adidas Japan: KOSATEN Intersection of Past, Present and Future
April 2016. Harajuku, Bank Gallery
adidas has a long history in Japan and is currently the number one sports apparel brand in the country. So it was a natural choice for adidas Japan to host a globally facing celebration of the iconic Originals line. And adidas Japan’s choice was to have Empire Entertainment Japan handle all aspects of production, from event concept to execution and media production.
adidas Japan wanted a large-scale interactive event where the public could experience Originals connections to the Past, Present and Future. Empire took that concept one step further and came up with idea of KOSATEN, Japanese for Intersection. The ten-day event would explore how Originals lives at the intersection of culture.
An integral part of the overall plan was to leverage social media before, during and after the event to drive awareness and excitement. Empire Japan produced a high-energy teaser, a pre-view video, daily digests and a wrap-up video to contribute to the buzz. This content was distributed worldwide on adidas’ social media feeds as well as the feeds of major influencers involved with the event.
The week and a half event kicked off with a private showing for the media followed by an invitation-only celebrity-driven Opening Night Party. Famous faces from the worlds of sports, fashion, music and culture explored the exhibits and danced the night away – click HERE for the Opening Night Party Video.
As soon as they entered the hyper-modern space in the heart of Harajuku, Tokyo’s fashion epicenter, they were greeted by a massive 3 story video installation hanging from the ceiling. From there they were led on a journey through three levels of encounters with the brand: over 500 pairs of the rarest vintage adidas athletic shoes, brought over with their collectors from Europe expressly for the occasion; a giant installation allowing you to feel like you were entering the interior of the latest adidas show, with walls constructed of Prime Knit and a floor made out of Boost; and a glimpse into the future with live 3D printing showcasing how, soon, shoes can be made just for you.
Each day, Empire produced a Talk Show at the event space, that included some of the biggest pioneers and global influencers in adidas`s lineup. From tennis legend Stan Smith to hip hop legend D.M.C of Run D.M.C, each speaker spoke about their experiences with the brand and how it continues to influence them in their everyday lives. Other speakers included, Markus Thaler (Adidas ZX Model Pioneer), Top Japanese comedians; RG (Razor Ramon), Anthony (Matenrou), Akaba (Saru-Gorilla), Ueda (Good Walkin), Shigeyuki Kunii (Mita Sneaker Creative Director), MATSU (Exile), GENKING (Top Model), MALIA (Top Model), Poggy (UA Creative Director), and Genvey Yamaguchi (World Famous Obi Artist).
Over the course of 10 days, the exhibit became a trending topic across numerous social media channels, press outlets and among fashion brand industry influencers.
Empire once again proves to be the leading producer of global fashion brand events and was thrilled to help adidas Japan produce yet another successful adidas event.