Telepresence, say hello to your future. Humans, say hello to the next generation of Chancellor Sutler. All jesting aside, there’s no question that Big Brother came to mind when eying Sony Computer Science Laboratories’ Face-to-Avatar concept at SIGGRAPH. For all intents and purposes, it’s a motorized blimp with a front-facing camera, microphone, a built-in projector and a WiFi module. It’s capable of hovering above crowds in order to showcase an image of what’s below, or displaying an image of whatever’s being streamed to its wireless apparatus. The folks we spoke to seemed to think that it was still a few years out from being in a marketable state, but we can think of a few governments who’d probably be down to buy in right now. Kidding. Ominous video (and static male figurehead) await you after the break.
Say it with us now: “Huzzah!” For years, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon brand has been held back from general understanding by one thing: befuddling model numbers. Hearing about an MSM 8255 doesn’t really stick with the average consumer, and even for members of the press (and folks neck-deep in the supply channel), it wasn’t exactly easy to keep track of. In a bid to put on a more consumer-facing suit, Qually has announced its intentions to move away from complex processor names and move towards a simpler “series” model. For now, you’ll find S1, S2, S3 and S4, with “1′ being a mass market device and “4” being the product you actually want. The slide just after the break explains where the cutoffs are for each level, but curiously enough, it sounds as if more of these will be added as technologies improve, speeds increase and capabilities soar. In other words, we hope your great-grandson is eager to get his hands on a Snapdragon S498. Wait, wasn’t this suppose to reduce complexities?
Ever wanted to enjoy the life of a King at an amusement park? Well, Seibu Amusement Park has come up with an interesting campaign that allows visitors to gain exquisite King-like privileges including a butler that will service your every whim and top seats to enjoy one of Japan’s most popular firework shows. Japanese people are well known for taking hobbies to the next level and there are “otakus” (geeks) for every genre, including theme parks, and this campaign seems to have certainly piqued their interest.
The park has created a 3 question quiz to test the theme park otakus and will select one group of up to six members who answered all the questions correctly to enjoy being pampered like a King (or Queen) for a single day. The lucky group will have their very own butler follow them around the whole day, attending to their every needs. Besides having all expenses paid for, a luxurious feast (fit for a King) awaits them while they enjoy exclusive seats and are allowed to give the “go” sign to the park’s fireworks show, which is symbolic of Japan’s summer past times.
The Kings or Queens are also given private access to the Jairo Skywalk Tower, one of the park’s main attractions that lets visitors enjoy a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji and other famous landmarks. As a consolation prize, for those who were not picked but still attained a perfect score, 20 groups will be chosen to receive a free entrance and attraction pass.
Personally, I’m not so keen on having a butler follow me around for a whole day while I’m trying to enjoy a good time with my friends but I guess it may float some people’s boats. However, from a marketing viewpoint, it has definitely grabbed our interest as it is the first of its kind to bring this type of Japanese touch to customer satisfaction. We’ve seen fast passes at Disneyland and Flash Passes at Six Flags, both of which allows visitors to cut through lines and save time, but this “King Treatment” concept seems to play on Japan’s idea of excellent customer service and what visitors would imagine to be the ultimate luxury theme park experience.
We don’t know iPad Head Girl’s name, or what she really looks like under that clever environment-reflecting helmet. What we do know, however, is that our mama didn’t raise us to go stroking people’s faces in the street — which is exactly what one unseemly chap eventually does in the viral marketing video after the break. Is he an actor on Hearst’s payroll, remitted an hourly rate to feign fascination with their new Cosmo For Guys iPad magazine, which magically appears on the poor girl’s face? By all means, analyze his forward behavior and make up your own mind. But if you’re only into couture, darling, you’d better look away now.
“Brand Mook Series” has been a Takarajimasha Publishing House registered trade mark since 2005, and in the last year has become huge business in Japan. The Japanese publishing giant has collaborated with more than 80 brands from local fashion brands like Tsumori Chisato to international designers such as Top Shop, the Finish Marimekko and haute couture brands such as Furla and YvesSaint Laurent
A Mook is basically a magazine or book containing special edition branded items, and usually priced for less than $18. Break-through sales of about 200 branded magazine issues and a total of 20 Million copies turned the series into a huge success. For example, Kitson alone, an LA based celebrity fashion brand, have sold 1.2 Million Mooks in Japan. The tie in with numerous fashion houses has seen the Mook become an established success both in terms of sales and also as an exercise in branding collaboration.
