Yili Launches Travel Video Campaign With Japanese Filmmaker Takeuchi Ryo and High Jump Champion Zhang Guowei
Yili releases a travel video campaign with Japanese filmmaker Takeuchi Ryo and high jump champion Zhang Guowei, framing China as an experience worth discovering.
Chinese dairy brand Yili (伊利) has released a video campaign pairing Japanese documentary filmmaker Takeuchi Ryo (竹内亮) with Chinese high jump champion Zhang Guowei (张国伟) on a travel journey across China, viewed through a Japanese outsider's lens. The campaign is scheduled around September 30, 2026.
The video follows Takeuchi Ryo and Zhang Guowei as they move through Chinese landscapes, blending documentary-style observation with fantasy sequences — including scenes of battling monsters and a dragon granting wishes. The narrative arc moves from initial curiosity and surprise to deeper immersion and, ultimately, reluctance to leave.
The campaign links consumer aspirations for travel with Yili's brand values of trust, framing China itself as an experience worth discovering. By anchoring the message in a foreign filmmaker's genuine reaction to the country, the brand positions its invitation to "physically experience China" as both emotional and aspirational.
Takeuchi Ryo is known in China for his documentary work exploring Chinese society and daily life from a Japanese perspective, giving him credibility as a cross-cultural bridge figure. Zhang Guowei brings sporting recognition and a domestic public profile. The combination grounds the campaign in both international curiosity and home-ground pride.
