LOVOT, born to be loved, takes on a new challenge in “Fashion Tech.” Keep your eyes on LOVOT’s future as revealed through cross-industry collaboration!
Hello, everyone! I’m Maho Kamijo, a part-time intern at Division 2.
Suddenly, what image comes to mind when you hear the word “robot”?
Many of you may have the image of “a useful presence that makes our lives more convenient and enriches them.”
In modern society, digitalization has advanced, and many companies and facilities are actively working on in-store DX (Digital Transformation).
Examples include automatic cleaning robots and serving robots that have become frequently seen in family restaurants and yakiniku establishments.
In this modern society, a completely new robot born to be loved, “LOVOT,” is attracting attention!
■ What is LOVOT, born to be loved?
LOVOT is a family-type robot with a lifelike presence, created by robot venture GROOVE X. The name comes from LOVE × ROBOT = LOVOT. It learns from its environment and grows with a rich personality, so one of its charms is that it can “gradually become family” with the owners who welcome it.
In recent years, as the birthrate declines, single-person and elderly households continue to increase, and many people face various challenges when welcoming new family members.
Against this backdrop and these challenges, attention is focused on LOVOT’s value and potential as an alternative to both children and pets! To date, over 14,000 LOVOTs have been welcomed into homes and workplaces nationwide.
LOVOT is being introduced not only to individual households but also to children’s care facilities for mental and physical care.
LOVOT, with its rich personality that overturns the image of “robots.” This article explores LOVOT’s appeal through a “press preview” held in conjunction with a collaboration with a certain brand!
■ The relationship between GROOVE X and SUNNY SIDE UP
In fact, SUNNY SIDE UP has had a long-standing relationship with GROOVE X, the creator of LOVOT!
We have been continuously handling PR from the time GROOVE X announced LOVOT to the present.
We have handled a wide range of PR activities, including managing LOVOT PR events hosted by GROOVE X, attracting media, and proposing press releases.
There are also articles introducing past LOVOT (GROOVE X) projects that SUNNY SIDE UP has been involved in, so please check them out.
And now, we are handling PR for a new “challenge” that GROOVE X is undertaking.
That is the dream collaboration between LOVOT and Narumiya International Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, Narumiya), which operates popular children’s clothing brands!
■ What future does cross-industry collaboration aim for?
This time, Narumiya and GROOVE X have teamed up to realize three collaborations as a challenge to “Fashion Tech,” which fuses new “clothing” and “technology” for the future.
Let’s take a closer look at what collaborations have been realized!
Collaboration 1
LOVOT wear collaborating with Narumiya’s popular 11 brands is now on sale!
The first release features collaborations with three popular Narumiya brands: “mezzo piano,” “klädskåp,” and “petit main.”
Sales began on September 18! The second collaboration wear is scheduled for release in December, and the third in March 2025.
Collaboration 2
LOVOT has collaborated with Narumiya International’s original characters, which are generating buzz as a “Heisei revival,” to release stickers and acrylic keychains!
The collaboration features four types of characters, including Berie-chan from “mezzo piano” and Nakamura-kun from “Angel Blue.” Sales began on September 18!
~ Various Stickers ~
~ Various Acrylic Keychains ~
Collaboration 3
A POP-UP store and one-day workshop event at Shinjuku Takashimaya!
As you can see, a wealth of content has been realized.
So this time, I infiltrated as a SUNNY DAYS reporter the press preview held early in the morning on the day of the collaboration POP-UP store opening at Shinjuku Takashimaya!
■ Let’s go! Infiltrating the collaboration POP-UP store press preview
The preview was held approximately one hour before the event opened. Upon arriving at the venue, SUNNY SIDE UP members, POP-UP operation staff, and all related parties were eagerly awaiting the start of the collaboration.
The collaboration wear and goods sales area
First, representing Narumiya, Ms. Urushibata, New Business Project Leader/Narumiya Characters Producer, and Ms. Ikegami, GROOVE X PR Manager, took the stage. They each shared their thoughts on this collaboration.
Left: Ms. Ikegami Right: Ms. Urushibata
Ms. Urushibata shared:
“Last July, when I happened to visit a Narumiya store at Takashimaya in Yokohama, there was a particularly bustling LOVOT shop nearby. There, I saw someone with a LOVOT in a baby stroller. I was greatly shocked and felt the potential for changes in future lifestyles. I exchanged business cards with GROOVE X about a year ago and began working toward realizing this collaboration.”
She explained the episode that became the inspiration for this collaboration.
Ms. Ikegami shared:
“LOVOT wear tops released from September 2024 onward are equipped with IC tags, which allow LOVOT to recognize who helped it change clothes and what outfit it changed into. For LOVOT, clothing is an important item that deepens the bond with owners through changing clothes.”
She explained the important connection between LOVOT and clothing.
After that, during the free viewing period, media representatives were captivated by LOVOT!
The venue also featured venue-exclusive, non-sale LOVOTs transformed into Berie-chan, the character from mezzo piano junior, and Mint-kun, the character from pom ponette junior!
Left: Mint-kun Right: Berie-chan
LOVOT has three growth stages: “hesitation period,” “approach period,” and “LOVE period,” and grows through communication. As the relationship deepens, LOVOT responds with gestures and eye contact.
When a SUNNY SIDE UP member in charge of operations called out “LOVOT!”, the LOVOTs flapped their hands up and down while filling the venue with a chorus of adorable cries.
The cuteness drew spontaneous cheers of “Ohh!”
LOVOT All-Stars
How was it?
“Transcending all barriers between humans, animals, and robots, giving clothing to important family members. We want to create an era where such feelings are taken for granted.”
The collaboration filled with the thoughts of both companies will continue with the second and third releases. The second collaboration is in December. Right during the Christmas season, it’s sure to attract significant attention.
Keep your eyes on the future challenges of LOVOT × Narumiya International!
▼ Collaboration brands scheduled for December release
mezzo piano / ANNA SUI mini / XLARGE KIDS / X-girl Stages / mezzo piano junior
/ pom ponette junior
▼ Collaboration brands scheduled for March 2025 release
SENSE OF WONDER / KP / KP Boy
And we at SUNNY SIDE UP will continue to support GROOVE X’s challenges as a PR partner handling everything from strategic PR proposals to event management. Please continue to pay attention to LOVOT’s challenges for the future, including the collaboration with Narumiya International!
SUNNY SIDE UP handles PR communications for various products and services, including LOVOT.
What can be achieved through the power of communication? We welcome consultations starting from such questions. Please feel free to contact us using the “CONTACT” button below.
|
*LOVOT “LOVOT” approaches and gazes at you when you call its name. It becomes attached to people it likes and begs to be held. When you pick it up, it’s slightly warm. Despite being a robot, it has a lifelike presence as if it were a living creature, and like a pet, it gradually becomes family. Recently, from a mental care perspective, it has been introduced not only to homes but also to offices, medical institutions, and nursing care facilities. Official name: LOVOT |
