www.hellodesign.com/aiwa
As Sony’s youth-oriented brand, AIWA needed some quality face time with its target audience, so the company put a rebranding effort in motion that included everything from a new logo to the topsy-turvy Aiwaworld website. This offbeat creation hinges on the theme “hybrid music.” Users get to pick a colorful tour guide, known as an Aiwamal, to help them navigate the nonlinear site. There’s no hard-selling here—just an imaginative world that lets young people mix and match different types of music. It’s all about the experience rather than the products themselves.

The site was born through the efforts of several agencies along with contributions from a handful of cutting-edge artists. Hello Design primarily worked on the AiwaTV section, which features original, interactive programming. You might find yourself navigating the rooms of an animated house as you interact with the residents and objects to make your own musical experience. “This is a really interesting project because it was a true collaboration,” says David Lai, Hello’s CEO and creative director. “People brought different skills and ideas to the table. It’s something we really enjoyed.”
Michelle Taute

Wieden+Kennedy (London and Tokyo), The Groop, Oceanmonsters, Hello Design
CREATIVE DIRECTORS: Tony Davidson, Kim Papworth, John C. Jay, Sumiko Sato
ART DIRECTOR: +cruz
DIRECTORS: Jose Caballer, Jack Peng, David Lai
DESIGN DIRECTORS: Yiing Fan, Hiro Niwa
CONTENT CREATORS: Mumbleboy, Tokyoplastic
COPYWRITER: Sean Thompson
PRODUCERS: Kenji Tanaka, Charlie Tinson
CLIENT: Aiwa, Inc.
CONTACT: www.hellodesign.com