This year, a number new brands joined the series, offering a new Spring – Summer 2011 collection of bags, pouches, purses and make up cases, which can be collected with each weeks Mook in the same way hobby magazines work offering new parts to figures each week, and driving continued sales. High end fashion brands have recently joined the Mook bandwagon, Armani Exchange, collaborated with Takarajishima for their Mooks earlier this year in Japan. In the magazine, you can find information on the new NY Spring-Summer collection and receive a limited edition set of unisex tote- bag and pouches. Cult fashion labels such as Bathing Ape have also released their own branded Mooks but at a premium rate of around $41, however with limited sales they prove particularly popular with the die hard BAPE fans.
The magazines formula is fairly simple, readers get information about a brand’s new collection, shops information, new trends and some personal information about the designers themselves along with some “exclusive” items. Basically it works as a great advertising vehicle, a PR magazine for the brand, but drawing in the reader with the offer of a uniquely designed bag.
In accessory excessive culture such as in Japan, it is a natural success where this kind of large scale marketing collaboration where limited edition bags act as the lure in the readers purchasing these magazines. As with hobby magazines, where enthusiasts want to collect the complete series of whatever it is they are colecting, similarly people are drawn to continued purchasing and collecting the special edition branded items. Taken further there is a large scale potential then for marketing in other spheres in Japan.
It’s not hard to get us excited about a post at CScout Japan, especially not when it involves sampling an ice cold beer on a sweltering hot day! Beverage manufacturer Kirin has introduced their new “Ice Plus Beer” which pretty much does exactly what it says on the can, cold beer designed to be poured over ice. Hitting the shelves today, the new beer from Kirin seems to be generating quite some chatter, especially as they have been pushing out their social marketing campaign, tweeting “cold jokes” and 100 different “hidden” commercials.
Consuming beer with ice may make the beer connoisseur shiver, however the manufacturers have touted that the Ice Plus Beer has been specifically designed to be poured over ice to enrich the taste and enhance the aroma. After sampling it, surprisingly the advertisements aren’t far off and it does seem to taste better over ice than consumed straight from the can (however it did take three or four to verify it!). There is no escaping that it still is a cheap and cheerful Kirin beer taste though, all be it a colder one. As with many Japanese products that have to compete with other seasonal items, the packaging is interestingly designed also. On the back of the beer can itself is a nice pop-art style 4-frame comic that illustrates how to enjoy the product, complete with swooning girl over alcoholic male. The convenience stores didn’t miss a trick either, a nice tie in offering a discount “Ice Cup” with the each Ice Plus Beer, to help the thirsty consumer enjoy it as soon as they step out the shop and drive sales during the humid months.
The marketing build up has been well thought out also, punning on the ability of the beer to “Cool Japan” and some self-effacing tweet gags that run on the phrase “samui” (cold) which refers to a bad joke. They did however miss a trick not tying it into Coll Biz though, anyone who has seen a drunken salary man in Tokyo on a weekday night knows the comedic potential there! On the product’s own homepage is also a secret collection of 100 short (approximately 30-60 second) and humorous commercials featuring the cartoon characters to advertise Ice Beer Plus, further drawing the consumer into the brand.
Seasonal products are big business in Japan with a particularly competitive FMCG (fast moving commercial goods) market. Pepsi and Kitkat for example, are constantly coming out with new flavors to keep the public’s appetite satiated, and on the shelves in the convenience store we purchased this beer in, we also spotted a new Pepsi “Caribbean Gold, White Sapote” flavored drink….although we did have to Google white sapote before we knew what it was!
Battery running low during the rush-hour commute? Glacéau’s Vitamin Water Energy Bus Shelter by CrispinPorter& Bogusky wants to help you get charged while you’re waiting to board. The new billboards feature a bottle of the vitamin / caffeine-packing drink, sporting a triple-USB port, which you can plug your devices into for some extra juice. Apparently, you’ll be seeing these if your daily public-transit hustle takes you through the fine cities of Boston, New York, Chicago or Los Angeles — we’d imagine owners of HTC’s Thunderbolt will find them very useful.
Starting today Japan’s iconic Hello Kitty character has been decked out in crystal and put on display in its own “House of Hello Kitty” in the upmarket Tokyo district of Omotesando. Having collaborated before the “Swarovski Hello Kitty Collection” event features everything from crystal encrusted Hello Kitty accessories to the pride of place center piece, an exclusive, limited edition figure adorned with 20,000 crystals and costing a cool ¥1.2 million ($14,800).
Hello Kitty fans can wander around the pink palace that is the House of Hello Kitty taking in the vast array of accessories on display from ear rings to bracelets and keychains and even a limited edition $100,000 clutch bag an Elle x Swarovski x Hello Kitty collaboration. Arranged in their own unique, plush miniature rooms the displays drew cooing and exclamations of “kawaii” a plenty.
Not to miss a trick there is also a full Hello Kitty chandelier hanging over the collections of rooms that each house a different Hello Kitty surprise, and guarded by Phantom Of The Opera inspired costumed men and iconic red bow adorned girls, designed by Japanese costume artist Hibino Kozue.
