In 2019, I made the PHP Conference Japan version. So, I’d like to tell you about what took place from the time I decided to make one to time we actually did.

1. PHPConのElePHPantができるまで
Distribution of PHPCon ElePHPant
@nauleyco

2. 自己紹介
Noriko YAMAMOTO
@nauleyco
PHP歴17年
PHPカンファレンス初参加2008年
ZendCon初参加2011年
About Me
I’m Noriko.
My ID @nauleyco is pronounced
like my real first name.
I’ve been a PHP developer for
17 years.
My first PHP Conference Japan
was in 2008.
My first ZendCon was in 2011.

3. これの話
I’m sure many of you saw this at
last year’s PHP Conference
Japan.

4. ZendConについて画像検索
象のぬいぐるみの写真が！
Perhaps some of you have
Googled ZendCon before and
noticed that tons of ElePHPant
pictures come up for some
reason.

5. 去年東京で開催された
CakeFestでも
Even at last year’s CakeFest in
Tokyo, they were passed out to
the speakers and participants.

6. ElePHPant
PHPのマスコット
This is “ElePHPant”.
It’s not a typo.
The “PHP” is pronounced “ph”.
This is the PHP mascot.

7. Vincent Pontierさん
デザイン
It was designed
by Vincent Pontier.
Photo by https://dseguy.github.io/photo-famille-afup-2020/

8. 世界中に 60種類以上！
増え続けている！
There are over 60 types of
ElePHPants in the world,
and they’re still increasing.

9. PHPConのElePHPant
誕生秘話
Last year, I made the PHP
Conference Japan version.
So, I’d like to tell you about what
took place from the time I
decided to make one to time we
actually did.

10. 去年のPHPカンファレンス
20回目という大きな節目
そうだ！
ElePHPant作ろう！
Last year’s PHP conference was
a huge milestone as it was our
20th annual conference.
For that reason, we decided to
make a Japanese ElePHPant.

11. PHPUGのSlack #elephpant
Damianさん ( @faguo )
との出会い
On Slack, there is an ElePHPant
channel in the PHP Users Group.
I asked if anyone there knew how to
make one and I got connected with
Damian.
Photo by https://dseguy.github.io/photo-famille-afup-2020/

12. 通常、最低でも6ヶ月必要
船便で3ヶ月程度かかる。
日本なら中国の工場から近い
間に合うかも？
わずかな希望の光
According to Damian, in order to
make an ElePHPant, it normally
takes at least six months.
Photo by https://dseguy.github.io/photo-famille-afup-2020/

13. 工程は以下
1. 色をカスタマイズしたり、
側面に刺繍するロゴマーク
などを決める
2. プロトタイプを作る
3. 数量を決めて発注する
4. 検査に合格する
5. 中国の工場で生産する
6. 船便で輸送する
This is to make one:
1. Customize the color and
choose the logo that you’d
like embroidered on the side.
2. Make a prototype.
3. Decide how many you want
and place the order.
4. Pass a safety inspection.
5. Manufacture them at a
Chinese factory.
6. Ship them by boat.

14. 6月11日、メーカー担当者を紹
介してもらった。
カンファレンスは12月1日。
間に合うか？
Last year’s conference was
December 1st.
We started the process in June, so
it was going to be close.
Once I met Damian, I was
introduced to a producer on June
11th.

15. こんな感じで、色の希望とロゴ
画像を提出。
モックアップの画像が送られて
きた。
First, I sent them a picture of the
logo and the color I’d like, and they
sent back a mock-up photo of the
elephant.
I let the designer at the production
office adjust the color as needed.

16. プロトタイプ完成！
日本まで送ってもらって、
実物を確認。
この時点で、7月中旬。
And this was the finished protype.
They sent it to Japan, and the
executive committee chairman of last
year’s conference checked it out.
By that time was already mid-July.

17. 数量決め
最低発注数：
1,000個
カンファレンス参加者：
約1,800人
だがしかし、
全員に無料で配布するほどの
予算なし…。
From this point, we had to decide
how many we wanted.
The minimum order was 1,000
elephants.
There were supposed to be 1800
participants at PHP conference
Japan.
However, we didn’t have the budget
to give everyone a free one.

18. 数量決め（つづき）
限定1,000個で、販売する？
日本では知名度がまだ低い。
1,000個は、売れないのでは？
メーカーと交渉。
半分の500個で発注！
この時点で、 8月中旬。
That being said, because
ElePHPant was still unknown in
Japan, we couldn’t expect to sell a
ton either.
Therefore, we negotiated with the
producer and got them to agree to
an order of 500.
By this point, it was mid August.

19. 推奨年齢などの検査が、
混み合っているとのこと！
この時点で、9月上旬。
Since stuffed animals are oriented toward
kids, you need to apply to go through an
inspection and get a recommended age.
This time, we got a recommended age of
0 years old, or in other words a “no-limits”
rating.
Around mid-September, the producer
contacted me to tell me they were backed
up so still hadn’t gotten our approval yet.

20. 10月17日、
ついに検査合格！
工場で生産開始！
この時点でカンファレンスまで
2ヶ月も無く…。
欧米であれば、船便だと、
もう間に合わない時期。
On October 17th, we were finally
told that we passed the inspection.
From from this point, we could
finally begin production of our
ElePHPant at a Chinese factory.
If it had been in America or Europe,
shipping probably would have taken
3 months.
However, at this point, we only had
2 months left until the conference.

21. 11月12日、
ElePHPantを空輸便で発送！？
間に合うかも！！！
On November 12, we were informed
that our ElePHPant was being
shipped by air.
The producer arranged things so
that it would make it in time for our
conference.

22. Photo by
Shinonome &
Mary
11月20日、届いた！！！
And then, on November
20th, our ElePHPants safely
arrived in Japan.

23. オンラインショップで販売！
12月1日、カンファレンス当日、
会場にElePHPantの受け渡しカウン
ターが開設。
無事、皆様のお手元に届きました。
After that, we set up an online shop
and pick up counter without trouble,
and we were able to hand out them
out to everyone.

24. ご静聴ありがとうございました。
Thank you for your attention!

25. おまけ

26. elePHPantコレクター
世界中にいる！
ランキングもある！
https://elephpant.me/ranking
By the way, there’s actually ElePHPant
collectors around the world.
And I’m one of them.
Not to brag, by I’m even officially rated.

27. 珍しいElePHPant
プロトタイプの段階で止まったもの
特別に作られたもの
Among all the ElePHPants, there’s a
special one with just one prototype in
existence.
You can check it out at this website.
https://afieldguidetoelephpants.net/