Fascinate the public by real places –Application of spatial branding in China (Part 1)-

Interactions among people have changed dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic. Under these circumstances, what remains important in the store space, the place where the brand experience takes place? We asked two members of Gramco Shanghai Beijing Branch, a team specializing in spatial branding, about the significance and role thereof. This will be presented in two installments.

How did you become interested in spatial branding?

-- To begin with, please introduce yourselves and tell us why you joined the company and how you became interested in spatial branding.

Eto

I joined Gramco in 2003; before that I was involved in the design and construction of apparel brands. I switched jobs as I wanted to be involved in building a variety of brands, not just apparel. Currently, I am primarily responsible for spatial design.

Liao

I joined Gramco in 2004, right after graduating from a Japanese university. Originally from China, I migrated to Japan in grade seven due to my father's job. I attended Japanese schools for junior high school, high school, and university, where I majored in civil engineering. Over time, I became drawn to design through landscape and spatial design classes. It was at this time that I learned about Gramco, which was also expanding into China, making it a perfect fit for my goals. Now, as a planner, I lead research and concept development projects while serving as the main point of contact for a client.

-- After joining the company, you were both stationed in China during its period of remarkable growth. Can you bring to mind any particularly memorable events?

Liao

There was the Beijing Olympics in 2008. I retain strong memories of my participation in a project to set up a flagship store for Lenovo from scratch, and still maintain a relationship with that company today. As I was still clueless when I joined the company, I proceeded through a process of trial and error while developing a deep relationship with the client. The project ultimately achieved a great deal of success, with a particularly lasting impression being made due to the client's high level of appreciation.

Eto

I remember it well. As China was heading toward globalization, I have fond memories of working day and night with clients and subcontractors to achieve our goals. Within the time we had available, we managed to identify which events were most relevant and discuss the variations in thought processes and personal preferences resulting from cultural differences between countries.

Approaches to spatial branding and its roles

-- So, first of all, can you tell us how do you proceed with a project?

Eto

The first step is to organize matter through research. If a brand concept already exists, begin with developing a deep understanding of it. For a retail store, focus on the products being offered and the smallest management unit, known as an SKU. For a restaurant, consider the types and number of food items being offered, its seating capacity, the surrounding environment, its competition, and so on. From there, we conduct internal and stakeholder interviews to thoroughly understand their views on the brand. Other tasks include surveying the client's existing stores and showrooms as well as competitors' stores to identify the client's issues. These research procedures are the same as the general branding process. They are also very important in spatial branding, as a source of creativity.
Based on these research results, we develop an original spatial branding concept and then propose a high-precision image perspective aligning with the concept. Image perspectives used to be costly and time-consuming, but advances in computers, applications, and technology have made it relatively easy to produce highly accurate computer graphics. The image perspective includes color, material texture, signage, graphics, enabling the creation of a detailed visual representation of the space once it is completed. In order to avoid any discrepancies between the client and completed project, revisions will also be made in the image perspective.

Liao

I have actually built a 1/1 scale model in a factory as well as CG. This may be unique to China. When expanding to multiple stores, actually building a model can sometimes reveal many things, including operations.
After finalizing the image of the completed project, we finally carry out the basic design and implementation design. During construction, we supervise the design on-site, inspect the progress, and ensure a smooth handover to the client.

-- I see. It is interesting that you make not only high-precision CG but also actual-size models. Moving on, what do you think about the role that spatial branding plays?

Eto

I believe that the "uniqueness" of a company or organization should be expressed through its space. We design the colors, materials, graphics, and even movies used in the space to convey its "uniqueness." I believe that spatial branding is the work of design and optimization in line with a brand's style by imagining everything that customers experience with their five senses when they visit a space, including what they see, hear, and smell.

Liao

To add to Mr. Eto's opinion, I believe that it serves to bring customers closer to the products. We often say "zero distance," and believe that the store is the place where the customer can experience the brand's worldview as imagined by the customer all at once. Therefore, among the various points of contact between the customer and the brand, I think it is important for the customer to experience the image envisioned for the brand, including not only the products but also the customer service attitude of the store staff.

Alienware flagship store: Experiencing cutting-edge technology

-- Next I'd like to ask about specific examples. Can you tell us about some of your most memorable projects to date?

Liao

Alienware, a gaming PC brand which is part of Dell Computers, is a client we have been supporting for 10 years, since 2013. We are involved in the spatial branding of their flagship and general stores. Earlier, we talked about research as part of our approach. I believe it is important to listen to three different types of people during the interview phase. First, the person in charge will review the background information on the product as well as the company brand. Next, they gather inputs from the staff and store managers directly involved in the stores, followed by feedback from the customers who are the brand's target. We listen to all perspectives and use them to inform the concept development.
We propose a design based on the concept, but what is especially important is what follows. Alienware products are expensive, with a single PC costing more than 400,000 yen, so it is important to create a space that exceeds customers' expectations and offers them a hands-on experience.

Eto

To add to the experience, we created a robotic arm that tracks movements as an icon of cutting-edge technology in order to provide an experience that exceeds expectations. This was done by asking programmers for repeated testing; I think we were able to provide people with a sense of Alienware's worldview. Other projects included recreating a Beijing cityscape on a wall by combining motherboards from a PC, and creating the Alienware logo itself by assembling parts of a PC. As a result, customers took pictures at those iconic locations and posted them on social networking sites, creating a buzz.

Improving the value of customer experience creates a virtuous cycle for the brand

-- So far we have mainly heard about your design intentions for the brand experience. What are some of the innovations that customers will be able to experience after the store is completed?

Eto

Alienware's flagship stores always have an in-store multi-player, simultaneous-use gaming corner. There, we regularly hold competitive events and implement measures to increase engagement. For example, the Alienware Sanlitun flagship store has a large screen at the back of the store, which is normally used as a space for enjoying games in a personalized game experience cabinet. During events, the screen is used as a place for communication, such as seminars on Alienware PCs.
In addition to these various initiatives, Alienware regularly conducts surveys of its brands and stores. These include questionnaires and interviews with customers regarding brand likability, number of visitors, service of store employees, etc. Although we cannot cite specific numbers, we have heard that the program has been highly rated in several areas. Of course, the results are not only due to spatial branding, but we believe the space is effectively functioning as a point where customers can interact with the product and experience the brand.

Continued in Part 2.