Moving Brands

Apple Store Event for Granimator in Tokyo

Hello from Moving Brands Tokyo

To celebrate the launch of Granimator™ in Japan, ustwo™, GASBOOK, Moving Brands and Houxo Que are hosting a special event at the Apple Store Ginza on 24th June – 7.00pm. Please join us if you are in Tokyo.

Developed in the UK by digital UX studio ustwo™ – Granimator™ is a sound based wallpaper creator that gives iPad users a fully immersive sound and touch experience.

Moving Brands has created an artist pack for Granimator, using the elements from our co-creation project Weare™. This joins packs from Airside, Pete Fowler, Rexbox, Buro Destruct and James Joyce. In addition to these world renowned designers, you will have access to a variety of packs from local Tokyo artist Houxo Que, world renowned design studios DEVILROBOTS, Groovisions and Power Graphixx, as well as a capsule collection of six GASBOOK artists including; ten_do_ten, Hidehito Shinno, Yuko Kanatani, shinpei ONISHI, SONPUB and Hiroshi Iguchi.

Moving Brandsのトウキョウスタジオから

Granimator™の日本でのリリースを記念して、今週の木曜日銀座のアップルストアでスペシャルイベントを開催します。もし東京にいっらしゃる方はぜひお立ち寄りください。

ustwo™
スペシャルイベント
Apple Store Ginza
Thursday 24th June
7pm – 8pm

Granimator™は、iPad専用の効果音付き壁紙作成アプリケーション。サウンドとビジュアルを指先で操りながらデザインを楽しめる新感覚の魅力をロンドンのデザインスタジオustwo™とともに私たちMoving Brandsそして参加アーチストたちがたっぷりお伝えします。

Granimator™には、Moving Brandsはもちろん世界的に有名なアーチストやデザイナーAirside, Pete Fowler, Rexbox, Buro Destruct, James Joyceとともに、日本からはアーチストHouxo Que、デザインスタジオDEVILROBOTS、Groovisions、Power Graphixx、またGASBOOKからten_do_ten、Hidehito Shinno、Yuko Kanatani、shinpei ONISHI、SONPUB、Hiroshi Iguchiが参加しています。

SHIBUKASA Project x FRISK launch promotion

There were number of people using an orange umbrella in Shibuya (Tokyo) the morning of 1st March. It was for the launch promotion for orange flavor mints. Not only was it visually interesting, but also they are going to give the umbrellas to the “Shibukasa Project” after the launch event which is really cool idea.

“Shibukasa Project” was established by a group of university students in Tokyo – taking advantage of a “community currency” system (The Earth Day Money system) already in place in Shibuya Ward. This project is to reuse discarded plastic umbrellas and by returning a Shibukasa — which can be identified by a sky-blue umbrella logo — to a cafe or other store that keeps them, the borrower will receive Earth Day Money, which is accepted at some establishments in the ward.

The Earth Day Money system is run by the nonprofit organization Earth Day Money Association. The currency, which can be obtained through volunteer services (number of selected NPO projects to do a good things for the earth like picking up trash etc..), is good at more than 70 member eateries and shops mainly in Shibuya Ward. It can be used for partial payment of items or redeemed for desserts, herbal teas and the like. Community currency has been circulating in Shibuya since 2001.

I think quite interesting idea to combine the promotion with the Shibukasa project which is already incorporated into the Earth Money System to raise awareness of recycling but also bring the community closer together.

The life of a building

N Building from Alexander Reeder on Vimeo.

With several MBers currently in Tokyo, we thought to suggest checking out this “living” building. The makers of N Building say, “Being a commercial building signs or billboards are typically attached to its facade which we feel undermines the structures’ identity. As a solution we thought to use a QR Code as the facade itself. By reading the QR Code with your mobile device you will be taken to a site which includes up to date shop information. In this manner we envision a cityscape unhindered by ubiquitous signage and also an improvement to the quality and accuracy of the information itself”. This project brings a whole new dimension to the architectural belief in the “life” of a building. This way, people are able to interact with the structure before they’ve even stepped in the door.

New NIKE Store Harajuku, Tokyo

Just had a chance to visit a new NIKE flagship store in Harajuku – one of the most popular shopping districts in Tokyo. It’s surprisingly the first flagship store for Japan and unlike other NIKE flagships, this was designed by Japanese designer Masamichi Katayama (Wonderwall).

Interesting things about this store are not only that they put large spaces dedicated to NIKEiD studio and football gear (Bootroom) but also included many art-like objects made from their products throughout the store – hundreds of white NIKE sneakers suspended from the roof of the second floor, a chandelier made of racing tags, one of the walls was made with black rubber soles cut into square tiles, and a “Just Do It” sign made from foot molds.

I believe the flagship store is the “living brand” – it has products, graphics, messaging, people and their voice. All the elements of the brand are in one place, just as everything in the store is also a reflection of the brand. People in the store might not see them, but they will feel the brand from all the details and elements.

