in the same situation and complain about your bad luck, you won't get anywhere. You won't learn or acquire anything. That belief remains my philosophy to this day.
––––After that, I decided to pursue a career in art.
Or rather, since I struggled to read and write, art was the quickest way for me to express myself.
I actually wanted to pursue a career in filmmaking. I received a scholarship to study at UCLA's Film Department, but although my classmates included talented people like Sofia Coppola, the tuition fees for a film project were between $20,000 and $40,000. "That's just impossible!" (laughs) I thought, and got back on track. I then studied advertising design at Art Center College of Design, and after graduating, I began working as an art director at an advertising agency.
––––You worked in advertising in the United States and won numerous awards, but how did you end up in Japan?
I had the opportunity to exhibit in several art exhibitions held in Japan, and gradually gained more partners in Tokyo. That's why I wanted to present my work and express myself in the Japanese cultural scene, but more simply, I came here because I felt comfortable in Japan (laughs).
When I'm in Japan and experience the politeness and kindness of the Japanese people, I'm truly moved. It's a virtue that Americans don't have, and I think it's cool. I myself have become a calmer person since living in Japan.
––––In 2015, I started working as the creative director of "GLOBAL WORK." I've been creating ads for 20 years and know a lot about them, but since coming to Japan, I feel like I'm relearning everything. I'm observing with interest what Japanese people feel, what they like, and what their customs are, and updating my own view of Japanese people.
––––Is there anything about your work that feels different from before?
In advertising, the emphasis is inevitably on impact. That's why the ads we see today tend to prioritize which talent or actor to use over creativity. Commercials featuring celebrities are aired repeatedly, but many of them are impactful but don't fully convey their message. Of course, there's only so much you can do in the short 15-second time frame, but I think it would be good to incorporate more of the message you want to convey to consumers.
––––What was important to you in this production?
The story. We put the concept of "FEEL IT" front and center, creating a video that conveys "comfort" and "true happiness." We wanted to convey that true happiness lies in the simple, everyday things that connect people with open minds.
It's difficult to express "comfort" and "happiness" in a video, but we focused on the desire to "feel" that we all have. For example, when you go to the beach, you want to touch the sand with your fingers and walk barefoot on it. We aimed to create a video that would awaken that desire to "feel."
We believe it captures the current mood and offers a new approach to clothing commercials.
Global Work's "Anthem Movie" directed by Tom
