UM Japan took home the Best in Class Award (food and beverage) at the Interactive Media Awards for their “Sudden Refreshment” campaign created for Sprite.

Looking to connect Sprite with young adults in Japan and communicate the message of “breakthrough refreshment,” UM hit upon the idea of sudden refreshment experiences and commissioned the creation of a Splash Vending Machine. This let consumers engage with Sprite’s sense of refreshment literally through a splash of water emitted from a huge vending machine embedding the brand message within a real experience.

The machines showed up across Japan at famous amusement parks, a music festival, and in the middle of a crowded city. People started expressing their wishes through Facebook and Twitter that these machines would show up in their hometowns.

While setting up these real life brand experiences, UM also employed new technologies that could create these sudden refreshment experiences virtually through an online surprise, connecting with people both on and off line.

The result was an award-winning campaign, covered by 17 television programs, 289 websites and two major newspapers, that also received the coveted Best in Class Award at the Interactive Media Awards.

The Interactive Media Awards recognize the highest standards of excellence in website design and development and honor individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievement.

Created by the Interactive Media Council, Inc. (IMC), a nonprofit organization of leading web designers, developers, programmers, advertisers and other web-related professionals, the competition is designed to elevate the standards of excellence on the Internet and offer winners a boost in marketing and exposure. IMC serves as the primary sponsor and governing body of the Interactive Media Awards, establishes the judging system and provides the judges for the competition.

Congratulations Japan!