MABLs' Annual Brand Partner System "Shibuya Marugoto Connect" Connects Visitors and Brands with the Entire City as Touchpoints, Implementing Annual Initiatives with Kao's High-Premium Haircare Brands

Tokyu Land Corporation (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Tatsuaki Tanaka, hereinafter "Tokyu Land") announces the launch of "Shibuya Marugoto Connect," an annual brand partner system that provides new experiences connecting brands and visitors throughout the city, centered around the project "MABLs" and its community app "SHIBUYA MABLs," which fosters the value of Shibuya through "connections with people" in the greater Shibuya area*. As the first initiative, annual projects will be implemented with Kao Corporation's (hereinafter "Kao") high-premium haircare brands, "melt," "THE ANSWER," and "MEMEME."

The community app specialized for the region, "SHIBUYA MABLs," has surpassed 130,000 cumulative downloads since its service launch in 2024. Over 7,000 people have participated in more than 120 real-world events annually, such as the "Shibuya Joint Entrance Ceremony," fostering connections between people and between people and the city.

"Shibuya Marugoto Connect" will create a space for continuous brand experiences throughout the year by leveraging the cultivated community network, diverse assets within the greater Shibuya area such as Shibuya Sakura Stage, and through digital signage, event sampling, and collaborations with restaurants. By comprehensively utilizing various touchpoints, it will create natural encounters with brands.

*Greater Shibuya Area: An area within a radius of approximately 2.5 km from Shibuya Station, as defined in the Shibuya Town Development Strategy by the Tokyu Group. Some services within "SHIBUYA MABLs" are implemented in specific areas within the greater Shibuya area.

◾️"Shibuya Marugoto Connect" Overview

In the greater Shibuya area, which is a hub for cultural dissemination with a fusion of "work, living, and play" and significant influence, Tokyu Land is advancing the "urban media-ization" through experiential PR and content creation utilizing its diverse assets, primarily commercial facilities. "Shibuya Marugoto Connect" will connect visitors with companies and brands on both real and digital fronts throughout the year with brand partners, offering new experiences to consumers.

【1】Brand Experiences Encountered Throughout the City

"Shibuya Marugoto Connect" combines the community network cultivated by MABLs with the various facilities developed by Tokyu Land in the greater Shibuya area, utilizing touchpoints scattered throughout the city. Through sampling and in-store POPs at dozens of restaurants, city vision/signage, the "MABLs" app and community, social media and word-of-mouth, and these scattered touchpoints, visitors can encounter brands in various everyday scenes. It fosters empathy towards brands through experiences in the city and "connections with people."

【2】Implementing Memorable PR by Encountering Brands at New Milestones

"MABLs" hosts not only everyday events such as exchanges through shared hobbies but also milestone events celebrating new beginnings, such as the "Shibuya Joint Entrance Ceremony." Encounters with brands at such venues are expected not only to create opportunities for brand contact but also to be remembered alongside important moments, aiming to foster stronger brand recognition, empathy, and attachment.

【3】Continuously Creating Brand Touchpoints Annually

"MABLs" operates throughout the year with large-scale events including the "Shibuya Joint Entrance Ceremony" where new employees belonging to Shibuya companies gather, and "Shibuya Festival (tentative name)" where Shibuya facilities and buildings collaborate to create new encounters, as well as city-based promotions and community activities. By encountering brands in various contexts, these experiences are digitized in the "MABLs" app, and through continuous touchpoint design via the community, it supports deepening understanding and empathy towards brands that leads to fan development, and fosters long-term brand recall and loyalty.

◾️"pick pick city" Developed with Kao's High-Premium Haircare Brands

As the first brand partner for "Shibuya Marugoto Connect," an annual project with Kao's haircare brands will be launched. The target brands for this summer's project are the three brands: "melt," "THE ANSWER," and "MEMEME."

As part of the "Shibuya Marugoto Connect" initiative, diverse touchpoints will be developed throughout the year, including the "Shibuya Joint Entrance Ceremony" and community activities. As a central initiative of "Shibuya Marugoto Connect," "pick pick city," which will PR and take over Shibuya from multiple angles, will be held from July 2 (Thu) to July 21 (Tue).

By selecting "emotion you seek now" in a psychological test within the app "SHIBUYA MABLs," Kao haircare products and partner restaurants that match that emotion will appear on the MAP. Sampling will be conducted at dozens of restaurants in the Shibuya area, and by touring Shibuya with a stamp rally across multiple facilities, opportunities will be created to encounter and experience Kao haircare brands anew at various locations.

<Event Overview> ・Name: pick pick city ・Period: July 2, 2026 (Thu) - July 21, 2026 (Tue) ・Target Brands: melt / THE ANSWER / MEMEME ・Target Restaurants: 16 stores in the Shibuya area (For store details, please visit the official "pick pick city" website.) ・"pick pick city" Site LP: https://mabls.jp/pickpickcity

Comment from Mr. Tomohiro Yamaoka, Brand Manager, Hair Care Business Unit, Kao Corporation

In today's era, it's truly difficult to convey our message to consumers by simply running advertisements. In such a situation, I deeply resonate with MABLs' philosophy of "creating connections with people and generating encounters with brands at moments that move the heart." Precisely because we can do anything digitally now, real-world experiences in the city and the excitement they generate must hold new value. I am truly delighted to be able to create experiences that move people's hearts together on this Shibuya stage.

◾️Future Prospects of "Shibuya Marugoto Connect"

Starting with the initiative with Kao, we plan to expand into a wide range of categories including beverages, food, fashion, and entertainment. "Shibuya Marugoto Connect" will continuously create opportunities and spaces for people to interact with companies and brands through its annual partner system. By supporting PR activities through cultural activities and communities, we will expand the provision of new experiences in collaboration with companies, brands, facilities, and stores.

◾️About "SHIBUYA MABLs"

Since its service launch in 2024, "SHIBUYA MABLs" has surpassed 130,000 cumulative downloads. Over 7,000 people have participated in more than 120 real-world events annually, such as the "Shibuya Joint Entrance Ceremony," fostering connections between people and between people and the city.

Its greatest feature is that experiences expand starting from the "check-in" function. Points are accumulated when checking in to the Shibuya area. Points can be used at restaurants and experience facilities in the Shibuya area. Furthermore, the check-in function makes it easier for "people currently in Shibuya" to communicate with each other, creating opportunities for interaction based on shared interests and hobbies, and can also be used for exchanging information about work and hobbies. Through a wide range of events targeting users, it offers connections and benefits on both digital and real fronts, such as meeting in person. Furthermore, with the aim of revitalizing regions nationwide, we are also working to promote dual-residence living starting from Shibuya. By supporting dual-residence living, we aim to revitalize local cities and create related populations. MABLs HP: https://mabls.jp/

◾️Tokyu Land's Initiative in the Greater Shibuya Area "LIFE LAND SHIBUYA"

The Tokyu Group focuses on the area within a radius of approximately 2.5 km centered on Shibuya Station as the greater Shibuya area. "LIFE LAND SHIBUYA" is the town development concept for the greater Shibuya area by the Tokyu Land Holdings Group. In an area where unique towns such as Shibuya, Harajuku, Omotesando, Yoyogi, Daikanyama, and Ebisu are adjacent, we promote town development centered on "people" and deliver the excitement of continuous "newness."

LIFE LAND SHIBUYA HP: https://life-land-shibuya.com Greater Shibuya Area Town Development HP: https://www.tokyu-land.co.jp/urban/area/shibuya.html