Surface Social Video Contest

2025.04.04

The final selection presentation was held at the Shinagawa office of Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd. on Friday, March 14, 2025.
This contest was designed as an opportunity for university students to fully demonstrate their creativity. The finalists presented how they would use the latest Surface and Copilot devices to improve their student life.
We asked the winners, judges and organisers for their thoughts.

Winner: Riku Yamaguchi, 3rd year student at Tokyo University of Science

Having previously served as a student ambassador for Surface, I entered this contest with the desire to share the appeal of Surface with more people. This was my first attempt at video production, and I didn't know much about everything from filming to editing, so I went through a lot of trial and error. However, I think my submission was well-received because I was able to honestly express in my own words how useful Surface is in actual student life and learning situations. I was nervous on the day of the presentation, but I'm really happy that it led to this result. More than anything, the experience of expressing my thoughts in a tangible form has given me confidence. Being a university student is a valuable time when you can try many different things. If you feel even the slightest bit inclined to give it a try, cherish that feeling and take the first step.

Finalists: Sakurada Maki, 1st year student at Tokyo University of Agriculture / Yamaguchi Riku, 3rd year student at Tokyo University of Science / Suzuki Shoko, 4th year student at Takachiho University

■Judges

Impress Corporation Children and IT Editorial Department/Editor-in-Chief Kamiya Kayo
I usually create web content. For this reason, when I watched the Surface Social Video Contest, I focused on whether the contestants had carefully considered who they wanted to communicate and what they wanted to convey to them. No matter how polished a video is, if it doesn't capture the viewer's attention, the content will be lost. I also think it's important for the video itself to have a story. To create creative content, I believe it's important to be interested in new things and avoid repeating the same thing over and over again. It's also important to try a different approach rather than following the same old example. It's often said that today's young generation is expected to be proactive, but I think they need the courage to "daring to do things differently." I believe that a "try it first" attitude, without worrying about success or failure, is the driving force behind creating compelling video content.

Itaru Shibamura, Creative Producer, Entertainment Content Production Department, AOI Pro. Inc.
I believe that social media videos are ultimately advertising. That's why I try to view the works as objectively as possible and delve deeper into the questions and impressions that arise. Evaluation criteria are certainly important, but I also try to be more conscious of the more intuitive aspects. What particularly surprised me about these videos was that they weren't just about creating a video, but also clearly explained the specific reasons behind their creations. While everyone makes ample use of logic and information, I felt it would be good to see works that more prominently display emotion. Even if something is logical, adding eye-catching ingenuity, humor, or a touch of humanity can make it much more memorable. In this age of information overload, I believe it's important to use your imagination. After doing thorough research, how do you incorporate your own sensibilities into your work? I believe this approach will be required for social media videos of the future.

■ Organizer

Takayuki Tono, Executive Officer, General Manager of Device Strategy Division, Consumer Business Unit, Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.
The purpose of this year's "Surface Social Video Contest" was to learn how students are using Surface and Copilot and incorporating them into their daily lives and learning. The actual submissions conveyed each student's passion and ingenuity, and we learned a lot from them. The presentations by the three finalists in particular were filled with humor and originality, and we were able to once again experience the authentic voices that only students can share. Microsoft's purpose is to "empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more." This is why we want to listen to what the younger generation has to say and expand their possibilities together. We hope to use the insights we gained from this contest in future student-targeted marketing initiatives and product improvements.

Meiji University Graduate School 2nd year student, Sakai Yaku / Microsoft Japan's Tono Takayuki / Rikkyo University 4th year student, Sudo Kakuto

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on March 14, 2025 by Meiji University Graduate School 2nd year student Yaku Sakai and Rikkyo University 3th year student Kakuto Sudo