I recently had the opportunity to visit several pavilions at the 2025 Japan International Expo (Osaka-Kansai Expo).
One of the most impressive was the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion.
Of course, the symbolic Ooya Ring had an impact, but for the Japanese wood culture symbolized by the Ooya Ring,
In the Saudi Kingdom Pavilion, as shown in the photo, traditional white-walled buildings are scattered throughout the maze of corridors with towering walls on both sides.
The huge walls, made of lightweight Saudi Arabian stone, shelter it from the strong sunlight, and in the summer the temperature is two to three degrees cooler than outside the site. It was like an oasis, the trees swaying in the breeze, a very comfortable space.
We felt that this concept is connected to our efforts to "provide a space of tranquility and seclusion in a noisy city.
On the other hand, the theme of the exhibition was a future society coexisting with nature, and the history and culture of Saudi Arabia and the formation of its cities were displayed in an easy-to-understand manner.
The venue showed the production of artificial coral using 3D printers, and the digital exhibit appealed not only to the sense of sight and sound but also to the sense of touch, allowing visitors to enjoy Saudi Arabia, where tradition and the future are in harmony.
Saudi Arabia is also a very future-oriented country, with more than 70% of its citizens under the age of 35, and it is focusing on the gaming industry and sports. I would like to visit Saudi Arabia if I have a chance.
When I think of Middle Eastern countries, I have always had an image of the chaotic, flashy markets in Aladdin, but after seeing this exhibition, I think it was able to give visitors an image of a young, modernized country with different origins than those of the West.
Today, differentiation of products and services is becoming more difficult, and companies are shifting from "what they sell" to "why they sell it" as the reason for being chosen.
Considering that branding is "the process of building and managing the unique value and image of a company or product," I left the venue with the desire to use this experience as a reference for our rebranding that we are currently considering.
