Konica Minolta's Brand Movie "Made from ORIGAMI -- The Shape of Motivation" Now Available on YouTube

- Multifunction Printer Creates Office!? 1,744 Origami Works Adorn Space in Movie -

TOKYO, Jan. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Konica Minolta, Inc. has produced a Web drama, "Made from ORIGAMI -- The Shape of Motivation," in which its multifunction printer gives shape to the ideas of clients through "origami," or the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. The drama will be put on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6B2ahCQStY).

(Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201401317949/)

The drama is a brand movie featuring Konica Minolta's information equipment business, which offers multifunction machines/printers, software/peripheral equipment and solution services. It is part of the firm's project designed to embody its corporate message, "Giving Shape to Ideas."

In the Japanese market, Konica Minolta produced through the end of 2013 a "Konica Minolta Man" series, comprising three movies in which its multifunction printers take on human characters, to promote its brand name and to convey its message that it hopes to be of service to clients through "products" and "solutions." The series has recorded a total of more than 800,000 viewings on its YouTube channel. It is still very popular.

The latest product "Made from ORIGAMI --The Shape of Motivation" is Konica Minolta's new series designed primarily for overseas markets. Unlike in the "Konica Minolta Man" series, the new movie does not feature the fairy that hides in multifunction printers. Instead, by featuring the traditional Japanese art of origami which is very popular overseas and also by casually hinting at the presence of "Konica Minolta Man," it conveys the essential value of the company's services, which is to give shape to customers' ideas.

YouTube site where it can be accessed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6B2ahCQStY

Special site for the brand movie: http://konicaminolta.eng.mg/66a09
There are two Web dramas in the new series.

-- Synopsis of "Made from ORIGAMI -- The Shape of Motivation"
This is a Web drama whose theme is Konica Minolta's solution services.
The drama starts with a scene in which Konica Minolta's multifunction printer "bizhub" is brought to a protagonist -- standing in a completely blank space -- as a partner that gives shape to an "ideal office" he has in mind. The "bizhub" printer pours out numerous sheets of colorful paper. When these sheets of paper are put together, they take the shape of desks, chairs, pendant lights and other pieces of office furniture. At the end, even potted trees make their appearance. The movie shows how "bizhub" gives shape to the protagonist's dream of creating a nice, colorful office by featuring its strength, which is the capability to reproduce vivid colors.
You will see faces full of smiles in the finished office, and you can feel that the office has "come into place."

-- The production of the second drama, "Made from ORIGAMI -- The Shape of Appreciation," is now under way, based on the image of solutions and cloud-based services offered by Konica Minolta. It is scheduled to be put on YouTube around mid-February. The public is kindly invited to view it.

Episode during shooting
The story of an "ideal office," created by 1,744 origami works.
A total of 1,744 origami works are used in "the office made of origami," the main feature of this movie. It took a total of 60 days to make these origami works. How to fold the pieces of paper to make origami was instructed by Mr. Kazuo Kobayashi, director of the "Origami Hall," an establishment which has been working to spread the art of origami since its founding in 1858. He also oversaw the process of production.

-- Simultaneous release of movie on origami
With the release of this drama, a movie showing how to make origami will be released simultaneously. It will demonstrate how to make six different works of origami, including the "crane" featured in the drama.

These movies will help those who get interested in the art of origami thanks to the worldwide release of Konica Minolta's movie and who wish to actually try practicing it. The works range from the very basic to something more complicated, and the company really hopes that the public will try making them.

List of movies on how to practice paper folding

- Crane
- Lily
- Cocktail rose
- Card case
- Gift box
- Photo stand

About Konica Minolta
Under the communication message "Giving Shape to Ideas," Konica Minolta responds to the wishes and desires of people across the world with our incomparable creativity and technologies. Konica Minolta is a leading company in its core business of Business Technologies, including Business Solutions which improves office output environment and Production Printing which brings innovation to businesses and printing companies alike. Furthermore, Konica Minolta's proprietary technologies deliver advanced materials and equipment, such as high-performance film, optical devices and sensing equipment, to a broad industrial society and innovative diagnostic imaging solutions for today's networked healthcare operations. For more information, visit www.konicaminolta.com.

Contact:
Taiju Ozaki (t.ozaki@bil.jp)
Yuto Ajikata (y.ajikata@bil.jp)
Secreatariat of movie PR of Konica Minolta brand
Bilcom, Inc.
Tel: +81-3-5413-2432
Fax: +81-3-5413-2412