Benesse Corporation
Supporting the IP commercialization of “Shimajiro” ahead of its 40th anniversary in 2028: “Café & Shimajiro”
- 業種：
- 活動期間：
- February – April 2026
SUNNY SIDE UP fully produced a brand experiential collaboration cafe to commemorate the launch of the new brand ” Shimajiro.”
The project generated significant buzz on social media even before opening, attracting over 2,000 guests across 600 groups in advance reservations and resulting in long queues daily around the Harajuku Jingumae intersection.
SUNNY SIDE UP was responsible for all aspects of the campaign, including core idea development, venue selection, interior design, collaboration menu and merchandise development, PR strategy and execution, in-store events, and digital campaigns.
Beyond simply raising brand awareness, the project was designed to generate leads for merchandising vendors, successfully earning high praise from the client as a true business partner.
背景
● Raising awareness of the new brand
While "Shimajiro," a character from the "Kodomo Challenge" educational program, already boasts high recognition, its presence as an IP among the target demographic of MF20–49 (men and women in their 20s to 40s) was limited due to a lack of active merchandising in the past.
It was necessary to re-establish brand awareness for "& Shimajiro," newly developed as an IP for adults, while communicating the story behind its development.
施策
アイデア
● Brand Visualization / Experiential Action
To address these challenges, we prioritized "visualization"—allowing the target audience to experience the brand's merchandising in a real-world setting.
We proposed a "collaboration cafe" as a brand experiential action, as it offered low barriers to entry for customers, high PR value, and an ideal platform for showcasing merchandise and menu items.
A simultaneous digital campaign was also conducted for those unable to visit in person.
成果
● Doubled the number of Instagram (IG) followers (350% KPI achievement rate)
Other performance metrics:
• Cafe attendance during the event was 1.8 times higher than usual
• Original merchandise sold out within one week (with subsequent additional production)
• PR coverage reached 255 media mentions (including 3 TV segments), exceeding the initial target by 140%