Visitors can also play with some of the digital interactive displays that are dotted around the exhibition. Just inside the entrance is a particularly cool 3D holographic display that allows users to manipulate a floating Hello Kitty and various accessories found in the main area. Visitors use a sweeping motion to switch between different holograms, as well as enlarging it and raining crystals down on it through different hand gestures.
There was also a neat digital AR photo area which lets users virtually adorn themselves with red ribbons, ear rings and a whole host of other cute Hello Kitty merchandise. Users are then displayed a QR code which they can scan to download the end photo direct to their mobile phones. CScout Japan’s intern Ron was particularly pleased with the end result which now sits pride of place on his phone as his wallpaper!
It wouldn’t be Japan without a UFO catcher display also where visitors were queuing up to have the chance to grab a limited edition Hello Kitty doll featuring a special necklace.
Tying in digital publicity with the exhibition the homepage for the Swarovski X Hello Kitty collaboration also allows users to create their personal Hello Kitty collection avatar icon. By giving the app permission to access their Facebook, their profile picture is given a unique Hello Kitty frame designed specifically for this event. Users are then allowed to replace their current profile picture with the customized one made by the app.
The organizers of the event have also incorporated an fun RFID tag “treasure hunt” style event around the streets of the area the exhibition is being held, utilizing the ubiquitous Japanese mobile phone technology. At the entrance of the building housing the exhibits, sit two life size Hello Kitty art objects. Pictured below, the left piece was designed by Rikako Nagashima, a popular art director in Japan, and the right by Azuma Makoto, a well respected Japanese flower artist.
There are a total of 9 of the Hello Kitty art pieces (each created by one of the nine artists working in collaboration with this event, including Japanese supermodel Tominaga Ai) scattered around the heart of Omotesando. Embeded in the description tag of each object was a Felica chip, in which users could gather information about the piece as well as its creator, by scanning it with their mobile phones. Public who visit all 9 of the displays and scan all of the Felica IDs are in turn rewarded special prizes for their efforts.
This campaign lasts until the 10th, after which these art objects would be auctioned off by Yahoo! Charity Auction, with all of the money being donated to the Japanese Red Cross in aid of the 3/11 earthquake.
The exhibition will certainly appeal to the millions of Hello Kitty fans in Japan, including this particular one who although nothing to do with the exhibit itself arrived in her own customized Hello Kitty decked out car!
Swarovski Hello Kitty Collection is on display in Omotesando Hills from 6/30 through to 7/10.
Japan is well known for its online match making services, most of which take advantage of the male libido and end up causing them to spend hundreds of dollars on “points,” which are purchased to send and receive mails, as well as exchanging photos and phone numbers with the opposing party. However, out of the many fraudulent websites, there exist a handful of legitimate ones. Tying this into the “konkatsu” (marriage hunting) boom that has been apparent in Japan during recent years, Nugget, a Japanese web design company, has created “Aerura,” an online “konkatsu” service that is specifically targeted at the otaku (the endearing term for geek) market. There have been many dating websites created for a particular target segment such as doctors and lawyers, but Aerura is the first of its kind aimed at this specific market.
The vast world of otaku is much more complicated than it seems on the surface, it is not just about loving anime, collecting premium toys, and sipping “special coffee” at the notorious maid cafes. Numerous classifications of obsession exist, and Aerura seeks to furnish each type by offering these as search categories, such as figures, trains/railroads, voice actors, etc. Determined to helping members find the perfect match, the service heavily focuses on these “hobbies,” and even arranges “omiai”(arranged blind dates) parties that are restricted to a certain genre. These specific theme-based events cost around 50 to 100 dollars each, but to those who spend more than 300 dollars on a life sized pillow with an anime character imprinted on it, it may be a cheap price to pay to meet someone of the opposite sex that shares the same interest. On top of all this, Aerura also offers free relationship and marriage counseling to all members.
The website itself has a very “clean” appearance, increasing its credibility as a legitimate dating service. It uses Nico Nico Douga, the growing Youtube equivalent for the Japanese geek segment, to advertise its presence; a marketing strategy aimed at at their direct audience. Amusingly, there are actually certain qualifications that these marriage seeking otakus must possess in order to find their one true “ani-mate.” Although any sort of women are allowed to join (as long as they are over 25), men must be single, over 25, have an income paying job, and have Japanese residency. On an online forum discussing the website, many reviewers have said that Aerura’s intentions are directed at a more “high end” otaku community base (defined as the geeks who have jobs and have intentions of eventually having a family of their own), which is interesting to see how the geek world also has hierarchy.
