Chillout Ice Lounge, a Sharaf Group venture through Sharaf HQ Investment, and the Middle East’s first and only ice lounge, recently partnered with Japanese firm Crypton Future Media, Inc. to introduce ‘Snow Miku’ to UAE. Chillout Ice Lounge will be the first establishment in the Middle East to incorporate both Snow Miku into their service offerings.
Chillout Ice Lounge, launched in 2007, combines the novelty of sub-zero temperatures in the Middle East with unique interior designs. The Ice Lounge has incorporated world-class technological innovations in refrigeration, lighting and architecture—which combines ice, glass and steel. Having built a popular-base amongst residents in the UAE, and tourists from the GCC, Middle East and the world over, Chillout Ice Lounge is now taking a technological approach to its entertainment offerings. In the wintery spotlight at the lounge is Snow Miku, a character associated with and celebrated for enlivening winters in Hokkaido, Japan.
Snow Miku first created at the Sapporo Snow Festival 2010, Hokkaido, is based on the first snow sculpture of the popular Hokkaido-born virtual singer Hatsune Miku. Hatsune Miku, which means ‘’the first sound from the future’’ is a humanoid persona voiced by Piapro Studio—a singing synthesizer VSTi Plugin, developed by Crypton Future Media, Inc and Yamaha Corporation’s Vocaloid2 and Vocaloid3 singing synthesizer technologies. Hatsune Miku has performed onstage at concerts as an animated projection.
“Hatsune Miku and her counterpart Snow Miku, we believe, will be liked by people in the UAE and tourists from the GCC, Middle East, Asia, and elsewhere. Additionally, Hatsune Miku’s songs will be played along with images of snow and winter from Hokkaido, which will provide more entertainment and activity for our customers. Furthermore, the new ice design and Snow Miku dolls will greatly enhance the ambience and décor, and all of these features combined will contribute to an improved customer experience at Chillout Ice Lounge,” commented Mr. Farhan Al Bastaki, CEO Sharaf HQ Investments and Owner of Chillout Ice Lounge.
Crypton Future Media is aware of Dubai’s prominence as a tourist destination. Dubai having attracted over 14 million tourists in 2015 and ranking as the 4th most visited city in the world, Crypton Future Media who own the intellectual property rights for both Hatsune Miku and Snow Miku, expect the introduction of their characters to increase awareness of their technological know-how and lead to new business opportunities.
Speaking on the strategic value of introducing Hatsune Miku and Snow Miku to Dubai, both, Ms. Mayu Suzuki and Mr. Kimitaka Nishio, representatives of Crypton Future Media, agreed that, “Through this project, we hope to firstly introduce Hokkaido to the UAE and the tourists that visit Dubai. Secondly, we also expect to indirectly create an interest and boost more business opportunities for companies in Japan and Dubai.”
Chillout Ice Lounge’s plans for Snow Miku will be the availability of attractive and unique branded merchandise (dolls, handbags, ladies purse, key rings, ceramic mugs amongst others) at the lounge. Planned for August 2016, Mr. Al Bastaki noted that Chillout Ice Lounge “Will be the first store in the GCC to sell Snow Miku branded merchandise.” Further, a part of Chillout Ice Lounge long-term plans is the opening of new outlets in the UAE and GCC to reach more customers, and promote the lounge’s unique design and service offerings.