Creating a show that doesn't sell things and its potential /Sumitomo Life "Vitality" Plaza Yurakucho Store

​The health-enhancing insurance “Sumitomo Life “Vitality”” has attracted attention with Takehara Pistol’s commercial song “Yo, soko no wakamono”, and recently the comedian Bananaman is in charge of the commercial.

The brand, which is expanding its recognition in various ways, has three physical stores in Shinjuku, Kashiwanoha, and Yurakucho under the name of [Sumitomo Life “Vitality” Plaza] to create touchpoints with customers in the real world. (Actually, NOMURA Co., Ltd. supported the planning, design, and construction of these three stores.)

Since life insurance is an intangible product, in most insurance shops, pamphlets explaining the product are placed so that the first thing that catches the eye is the product. On the other hand, since this plaza will be a store where visitors can experience the world of Vitality, an approach different from general planning was required.
This time, we will introduce the highlights of the Yurakucho store, which opened in June 2020, which is the newest of the three stores, and interview the store manager with the concept of "a place where you will like Vitality". I look back on the efforts of about three months.

The environment surrounding stores continues to change, such as the rapid growth of the EC market and intensifying competition. What is the value of real stores in an era when the sales channels of goods have become complicated? I thought that the perspective of this project would be an important hint when considering questions that have no clear answers, so I tried to summarize the history so far and the way real stores should be in the future.

First of all, from the store introduction!

(1) Penetration of a new brand image that appeals through the creation of spaces

@Nacasa & Partners Inc.

Sumitomo Life "Vitality" Plaza Yurakucho Branch is located next to the Midori no Madoguchi (Midori no Madoguchi) a few seconds after exiting the Ginza Exit of JR Yurakucho Station and walking along LUMINE STREET on the right.
In response to the client's desire to create a "place to love Vitality" rather than a "place to complete insurance contract procedures", this store deviated from the general concept of insurance shops and changed the sales color. I wanted to keep the design as minimal as possible.

The entrance of the store is composed of simple woodgraining, and you can feel stylish and warm. By placing the consultation desk at the center of the store space, we aimed to create a space that is open and easy for customers to visit.

② Vitality-like! Attractive space that expresses the brand

@Nacasa & Partners Inc.

The design concept of the store is "GARDEN" x "LIVING". By coexisting two elements: a natural and active element that gives a sense of unity with the outside, and a cozy living room-like element that feels familiar, many people are invited to the store like a house with a large garden. I am designing a space.

In addition, the books on the bookshelf on the right side of the photo are selected with the cooperation of book coordinator Naoki Yamamoto, which will lead to health promotion, which is Vitality's basic philosophy, with the keywords "sports" and "behavior change". increase. By paying attention to the details that make up the store, we aimed to create a store where you can intuitively feel the brand.

Currently, at the entrance of the store, we welcome customers by displaying sports brands and smart watches affiliated with Vitality on fixtures that shine in the brand color red.

③ Insurance and people are connected. Design that creates opportunities

@harapeko inc.

Inside the store, you can freely come and go between the work space where the private booth type shared office is arranged and the adjacent "Midori no Madoguchi". By connecting the lines of flow of customers with different purposes to the open store space, we aimed to create a space in which the distance between the invisible product of "insurance" and the customer naturally approaches.

In addition, in the store, there are hands-on content that allows you to easily check your blood pressure and blood vessel age as an opportunity to make you aware of your own health condition.

Our designer immediately used the experience-based content to check the blood vessel age, and the score was 34 points out of 100. . . !

The person himself was quite depressed, but if his health condition was scored in an easy-to-understand manner, it would be easy to become independent, and it would be an opportunity to think about health management!

In the second half, we will focus on the management aspect of the store, which distinguishes itself from the conventional roadside store by not selling products. We would like to ask Mr. Yamaki, the manager of Sumitomo Life "Vitality" Plaza, who is active at the forefront of the Yurakucho store, about the real situation of the store and his vision for the future, and think about the possibilities of experience-based stores.

How is the store attracting customers in the corona misfortune?

