Shochiku and Experisus take on the challenge of creating experiential content for affluent consumers.

Experisus, which was selected from among 84 startups that entered the competition, plans and operates cultural experience packages for wealthy people. What kind of startup company is Experisus? And what kind of plans can the Shochiku Group create for the wealthy?

To continue to create new content and experience value that surprises the world. Shochiku's challenge.

January 6, 2020

Experisus' mission is "to create the best experience of a lifetime anyway."

For example, Experisus offers a number of one-night-only high-value-added experiences through cultural cross-pollination, such as renting out a well-known Kyoto temple to watch Noh plays or Kyogen performances and enjoy Kyoto cuisine prepared by a Michelin chef.

Our mission is to create the best experience of a lifetime anyway we can."

Tomoyoshi Maruyama, Representative Director of Experisus, says that the reason for focusing on plans for high-net-worth individuals is that he believes that betting (focusing) on areas where the population is basically expanding is a good investment.

Maruyama:Luxury consumption worldwide has completely shifted from goods to services, and it is estimated that by 2023, twice as much will be spent on services (travel, hotels, food, and alcohol) as on goods. In addition, the number of inbound travelers is expected to increase dramatically.

The challenge in such a luxury market is very simple. The challenge in such a luxury market is very simple. And there are almost no websites, such as web-side sites, that offer plans for the high-net-worth class.

That is why we develop content for wealthy people on our own or jointly, and distribute it to companies and organizations with many wealthy people around the world through our web applications.

What is the collaboration proposal by Experisus?

Maruyama:Our proposal is a collaboration in the area of the night economy. The night economy is a market with high potential, with a potential market size of 5 trillion yen. On the other hand, Japan is said to be a backward country in the night economy.

I believe the reason is the overwhelming lack of show business. Japan's night economy is mainly based on verbal communication. Cabarets, clubs, etc., which add value through communication, make up a large portion of the market, and there is a real lack of visual information content.

When I spoke with the Shochiku people, I thought that the "theatrical night tour" that Shochiku implemented in January 2019 as inbound tourism entertainment was a truly wonderful project. We decided to use this as a base and combine it with our expertise in wealthy people to create a sustainable and highly profitable business.

Case Study and Results of Demonstration Experiment by Shochiku and Experisus

This demonstration experiment produced two wealthy plans.

The first is "Golden Gai x Haunted Bar Hopping.
Golden Gai is considered by foreigners to be a sacred place in the night economy. On the other hand, there is a culture in the shopping district that seems to draw against anything that comes in from the outside. Experisus has used the strength of its network to overcome these hurdles and has organized many deep tours for the affluent crowd.

The "Haunted Bar Hopping" is an example of open innovation planned through collaboration between the networking capabilities of Experisus and Shochiku's asset, the "haunted" production. The content of the project is very simple. Several members-only bars are rented out and "ghosts" performed by actors coordinated by Shochiku appear at the bars. The plan is to have drinks while experiencing the theater up close.

For example, a store has a fallen warrior in it, and when you are drinking alcohol, the fallen warrior appears from the restroom saying, "Give me some water...! and an interactive exchange occurs. Or there was a store that began with a scene in which Nobunaga Oda appeared with a dance.

We want people to not only drink alcohol, but also enjoy the nightlife and learn about Japanese culture while watching a theatrical performance right in front of them. We have created new contents to experience the night economy. The production included ninja, Nobunaga Oda, oiran (courtesan), a fox disguised as Sen no Rikyu's grandson, a female ghost, a fallen warrior, and other elements that would appeal to foreign audiences, allowing people to experience Japanese culture while having fun.

The overall result was that the film was very interesting, partly because it was well written from the script. Some said that the show was highly entertaining, and that they were able to enjoy the Golden Gai, which gives the impression of being a high-street shopping area, without any worries.

As for the future, I would like to customize the model for the upcoming Olympics for the wealthy overseas, while creating a higher value-added and sustainable model to be rolled out horizontally throughout Japan."

The other is an example of collaboration with Shochiku Multiplex Theaters (SMT). (SMT), which rents out platinum seats in Shochiku's Shinjuku Piccadilly and opens a famous bar selected by Experisus from its own network for a single day.

The goal is to maximize the value of the experience by analyzing the process of enjoying a film before, during, and after its performance.

Before the screening, guests can enjoy a welcome drink in the lounge area, and during the screening, bartenders will deliver drinks to their seats. We have planned this event to raise the value of the movie experience from a new aspect through the concept of "enjoying the best drinks while watching the best movie.

Immediately after the event, there was a response of "we want to rent it out again. After this demonstration experiment, the company is considering the possibility of marketing the service as a "pay-as-you-go" model for both individual and corporate customers.

Commercialization with good partners increases the probability of success.

-As for open innovation with startups, were there any difficulties you faced in the demonstration experiment with Experisus?

Yasuhisa Into, Shochiku representative (hereinafter referred to as "Into"):It was difficult to obtain reservations from overseas high net worth individuals through private plans for high net worth individuals, which is one of Experisus' strengths, considering the short deadline for the demonstration experiment (high net worth individuals overseas make reservations six months to one year in advance). We therefore changed our policy and sought out high-net-worth Japanese clients who were "available to make reservations about a month in advance. Another challenge was the need to create a new plan for the Accelerator Program for the Japanese HNWIs.

-How did you overcome the time constraint of a short demonstration period?

Inato:We were able to gather bookings in a short period of time before the execution of the plan, thanks to the relationships and connections we have with Experisus. We are confident that their network will be an effective force in our future collaboration. Both companies worked together to develop a new plan for the affluent segment, and we consulted with each other many times to plan and refine the plan. Even after the event was implemented, we were able to obtain helpful feedback from the affluent class for full-scale commercialization, which we will be able to utilize in the future.

-What did you gain or realize through the Accelerator Program?

Shochiku representative: Masayuki Miyamoto:By creating contents based on the target market and its needs, as well as by preparing sales channels, we were able to gain experience in "launching a new business and turning it profitable," even if only for a short period of time. We have also become able to think about hedging risks from various perspectives. I also realized that when I need to make adjustments within a company or group, I can think from the other party's point of view.

Above all, we realized that commercialization with a good partner company increases the probability of success.