Designing the new standard, one step ahead.

This series, themed around Dentsu Live Inc.'s "MOMENT OF TRUTH," features an in-depth conversation between Dentsu Live Inc. Executive Officer Taro Ishizaka and two exceptional creators he regularly collaborates with for work and play: Yoshinobu Amano of George Creative and Makoto Tanijiri of Suppose Design Office. The setting was Suppose's new Tokyo office, currently under construction by Tanijiri.

Interview & Editing: Aki Kanahara, Dentsu Live Inc., Creative Unit 2 Creative Room

Designing everything: concept, store, content, PR

Ishizaka: One project I worked on with Mr. Amano was a Subaru dealership. Subaru cars have this clean, no-frills design—like athletes, you could say. We fused two completely different worlds within the store.

Amano: It's all about specs, which guys love, right?

Ishizaka: One approach was creating a space that embodies the Subaru image itself – lean, stripped down to the essential design elements. Just like at a motor show, the car is the star, so the fixtures are the stage. The perspective was: how do we create an environment that best showcases the star?

Alongside this car-centric space, we added the styled space Amano excels at. Many other brands often develop spaces themed around a "living room." But Subaru is different. It's more active. It's a place where you and your friends gather when you're thinking, "Hey, let's go somewhere this weekend," a place where you and your friends can be proactive. By firmly declaring it a dining room, not a living room, the very essence of this space was established.

 

Tanijiri: I have that tendency too—I end up playing multiple roles, right? I think Yoshiaki-san plays even more roles than I do (laughs).

Amano: We both channel the customers, right? (laughs). For projects where women are the main customers, I adopt a woman's perspective. If the target is young people, I become young.

Tanijiri: We establish the concept ourselves, decide the title, write the catchphrase, figure out how to communicate it effectively for PR, and then handle everything right up to bringing it to life. Furthermore, Yoshi-san takes it even further—figuring out how to display it, how to attract customers, and how to sell it.

Ishizaka: You both really value words, right? The concept. For a communications company doing spatial development, concept creation is everything. When the core concept definition for a project is solid, whether it's a small pop-up store or a large-scale project like an expo, the axis never wavers. Because you both operate that way, your conversations click, and your creative output can dig deep.

Tanijiri: I'm not great with my hands (laughs). I believe you can create space with words alone, even without anything physical.

Amano: Creating design and space with words first—that's a method clients really understand. It makes rational sense: "Ah, yes, exactly."

Tanijiri: Drawing a picture of the space can create likes and dislikes, whereas words spark the imagination more. Presenting a drawing right away feels like giving away the answer. Before that, I want to explore together with the client, "Could this be the answer?" Then, even if our individual answers differ, if we reach consensus before creating, the team's final product won't waver.

Editing the new standard, one step ahead of the ordinary

Amano: I think Tanijiri-kun isn't just designing spaces; he's designing how things are sold, how people spend their time, and the very essence of a company. Because that's what gets decided, it all clicks perfectly. It's not just about the design being good. What's amazing is that he designs the fundamental philosophy through words.

First, there's a story defined by words. Then the surrounding staff understand it, the service is decided, the products and space are decided, and then the scent of the space is determined.

Space has a scent—it engages all five senses. If this were a cafeteria, you'd actually smell food. Beyond real scents, we create the atmosphere's scent through the space, service, and concept. Mainstream digital communication today relies mostly on sight and sound, so there's a missing sensory element.

Ishizaka: There's something in your designs that creates a sudden, visceral experience. What we might call a "moment of truth." How do you intentionally plan for that?

Tanijiri: I always say, "Design a good sense of incongruity." Because in any moment that surprises people, there's always a sense of incongruity present. We're not creating something entirely unknown; we're creating something new that everyone already knows. That's what creates the incongruity.

If we hand over a cell phone saying, "Here you go, Yoshi," and it feels as heavy as a rock, Yoshi would be startled, right? Because the weight of a cell phone at the moment of receiving it is something he knows. We understand the world's preconceived notions and then deliberately plan how to swing it either way.

Amano: In terms of the "moment of truth," I think that moment is fundamentally instinctive. Since we were in retail, for example, if you think this cup is 500 yen, then see the price is 1000 yen, you'll think "I don't want it." If it's 450 yen, you'll think "I'll buy it." If you think you need to get them to pick it up first, the product itself needs appeal, or someone's SNS might spark interest. On the sales floor, the decision to buy or not happens in a fraction of a second. The choice to go there or not, to enter or not, is also instantaneous.

If something is too outlandish or too far ahead of its time, customers will instinctively reject it. That's why we always aim to be just half a step ahead. We're aiming for a "new standard" – something ordinary that's not ordinary.