Noda
Thank you for your time today.
It has already been three months since the store opened. How is the store attracting customers?

eight volumes
Thank you very much for joining us today.
Regarding attracting customers, there were various problems before and after the opening, such as the opening of the store being delayed due to the influence of the new coronavirus. However, I feel that the awareness of the store is gradually increasing from around summer.
For example, customers who pass by the store are curious about the devices on display and come to the store, our staff use it as a shared office, and it is used for appointments with customers. You can see it.

Noda
I see, this year our company, which advocates space creation and revitalization, has had a very difficult time due to the influence of the new coronavirus, but I am honestly happy to hear such a positive story about attracting real customers.

What are the synergistic effects of collaboration?

Noda
For this store, we worked together to create a seamless space and coordinate various content under the theme of "collaboration".

eight volumes
Since the purpose of use of customers who visit the store is diverse, I sometimes feel the effect of collaboration. Because the store is open, customers of all ages can stop by.
In addition, since the booth-type shared office service can be fully booked by reservation, we may communicate with workers who come to the store before the reservation time by recommending experience-based content. , and by collaborating with neighboring repair shops to send customers to each other, some customers have stopped by.
Also, although it has nothing to do with the collaboration, it was good that the fixtures in the store can be moved, so we were able to flexibly change the layout through trial and error according to the situation after opening.

@Nacasa & Partners Inc.

Noda
I see. It means that "collaboration" is valued not only in terms of space, but also in terms of management.
Regarding the interior of the store, I heard from the client that they wanted to position the store as an experimental place and make it a place where they could try out various things. Therefore, assuming an active event in the store where you can move your body, the entire space is configured with furniture that can be stored compactly and movable fixtures while keeping in mind the sense of color uniformity.

Person-to-person communication enhances brand awareness

Noda
Lastly, please tell us about the attractiveness of the store and your vision for the future from the store manager's point of view.

eight volumes
I feel that there are two main attractions of the store.
The first is that the distance between the customer and the brand has become closer. The store is open 24/7, so customers can feel free to visit us at any time. We believe that creating a real touchpoint where customers can freely access the brand will lead to improved engagement (increased awareness of health promotion). For example, many convenience stores are open 24/7. Also, since the store is not intended for insurance contracts, there are quite a few customers who return to the store.
The second is support for sales staff. Our employees who have used the store highly appreciate the ease of use, which can be used for a wide range of purposes, from business negotiations with customers to satellite work, and the rarity of a place where you can talk with customers in a calm atmosphere. In addition, we believe that peace of mind is one of the key words of the times, and we are taking all possible measures for social distancing and prevention.

My hope is that through our physical stores, people will learn more about Vitality, even if just a little, and I would like to work to deepen their recognition as a more familiar presence.

Noda
You're right. I think the strength of real stores is to create points of contact and connections for recognition.
While listening to today's talk, we also create something that has a form called a space, but we want to understand how the space is used from the user's point of view, and create a form of communication and connection between people, things and things I once again felt the importance of design without We would like to continue thinking together about creating and revitalizing real spaces so that communication through Sumitomo Life's "Vitality" will be lively. Thank you very much for your valuable time today.

 

Please drop in at Sumitomo Life “Vitality” Plaza!

Interview group photo
Sumitomo Life Insurance Company Mr. Yamamoto / store staff (1st from left), Mr. Yamaki / store manager (2nd from left),
Mr. Kitami / store staff (first from the right)
NOMURA Co., Ltd. Machida/Designer (2nd from right), Noda/Planner (3rd from right)

​Sumitomo Life "Vitality" Plaza Yurakucho Store, which emphasizes communication rather than sales, will continue to communicate with customers while conducting various experimental initiatives as a store that does not sell products.
There is a saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words", but you can only experience the message and deepen communication that can only be conveyed in a real space.
Accessibility from Yurakucho Station is also good, so please drop by the store when you come nearby! !

Last but not least, I would like to thank Mr. Yamaki, the store manager of Sumitomo Life Insurance "Vitality" Plaza Yurakucho, and all the other staff members for their cooperation in this interview!

*please note*
The information on the stores and linked websites listed in this article is current as of the time this page was created. Please note that it is subject to change.
Interview date: September 9, 2020