brand system & flexibility

When we went to Tokyo Station in search of Ramen Town (the Japanese love their ramen!), we also visited the Maruzen bookstore located inside the Marunouchi Oazo building.

I was struck by how, from the point of entry to the main interior area, the environmental signage and banners were integrated into the building space and didn't feel like an afterthought. It had a bold presence, but elegantly flowed with the clean architectural design of the building.

I also liked how the vertical banners were designed with different interpretations of blue, black and white color blocks. The signage in the last photo at the bottom shows how typography translates into Japanese and stays within the brand.

This is a great example of how when executed well, flexibility and integration of a defined visual brand system should look and feel smart.