In that perspective, I have to say I really liked a feeling of the store. It was simple but playful. Only thing that felt strange was that there were men in dark suits greeting at the both entrances to the store. They might be there because of the store opening but they didn’t go with image of NIKE or sports at all…

原宿に新しくオープンしたばかりのNIKE フラッグシップストア原宿に行ってきた。
東京にいままでフラッグシップがなかったことに気がついてちょっと驚いたのだけれど、 他の都市にあるフラッグシップとは違い、Wonderwall 片山正通氏がインテリアデザインを担当している。

この店のユニークな所は、店内に国内最大のNIKEiD STUDIOを入れたり、サッカーにフォーカスしたNIKE BOOTROOM（ナイキ ブーツルーム）を三階に設置しただけでなく、プロダクトを使ったアートのようなオブジェが店内にちりばめられている事。例えば、白いスニーカーを何百個も天井から吊るしてあったり（この下を通って２階への階段を上る）、マラソンのゼッケンをシャンデリアのようにデザインしたインスタレーションがあったり、シューズソールをタイルのように組み合わせてできた壁や、”Just Do It”のサインがスニーカーの型でつくってあったり。

フラッグシップはそのブランドそのものといっても過言ではないと、私は思っている。プロダクトやグラフィック、メッセージ、そこで働いている人々と彼らのサービスや言葉遣い。ブランドを作っているすべての要素が集結する場所。そして店の中にあるすべてが、その細部にいたるまでブランドを反映している。それはすべての人にはっきりとは見えないかもしれないけれど、細部や様々なところから受ける何かを感じているはずである。それがその人たちにとって、そのブランドへのイメージをつくるのだから。

その観点からしても、この店から受けた感じはとてもよかった。シンプルだけれど遊び心にあふれている。一つだけ気になったのは、入り口で出迎えてくれた黒いスーツに身を包んだ男性達。オープニングの時だからなのかわからないけれど、どうしてスーツなんだろう。NIKEともスポーツといういメージともまるっきり合っていないのだけれど。

Forms in Colour

“One sits more comfortably on a colour that one likes”
- Verner Panton”

Just went to see the Verner Panton Exhibition at Toyko Opera City Art Gallery. Not only it was great to see all of his chairs, lighting design and original sketches but also it was amazing to be in the space that they build – the Phantasy Landscape, Visiona 2. It was originally designed for Cologne Furniture Fair, 1970. After you take off your shoes and lie on the curved space, suddenly I was completely in his fantasy land. This exhibition will be open until 27th December. If you happen to be in Tokyo, don’t miss it.

Postcard from MB Japan

Aki Shelton, our Creative Director at Moving Brands Japan in Tokyo, sent over these photos of a crazy marketing bus found in Harajuku. Apparently there are 9 TV screens on each side of the bus, blasting music as it goes. I wonder how Londoners would feel about one of those travelling down Oxford Street!

Aki also wanted to let us know that Tokyo is also playing host to the CMWC – The Cycle Messenger World Championships. Since 1993, the event has been hosted in cities around the world, bringing a combination cool bikes and fashion to avid spectators.

Moving Brands Meets… Scott Thomas

We had our first Moving Brands Meets… event in Tokyo last week at the Claska Hotel. Our guest speaker was Scott Thomas, the design director from the Obama Presidential campaign.

He talked about his team’s new media design work for the Obama for America campaign. It was so exciting to hear about their communication strategy in detail, and get a few behind-the-scenes stories of their design decisions. He is currently writing a book to explain how an obscure senator rose to the highest office in the land with the aid of branding and design.

Scott also talked about why he turned down the offer from the White House and came to spend 2 months in Japan. Good timing too, as Japan recently had a national election and it is quite shocking to compare the two. Here, no “new media” is allowed. Japan’s election law’s, that limit campaigning methods, are very strict and they haven’t changed in 50 years.

We were lucky to have Scott speak and for the event there were about 50 guests – thanks again all who joined us. No worries if you missed it, we’ll post video of Scott’s interview and presentation on our website.

1+7+1=9h (nine hours)

Just visited an exhibition “9h” at AXIS gallery in Tokyo. It’s about this unique capsule hotel concept and all the idea and design around it. The idea was that you need 9n hours to reset from late night work or business trip in a city – 1 hour to shower, 7 hours to sleep and 1 hour to get ready.

The capsule hotels has been around since late 70s in Japan but it was always just pure functional space and associated with a image of tired businessmen who missed the last train staying to get some sleep instead of paying expensive taxi home. For this new concept, they used the form of the capsule hotel but made each space better for its purpose – not only for design but also for the functionality.

Another interesting part is that before its opening, they had an exhibition to show the design and concept at a design gallery. They had an actual custom-designed capsule for you to get in – it’s actually nice size.

This very unique hotel will be open in Kyoto, Japan this December. The name of the hotel is, of course, “9h” – nine hours.

http://www.9hours.jp/