Finding Gear Enthusiasts with the Watch Community
The Concept
We love stories that celebrate thoughtful use of gear—when people treat the things they carry as companions on real-life journeys, not just desk decor—and not just watches either. When we partnered with Japanese eyewear brand Shinzo Tamura for this edition of Enthusiast Spotlight, the idea was simple: let Suguru H. Nishioka—an avid motorcyclist, camper, photographer, and gear lover—take their premium polarized sunglasses into the real world. Instead of a staged shoot, we wanted to capture how he actually uses these tools on the road and in nature, putting Shinzo Tamura’s lenses through authentic moto-camping conditions and sharing those moments with our audience.
The Solution
We sent Suguru out with a selection of Shinzo Tamura sunglasses and documented the experience across both our channels and his own social platforms. The content wasn’t just about showing products—it was about showing use, feeling, and relationship. Suguru’s calm, tactile filmmaking style brought viewers along on his solo ride and evening under the stars, weaving candid reflections on the gear he depends on and how it supports him through shifting light and changing terrain. This narrative approach gave the eyewear context and personality, making it easy for our audience to see themselves using the same tools in their own micro-adventures.
The Results
The campaign has had a life far beyond its original drop. Suguru’s authentic voice and visuals resonated so strongly that he’s become a genuine brand ambassador for Shinzo Tamura, continuing to create content together long after the initial spotlight premiered. People responded to the grounded, human perspective—engaging with the video, sharing it, and connecting with the idea of purposeful gear in use rather than gear as aspiration. For us, it reinforced a core belief: when you tell stories rooted in real people, real experiences, and real tools, the connection with enthusiasts becomes both deeper and longer lasting.
Read more here.
