Yard NYC Launches Japanese Fashion Brand GU in the US

Japanese fashion brand GU is expanding its footprint into the West with a multifaceted advertising and marketing initiative created by YARD NYC to launch its new flagship store at 528 Broadway in the heart of Soho on September 19. The Uniqlo sister brand, GU (pronounced as the letters G and U), is showcasing its curated fashion line through an omni-channel “New U” brand campaign and a 4-day event for New Yorkers as “Tokyo Meets Soho.”

Understanding that its audience craves intentionality, “New U” is representative of GU’s new MINI edit MAX product proposition, a thoughtful curation of fashion trends with easy-to-mix-and-match pieces that prove you don’t need more while encouraging experimentation and reinvention. This as well as classic Japanese fashion magazines and NYC’s Village Voice inspired the creative by Yard NYC, which has a cut-out, sticker style that feels like a fun formula of curated items you can easily put together to create your unique style. The radial images and OOH posters that repeat “&U, &U, &U” visualise the limitless possibilities for creating a “New U” with MINI edit MAX, while the use of “U” helps new consumers pronounce “GU.”

Under the strategic banner ‘Tokyo Meets Soho', YARD NYC was inspired by the intersection of these two places that also constantly reinvent themselves. "Our art direction combines the best of Japanese design principles and Japanese magazine culture to create a unique expression that feels both digital and analog at the same time. It’s meant to invite you to play with the product offerings to create new versions of U,"  said Ulrika Karlberg, chief creative officer of YARD NYC. 

To bring “Tokyo Meets Soho” to life, the creative agency orchestrated a four-day launch party celebrating the store opening that features The Line, a play on the waiting-in-line culture that is both a NY and Japanese phenomenon and uses the app Partiful to garner RSVPs, create an exciting buzz, and communicate with attendees about wait times, giveaways, and more. Yard NYC also partnered with Japanese artists and vendors for in-store activations that blend elements of these two cities, including Shantell Martin, a NY-based artist with roots in Tokyo who created a limited edition tote bag that will be gifted with purchase for opening weekend - and loaded with lots of Japanese-inspired goodies and GU-branded merch.

YARD NYC is responsible for all campaign ideation phases - from influencer and social marketing and press trips, which they partnered with Factory PR to execute, to in-store activations supported by Noun, as well as a fully integrated digital and media campaign for “New U” which includes OOH, 2-D projection, CTV/OTT/Premium Video, social media, search and digital display.  The agency also partnered with music house Human Worldwide to create bespoke music for its video assets, which is a unique addition to the creative work.

“We wanted to create a musical pastiche leaning heavily into dance, hip hop and the global music scene that was happening in Tokyo and New York in the ’90s. We incorporated New York-specific sounds as well as leaning into the brand pronunciation to really get the brand stuck in everyone’s heads like only the very best tracks can.” said Stephen Niedzwiecki, creative co-founder of Yard NYC. “When we were on set testing tracks everyone was really feeling it - so we knew we were on the right path.”