Japan is well known for having some very extravagant ads running in the trains throughout the country. It not uncommon to see whole trains dedicated to a specific brand our product. I remember when the Nintendo DS Lite was released in Japan the Yamanote line in Tokyo was made to look like a giant DS screen.
However- IKEA Japan has gone completely buck wild and taken not just one step above- but a whole flight of stairs beyond little posters filling up a train car; they have created a whole moving user experience. The location of this line is also very key. It starts at Kobe City, then in the middle is Kobe IKEA, and then at the end is Kobe Airport. So you can see this train is not just a novelty way to get to the store, but it’s an actual important line of transportation. Also, because this train is so magical and memorable it makes the rider want to check out the actual store. You can see more images here.
I have a feeling IKEA is going to change the furniture industry in Japan. This is the first time that Japan has ever seen mass marketing geared towards furniture on any of it’s islands. Do to the fact Japanese are very well known to be brand whores- I mean “label loving” people, the more the brand gets noticed, the more people want it.
When Krispy Kreme and Cold Stone opened in Tokyo the lines were down the block. They want to try the new item, it’s a novelty, it gives them something to tell their friends. “Well of course I waited in line for 2 hours! They are simply the best donuts!”
IKEA Japan’s only real competitor is MUJI. Both supply their customer with modern styles, and full on simple simple simplicity. MUJI however, is much more expensive in other countries, but in Japan the prices are much lower, very comparable to IKEA.
It’s hard to say which one will come out on top in the next few years. Japanese are very proud of their own brands, and MUJI being a Japanese store has ideal marketing to it’s people (including students) However- IKEA is changing there marking to appeal much more to the Japanese people. One way is through the “tebura de bokusu” (hands free box) which allows them to send small items any where in Japan for only 1,000 yen! (about $9.50 USD) which is very appealing to the Japanese. Traveling in Japan is very expensive so getting to one one of the stores is hard. This feature makes it simple and cheap for everyone to have a little IKEA in their home.
If IKEA keeps it up, they may be pushing MUJI out.
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