Reemsborko’s Max and Lucy Arguile on crafting a Naruto pop-up dining experience

Guys, it’s great to chat. To kick us off, what makes the Naruto IP an exciting one for licensees to work with? Why is it special?
Naruto is universally recognised as one of the ‘Big 3’ animé worldwide, alongside Dragon Ball and One Piece. Its long-standing presence gives it multi-generational appeal. However, while there’s a vast array of merchandise available across Southern Europe, the UK market remains largely untapped, especially outside of specialist retail. This presents a significant opportunity for licensees in this territory.

You recently worked with Japan Centre on a Naruto pop up experience. How did this come about?
Reemsborko had previously collaborated with Japan Centre on a different property, Hatsune Miku, and planned to create a pop-up experience in three of its restaurants in April 2020. Ultimately though, no-one was dining out in the Spring of 2020, so the licensee sold Miku meal-kits through the post instead. That success eventually led Japan Centre to ask about Naruto. Given that the main character is often seen eating noodles in the story, it’s a perfect match!

This thoughtfully designed experience allows customers to feel as if they are in the world of Naruto. This was even noted by a famous Japanese comedian, who wrote on their London blog that the experience was so immersive it transported him back to Japan.

Fantastic. So how do the dishes/drinks connect with the Naruto IP?
Every item on the Naruto Shippuden set menu is inspired by the animé, ensuring that there are no ordinary dishes. The drinks are colour-coordinated to match different main characters – such as the blue raspberry Uchiha Sasuke drink, which comes with a matching Sasuke coaster for customers to keep and collect.

All the ramen dishes are topped with Naruto-printed nori and served in limited-edition bowls. Additionally, there are themed desserts that further enhance the experience, and each customer receives a surprise character pin, with four different designs available to collect.

Do you feel there’s more opportunity in the experiential space for animé IP?
Absolutely! We’re just scratching the surface of experiential licensing, and we have a wide range of IP that would be perfect for this. Please feel free to get in touch by visiting www.reemsborko.com.

Away from this experience, what else has been keeping Reemsborko busy? What should we keep an eye out for?
The new Dario Argento range from Hugo Boss, inspired by his film Cat ‘O’ Nine Tails, is now hitting stores worldwide. Additionally, Titan’s second Junji Itô Collection colouring book is set to launch next year, following the success of the first, which sold over 50,000 units.

Lastly, following 18 dates in America this summer, the Hatsune Miku European tour kicks off at Wembley in October. It continues with six dates across Europe before heading to Australia and New Zealand. Reemsborko is actively working with the licensor to connect help our licensees supply local retailers at each tour stop, ensuring fans have access to as much merchandise as possible. More details at www.mikuexpo.com.

Last question! What fuels your creativity? What helps you have ideas for brand extensions?
We keep a close eye on industry trends and developments through trade press, looking for opportunities to adapt successful ideas to our own markets. Regular exploration of trade shows, retail visits, and social media helps us stay connected to emerging trends, which is crucial for finding inspiration.

When it comes to brand extensions, particularly in pop culture, we focus on understanding the core essence of a brand and how it resonates with its audience. This allows us to create meaningful and effective extensions that remain true to the brand’s identity.

Thanks again guys.