Otakus have been part of Japanese culture for decades, and quite frankly, I’m a little surprised that this genre of online dating websites have not taken its appearance until now. It will definitely be worth seeing whether this movement will cause a revolution in the lifestyle of otakus and if they will be able to find mates who do not seem to mind (or in fact even share) their significant other’s obsession with CG Idols such as AKB48’s Eguchi Aimi.
Earlier this year, Pioneer, known for its wide array of electronics ranging from car navigation systems to home theaters, opened a showcase plaza in a fascinating looking building located in the heart of Ginza, one of the more upscale, luxurious shopping districts in Japan. We took a trip to Ginza to find out the latest technology that Pioneer has to offer to the public. The shop’s tagline, “Wanna See The Future?” clearly demonstrates Pioneer’s aim at establishing the newest hi-tech product innovations aimed at enhancing consumers’ lifestyles. Rather than merely showcasing their newest technology, visitors are encouraged to fully experience and interact with the digital products on display.
The Pioneer Plaza is spread out over three floors, each dedicated to a specific theme. As we walked into the first floor, out of the vast lineup of home electronics, the first thing that immediately grasped our attention was the Sound Cocoon. With beautiful alternating color lighting and an extremely cozy sofa, this intimate egg-shaped sound enhancement space was designed to provide ultimate comfort and relaxation for its users. It uses Pioneer’s Acco built-in amp system that can play music from any portable audio device, as well as online radio. With three speakers placed in strategic locations inside the cocoon, the intention was for a “peaceful environment in which the music blended in with the air and embraced the user.”
Our eyes then led us to the Floating Vision, which is an AR hologram monitor that allows users to encounter a 3D experience with their naked eye. What was particularly cool about this product was that it used an infrared sensor that allowed users to interact with the various characters displayed on the screen, introducing a new type of user interface programming. The screen is surrounded by a sensor-embedded frame that extends out about 10cm. It’s possible to virtually touch and manipulate objects, draw pictures, and interact with characters inside the screen just by making the actions in the field of the sensors.
The Floating Vision was made for personal home entertainment allowing users to connect a computer to the unit through a USB cable which then turns the product into a second display, offering a variety of applications. With a downloadable software program called FV_Tool, users can easily create their own hologram display by using visual files of their choice. Going one step further from digital photo frames, the technology makes it possible to upload any personal photos which can then be displayed in holographic 3D and interacted with, such as poking the hologram would “frighten it” and cause it to duck.
Pioneer also integrated the use of Felica with this technology to provide visitors with information about the store and their newest products. Deviating from the existing Felica information providers that merely generate a sound when applied, this particular device offers users with a variety of 3D visuals, adding a little “extra touch.”
Although still in production and not yet for commercial use, the Cycling Computer, attachable to bicycles and other motor vehicles such as mopeds, uses its built-in GPS system to collaborate with Pioneer’s audio and navigation technology. Shaped like a smaller version of an iPhone, the Cycling Computer was not only intended for navigation purposes but for entertainment as well. With a unique sensor that calculates the speed and amount of revolution of the wheel, the user is notified of the distance that they have traveled, their heart rate, and how many calories have been burnt off. Music and animations are played accordingly to different speeds and cycling style. Pioneer is planning to release applications for this device as soon as it hits the market, which would enhance the users’ experience, such as a navigating app that displays the most scenic routes to their destination.
The rest of the 1st floor was decorated with a number of other products that demonstrated product innovations aimed at space conservation, such as an ultra thin speaker, and a new type of thin LED lighting device that further reduces the use of electricity and has features such as its ability to bend, making it easily adjustable to any sort of placement.
As we reached the second floor, we were greeted with a beautiful arrangement of earphones and headsets which visitors could plug into their own portable audio player and try on, each with a unique concept and feature.
The rest of the floor was dedicated to Pioneer’s Carrozzeria car navigation series, which fully utilizes AR as well as the idea of using smartphones as navigators. Its AR Scouter Mode uses a built in camera to display front and rear view images that provides drivers with route and road information onto the actual navigation screen. Landmarks like gasoline stations and convenient stores, distance between cars, directions, and other information are displayed in real time above the front view image, providing drivers with a much easily visible guidance. With the newest UI (user interface) technology it acts as an iPod and DVD player, television, and built-in bluetooth system. This touch-panel navigator has other cool features such as a voice command search system and an added “Eco Navigator” that takes displays a route in which the driver would use the least amount of gas, calculating the weight and size of the car.
With similar brand spaces such as Shiseido’s Total Beauty Facility, there seems to be a general move towards a more effective utilization of store space, deviating from the traditional shop-and-go stores seen throughout Japan. Brands are leaning towards a more interactive orientation by providing customers with product demonstrations and allowing them to fully experience their products and services themselves.
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