OPEN ROAD PROJECT

Short List
TitleOPEN ROAD PROJECT
BrandTOYOTA
Product / ServiceTOYOTA I-ROAD
CategoryA02. Creative Innovation
EntrantDENTSU INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
Idea Creation DENTSU INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
Media DENTSU INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
PR DENTSU INC. Tokyo, JAPAN

Credits

Name Company Position
Michitaka Iida Information Services International-Dentsu, Ltd. System Producer
Kazuhiro Shimura DENTSU INC. Creative Director
Masayuki Umezawa DENTSU INC. Account Executive
Wataru Shiotani DENTSU INC. Account Executive
Kotaro Sasamoto DENTSU INC. Business Planner
Tetsuji Nose DENTSU INC. Business Planner
Yukiya Yamane DENTSU INC. Business Planner
Yoji Sakamoto DENTSU INC. Communication Designer
Minoru Kikuchi DENTSU INC. Strategic Planner
Takahiro Hayashi DENTSU INC. Strategic Planner
Rui Egashira DENTSU INC. Strategic Planner
Kana Kobayashi DENTSU INC. Strategic Planner
Ryuma Okuda DENTSU INC. Communication Planner
Yusuke Imai DENTSU INC. Art Director
Naoki Waraya DENTSU INC. Account Supervisor
Wataru Inoue DENTSU INC. Account Supervisor
Tetsuya Sakurai DENTSU INC. Account Supervisor
Hideyuki Hirai DENTSU INC. Account Supervisor
Yuki Serizawa DENTSU INC. Account Supervisor
Junichiro Kubota DENTSU INC. Business Supervisor
Shun Watanabe DENTSU INC. Account Executive
Takahide Neki DENTSU INC. Account Executive
Kohei Nagoya DENTSU INC. Communication Planner
Tomoyuki Kato DENTSU TEC INC. Director
Tatsuya Murayama DENTSU TEC INC. Producer
Syuhei Sakamoto DENTSU TEC INC. Producer
Chisako Hasegawa DENTSU TEC INC. Producer
Tatsuo Yamano DENTSU TEC INC. Producer
Kenichiro Dohi DENTSU TEC INC. Business Planner
Atsushi Nishikawa Information Services International-Dentsu, Ltd. System Producer
Tomoko Suzuki Information Services International-Dentsu, Ltd. System Producer

The Campaign

i-ROAD’s targets are people living in central Tokyo who faced a parking problem, so we had to offer the possibility for free parking—different from cars. Our idea: to develop a new parking service for the i-ROAD, using the city’s wasted space. We turned our attention to Tokyo’s small unused spots to build a parking network where landowners shared spaces and locals drove and parked to find spaces. We recruited interested test pilots from the web who enjoyed daily mobility as the i-ROAD collected driving and location data. This data became the foundation of a system that autonomously discovered parking, increasing parking spots and making the project a success. We hope this service will show more urban areas the advantages of driving the i-ROAD and parking in small spots. This new business model has the potential to improve society, and we're working hard to increase the i-ROAD's value.

Creative Execution

We set up a logger to collect running data and GPS locations, which sent positioning information on the i-ROAD. Then, we combined the parking conditions with the positioning data and time to make a system that collects drivers’ parking statuses. Next, we recruited test pilots from the website and loaned them the i-ROAD and the service access prototype. Simply, from their everyday movements, we collected a massive amount of data. The result: We discovered new small spaces to be used as parking. The drivers enjoyed driving the i-ROAD, and, since parking places were increasing in number, they helped discover new spots. We had developed a system where parking places autonomously increased with the drivers’ motivation. It also offered merit for landowners to earn extra income with their unused land. Currently, we’re testing and considering this service for the i-ROAD launch.

Initially, i-ROAD drivers’ monthly distances averaged 58km, but after offering the parking service, distances increased tenfold to 596km. The combination of the service and i-ROAD delivered freedom. User experiences helped us confirm the business potential of the i-ROAD and its new parking service. Moreover, 90% of its drivers expressed intent to buy if the vehicle offering included the parking service. During the project, drivers discovered over 1,500 small spaces. Their driving data not only contributed to the expansion of the parking service but it also to the development of the i-ROAD. Around Tokyo, the project became a hot media topic between Tokyo residents. The i-ROAD YouTube video reached 6.0 million views from people in urban areas all over the world who empathize with parking problems. Furthermore, the autonomous system carries social significance as well, as local laws have allowed tandem riding in certain areas.

This project was to build a brand through making a new business model of the ultra-compact EV, i-ROAD. We had created a new kind of parking service which we transformed a lot of wasted small spaces into the i-ROAD parking. Also, we involved the target user in the project to help discover new parking and develop the parking service, making new fans for the i-ROAD by solving parking problems. As idea professionals, we stepped away from the advertising mindset to develop a new service for our client’s product. We’ve increased the product value and set a course for successful offerings.

Links

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