# National NEO (DD-731) > In 1983, Matsushita Electric (now Panasonic) aired a TV ad for National 'Neo Hi-Top' batteries, titled 'Because the Building Is There' (そこにビルがあるからだ篇). A battery-powered toy firefighter climbs a long ladder up a 33-story building, about 140 m, and at the top puts out a cigarette butt with its hose. Tetsuo Hashimoto, the Hakuhodo creative director behind it, later explained that the first idea was rock climbing, and that a Panasonic staffer redrew the toy's original cat face as a firefighter. The ad is widely reported to have won a gold award at Cannes. - Department: Tech (also History, Media) - First published: 2026-07-29 - Last updated: 2026-07-29 - Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/national-neo/ - Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department ## On the timeline - **1983**: Matsushita airs the National Neo Hi-Top 'Because the Building Is There' ad Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=national-neo ## Quick facts - **DD-731-F01**: The 1983 National Neo Hi-Top ad sent a toy firefighter up a 33-story, roughly 140 m building. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (The ad))_ - **DD-731-F02**: The toy's face was originally a cat's. _(Write-up · Exhibit C (How it came about))_ ## Write-up The 1983 battery ad where a toy firefighter climbs a skyscraper. National's Neo Hi-Top ad sent a toy up a 33-story building, about 140 m. 1. **The ad**: The 1983 spot for National Neo Hi-Top batteries is titled 'Because the Building Is There'. A toy firefighter powered by the batteries climbs a very long ladder up a skyscraper while spectators watch. 2. **The building**: Creative director Tetsuo Hashimoto said the building was 33 stories, about 140 m. He noted that 140 m isn't hard for a battery toy horizontally, but climbing straight up surprises people. 3. **How it came about**: The first idea was to have the toy rock-climb. A Panasonic advertising staffer suggested a tall building instead. The commercial toy was modified, and its original cat face was replaced with a firefighter's face drawn by a Panasonic staffer. 4. **The ending**: At the top, the firefighter sprays water on a cigarette butt, followed by a close-up of the National batteries and logo. 5. **Legacy**: The spot started a long line of Panasonic battery ads featuring toys, which led to the Evolta robot campaigns. Hashimoto's credits include a Cannes Lions gold, and the ad is widely described as a Cannes gold winner. ## Related case files - [Modern Mahjong (DD-017)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/modern-mahjong/): Another Japan-related case ## Reel vs. record - **Missing context**: the ad aired in 1983 for Matsushita Electric's National brand (now Panasonic), and its title was 'Because the Building Is There'. - **Precision**: the building was 33 stories, about 140 m, per creative director Tetsuo Hashimoto. - **Attribution**: the 'international awards' are generally described as a Cannes gold. Hashimoto's credits include a Cannes Lions gold, but I didn't find an official award record for this specific spot. - **Missing context**: the toy was a modified commercial toy whose original cat face was replaced with a firefighter drawn by a Panasonic staffer. - **Missing context**: at the top, the firefighter puts out a cigarette butt with its hose, which is the payoff the Reel leaves out. ## Video: National NEO: The 1983 Battery Ad Where a Toy Firefighter Climbs a Skyscraper - Duration: 27.7 s · Published: 2026-07-29 - File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DbY9SFhPeBi.mp4 ### Transcript DID YOU KNOW? The National NEO High-Top commercial became a classic of Japanese advertising by demonstrating battery life through a simple, but unforgettable visual. The ad follows a tiny battery-powered toy firefighter as it climbs a ladder attached to the side of a skyscraper, with a camera continually pulling back to reveal the building's immense height, while the toy keeps ascending without stopping. The commercial went on to win international advertising awards and remains one of the most celebrated examples of using visual storytelling to communicate a product's performance. NOW YOU KNOW! ## Questions & answers **Q: When did the Neo Hi-Top skyscraper ad air?** A: In 1983. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The ad) · Kandō Nippon: 1983 Neo Hi-Top 'Because the building is there' ad and overseas reactions; Oddball Films: National battery commercial clip description)_ **Q: How tall was the building?** A: 33 stories, about 140 m. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The building) · Sendenkaigi: Panasonic 100 years of advertising, Vol. 2 'Battery ads' (interview with Tetsuo Hashimoto))_ **Q: What face did the toy originally have?** A: A Panasonic staffer redrew it as a firefighter. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (How it came about) · Sendenkaigi: Panasonic 100 years of advertising, Vol. 2 'Battery ads' (interview with Tetsuo Hashimoto))_ **Q: What does the firefighter extinguish at the top?** A: It sprays a cigarette butt. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (The ending) · Oddball Films: National battery commercial clip description)_ **Q: Which later Panasonic battery campaigns followed this toy tradition?** A: The Evolta robot campaigns continued it. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Legacy) · Sendenkaigi: Panasonic 100 years of advertising, Vol. 2 'Battery ads' (interview with Tetsuo Hashimoto); Kandō Nippon: 1983 Neo Hi-Top 'Because the building is there' ad and overseas reactions)_ ## Sources - [Sendenkaigi: Panasonic 100 years of advertising, Vol. 2 'Battery ads' (interview with Tetsuo Hashimoto)](https://www.sendenkaigi.com/marketing/media/sendenkaigi/010680/) - [Oddball Films: National battery commercial clip description](https://www.oddballfilms.com/clip/13160_13287_national) - [Kandō Nippon: 1983 Neo Hi-Top 'Because the building is there' ad and overseas reactions](https://www.kandonippon.com/archives/1420) ## Cite this case file Easterling, Marcus. "National NEO." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-731, last updated Jul 29, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/national-neo/