In business, you won't recoup your investment unless you last 5 to 7 years. With the depreciation costs at opening, you have to plan for the store to last about 5 years before you start seeing profits. You have to think that far ahead. On the other hand, it's also true that when miniskirts become popular, every girl wants to wear one. While keeping an eye on trends, I want to propose real shops that can last as long as possible.

Product placement matters too—putting something here might not work, but placing it next to something else can make it feel appealing. How you position items and where you place them completely changes how well they sell. That's where curation skills come into play.

Tanijiri: It's about curating relationships, right?

Amano: The "CIBONE" we ran before wasn't called a select shop; we called it an editorial store. Continuously refining the curation with sensitivity is crucial.

Ishizaka: Even just changing the order of the experience—typically "beginning, development, twist, conclusion"—to "beginning, conclusion, twist, development" might alter the story's value.

This era demands authenticity—if we don't enjoy creating it ourselves, the lie will be exposed.

Amano: Right now, in a project I'm working on with Tanijiri-kun, he's designing a hotel opening in Shibuya next year, and I'm handling the hotel amenities and souvenirs. But we end up talking about things like, "No way, I wouldn't stay at that price," or even the hotel's service offerings. We're having these borderless conversations that go way beyond our roles.

Tanijiri: During meetings, we totally become super demanding, borderline complainer clients ourselves (laughs).

Amano: Yeah, that's right (laughs).

Tanijiri: We're discerning customers. By playing the role of the demanding customer, we examine what would satisfy them and then propose and design accordingly.

Ishizaka: Finally, I'd like to ask about your latest developments. Amano-san, you've formed a capital and business alliance with Orange & Partners, run by broadcast writer Kundo Koyama.

Amano: Yes. We'd worked together before, and we saw mutual synergy, so we decided, "Let's do this together." Kundo-san's ideas and projects are incredibly fun, and we're churning out exciting outputs together.

Tanijiri: I went ahead and started a new company! It's called "Absolute View Real Estate."

Amano: An architect starting a real estate company? That's so typical of you, Tanijiri-kun, and it's hilarious (laughs).

Tanijiri: It's a real estate company that only handles properties with spectacular views (laughs).

Ishizaka: So if you ask them, does that mean Tanijiri-san's design is included?

Tanijiri: Either way! We designers back up those "useless trash" plots of land, saying, "No, you can build on it!" (laughs). Regardless of whether we ultimately build there, it's a real estate company that takes responsibility for determining whether a building can be constructed on that site. That's why I think our strength lies in being able to say, "If you want, we'll even build the infrastructure for you."

Amano: Architects usually turn down sloped cliff sites like that.

Tanijiri: But with cliffs, you can actually get cheap, good land, right? (laughs)

Amano: And with amazing views!

Ishizaka: Symbolic, isn't it? How fascinating!

Tanijiri: It's simply about wanting to build a structure in a wonderful location. It's a very simple desire—if the site is good, the building will be good. Like Fallingwater, you want to build near a waterfall, right? I actually got really excited when an American client asked me to find land for a vacation home in Japan. I searched for a waterfall site that could become a modern Fallingwater. I found one and took the client there when they visited Japan, but they said, "too noisy" (laughs). That's the charm! (laughs)

Amano: Just hearing this makes me excited. I want to enjoy my work, and if we're not having fun, we can't create something great.

Tanijiri: It's about being seriously playful, I guess.

Amano: Or "truth"—being true to your own feelings is important. I really feel society is becoming more about that instant, raw honesty.

Our skills can be applied to revitalizing regions and all kinds of places and projects.

Ishizaka: As Dentsu Live Inc., we're committed to tackling regional revitalization projects nationwide. As one starting point, we visited ONOMICHI U2 in Onomichi, which Tanijiri-san worked on, together with Amano-san.

Onomichi, a local town a bit removed from Hiroshima, initially seemed to lack any standout competitive resources. But the facility Mr. Tanijiri created, ONOMICHI U2, became the catalyst that elevated its previously dormant value as a cycling mecca.

Amano: The ONOMICHI U2 team has incredible local pride. Without that level of passion, the building alone wouldn't suffice. It's the operational team that truly makes ONOMICHI U2 work.

Ishizaka: Dentsu Inc.'s regional revitalization work is possible precisely because our Media Services / Newspaper Division handles local papers, which have an overwhelmingly strong network. We want to collaborate with these local papers and their networks to renovate places like ONOMICHI U2, which become starting points for regional revitalization.

Working with people like Mr. Amano and Mr. Tanijiri, who inspire our projects with perspectives different from ours, is truly educational and enjoyable. At our new company, Dentsu Live Inc., we want to connect even more and create authentic moments together, so please look forward to it!

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