Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation ?

Stations were considered to be nothing more than a waypoint for transportation, but using contents of “Doraemon”, a manga series famous to all Japanese, the entire station transformed itself into a space for an immersive brand experience. The design linking with the station facilities brought remembrance to the Japanese and became a place people continuously find themselves naturally attached to. A very unique case to Japan, successfully upgrading the station with a new value, making it a destination.

Background

The Odakyu Line extends from Shinjuku station in Tokyo, handling the greatest number of people in Japan, through Kanagawa. Improvements made in the railway’s facilities and timetable had contributed in reducing congestion during the rush hour as much as possible, however many passengers still experienced a stressful commute, so ways to reduce the passenger’s stress, including psychological ones, were asked for. The community-based railway company also had the aspiration to transform the station from being just a waypoint into a “destination-worthy station”, making people grow fond of the area that Odakyu operates in.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

The Fujiko F. Fujio Museum in Kawasaki-city exhibits the works including original pictures of manga artist Fujiko F. Fujio, known as the creator of the world-famous Doraemon, famous to all Japanese, and partners with Odakyu Line Noborito Station, its closest station. Spotting the color tone similarity between Odakyu’s corporate color and Doraemon-blue, we suggested Noborito Station to undergo a collaborative redesign with Doraemon, assured that it will heal the daily passengers off to work or school, as well as be warmly welcomed by the tourists heading to the museum. As it encompasses the spirit of Doraemon, a mascot loved by men and women of all ages, we were certain that people will grow attached to the station. With the project, we aimed to make Noborito a one-of-a-kind station, found nowhere else in Japan, and add value to it by becoming a new destination for many.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

The target, which are people riding the Odakyu Line to work or school, see it every day, so we decided a permanent approach that would naturally blend in with the station was required, and avoided any temporary ideas or designs that could possibly leave the passengers bored or disgusted. Through designing various items in the station, we aspired to create a space where people could enjoy experiencing “hints of wonder”, building mechanisms that motivate people to explore and discover, as well as encourage them to take photos. Doraemon is popular to a wide audience, so the idea was to have people share their photos and experience through various SNS, making the station a possible destination. Gaining reputation through such measures would increase loyalty among the users and to the city.

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

It was essential for the central piece of the project to draw attention from most users, so the station sign, a consistent design throughout all 70 stations of the Odakyu Line, was redesigned into a Doraemon original for Noborito. There was an option to prominently feature Doraemon in the design, although the station users vary, and the design needed to be considerate of those who feel uncomfortable with, or lack interest in Doraemon. Therefore, much care was put into finding just the right amount of Doraemon to blend into the design, as too much spotlight on the mascot will foster a negative image, given that the designs were intended for a public space. The design was developed to unify the station facilities and Doraemon by “Doraemonizing” not only the signs, but items varying from stairs, escalators, elevators, chairs and digital contents.

List the results (30% of vote)

The project reached a record of 30,000,000 on twitter in a month, with still some items yet to be completed. Featured repeatedly on TV and various online media, “Odakyu” and “Noborito Station” both experienced exponential growth in awareness. In February 2019, when the project was implemented, station traffic excluding commuter pass users increased 9.2% year on year, proving that this drove people to the now “Doraemon-ized” Noborito Station. The most remarkable of all, is that every day, you can witness people of all ages taking pictures at Noborito Station with big smiles on their faces.