A new store in Tokyo encourages sellers and buyers of secondhand objects to share 'personal culture' along with the goods that are changing hands. Pass the Baton, which opened in the Marunouchi district last month, lists previous owners as 'exhibitors', complete with their photo and a short bio. Their personal page on Pass the Baton's website shows the items they're selling, have sold and will sell in the future. Kazuko Okuma, for example, is selling a number of items from her travels abroad, including a golf trophy that she won in South America, and sold a bag bought for a dance in Monaco.

The store's web manager, Kelly Kikuchi, explains the reasoning behind Pass the Baton: "My generation facilitated both the evolution of simple resale into 'vintage', and the rise and plateau of internet auctions. Back then, it was about economy, discovery, curiosity. Now, it is about expanding, exploring the meaning and relevance of second-hand."

Pass the Baton is an attractive concept on various levels: the strong story element not only adds value for potential buyers, but might also make it easier for sellers to part with their possessions, knowing that an object's story is carried along with it. And while the items they're selling probably aren't those they value most, displaying a person's collection of things underscores the role of consumers as curators and gives buyers a peek into their life, as well as the opportunity to see whether their tastes align. It's a retail concept that should appeal to authenticity-seeking consumers everywhere—time to bring it to other parts of the world?

Website: www.pass-the-baton.com

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann

Two years ago, we wrote about Tokyo's Sample Lab, which connected brands with consumers by letting them test and take away new products. The concept was quickly picked up in other parts of the world. Now, the original Sample Lab has reopened as one-of-a-kind marketing cafe targeting Japanese women in their 20s and 30s with free samples in exchange for their visits and views, in a relaxed and informal setting.

Located in Shibuya, LCAFE is well-placed to attract trendsetting shoppers. To take part, women register by mobile phone, supplying basic details about themselves such as their age, marital status and where they live. With every order of food or drinks, they receive an L Coin, which can be redeemed for free samples at the cafe's sample bar. In a true Tokyo touch, a bar-code on members' mobile phones allows Sample Lab to track who got which sample. After the visit, members are asked to share their views via an electronic survey, in exchange for more tokens.

Samples on offer range from food and drinks to skincare products. Besides letting brands test the waters by getting consumers to try new products, LCAFE also functions as a platform for experience-based marketing. Last month, as part of a promotion for Toshiba's new Biblio e-reader handset, the cafe printed promotional images on tables, napkins and staff uniforms. A Biblio was placed on every table, alongside a menu created specially for Toshiba.

The enterprise is proving popular. Since it opened its doors two months ago, LCAFE has already registered 2,000 customers (or, as our sister-site would say, trysumers). Operating a hybrid between a regular cafe and a sampling venue makes sense from a business point of view, since it creates two streams of income. The indirect approach is also likely to attract women who wouldn't want to be seen waiting in line for freebies. LCAFE has plans to expand into other Japanese cities and to eventually operate worldwide as a market research firm focused on young women. One to launch locally, or to reproduce for men? (Related: Tryvertising lab expands globally — Vending machine dispenses free samples — Sampling salons for cosmetics.)

Website: www.lcafe.jp
Contact: contactlcafe@lcafe.jp

Spotted by: WSJ via Raymond Kollau

Tokyo candlemakers Filt don't have to travel far to source their raw materials: they're located directly above Chubby, a cafe that's happy to hand over its used cooking oil to Filt, which carefully filters the oil to remove odors and sediment. After adding pigments and a vanilla scent, the filtered oil is poured into glass jars that the company collects from local recycling bins. The candles come in various sizes and—despite their humble origins—sell for artisanal prices of JPY 2,000–3,600 (USD 20–36) at local boutiques and at Chubby, which also uses the candles on its own tables.

Bringing their recycling efforts full circle, Filt asks customers to keep their empty jars for storage, or to return them so that they can be made into new candles (no word on whether that entitles customers to a discount on their next purchase). As can be expected from savvy brand-builders, Filt offers a premium range of candles, too. Besides the basic jam jars, the company also sells candles in 'hard to find' antique glassware.

Besides its eco appeal and extreme (still) made here approach—which is a great story to share—it's the branding that makes Filt stand out, giving those disparate, found items a uniform look and smell, and turning a craft project into a marketable product. Those of you with marketing smarts and time to spare: if you live near a restaurant and aren't afraid to get your hands dirty, this is a concept you could start tomorrow. (Related: Leather jackets remade into designer bags — Powering restaurants with kitchen grease — Mass-made to order, here.)

Website: www.filt-made.com
Contact: contact@filt-made.com

Spotted by: C-Scout Japan

Europcar is teaming up with Nissan to offer electric vehicles for hire. Low emission rental vehicles are nothing new for Europcar (or many other rental agencies, for that matter); models such as the Toyota Prius have been part of its 225,000 strong fleet for years. However, it seems to be the first time that a rental company and car manufacturer are jointly offering a design that’s not just low emission, but no emission.

After introducing electric versions of existing models, Nissan plans to develop entirely new models that will be made available through Europcar. The company hopes to offer a wide range of zero-emission vehicles at all the usual rental locations like airports, train stations and local kiosks by the end of 2010. Besides helping Europcar stand apart from other rental companies and providing Nissan with a guaranteed market for a large number of electric vehicles, the alliance will give consumers the opportunity to try out an unfamiliar product in a real-world setting. (Related: Europcar lists CO2 emissions on customer invoices.)

Website: www.europcar.com
Contact: www.europcar.com/EBE/module/render/Contact-Us

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

Just as Helen of Troy's face launched a thousand ships, so one might say Google Maps is inspiring the launch of a thousand new applications. Case in point: Tokyo Jogging, a new mashup of Wii technology and Google Maps that allows users to take a virtual jog through the streets of Tokyo.

Created by software engineer Ryo Katsuma, Tokyo Jogging functions much like Wii Sports Jogging. Users begin by downloading free server software from the site. They then connect their Wiimote to Google Maps' Street View, and hold the Wiimote while jogging in place in front of their computer. Google's Street View guides them along the streets of Tokyo, giving the impression of a brisk jog through the city. A video demonstrates the application in action.

There once was a day where online was on, offline was off, and never the twain did meet. Those days are gone! Today OFF=ON and ON=OFF, as our sister site likes to say, and riches await those who can make the most of the intersection. Read up, be inspired, and start some mashing up of your own! (Related: Online game focuses on real-world kindness.)

Website: www.tokyo-jogging.com
Contact: katsuma@gmail.com

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

Frozen yoghurt is a topic we've already covered on a few different occasions: first the Korean-style frozen yoghurt trend, as exemplified by shops like Pinkberry and Red Mango, and then the arrival of self-serve contender Yogurtland. Now adding further differentiation to the industry is Sno:la, a Beverly Hills-based shop that bills itself as a socially conscious alternative.

Sno:la's shops—it just opened one in Kyoto as well, with another due to launch in Santa Monica soon—are designed to be eco-minded and plastic-free. All containers are biodegradable and compostable, with yoghurt cups made of sugar cane, verrine cups made of corn, and spoons made from wood and potatoes. Sno:la's countertops are crafted from recycled computer chips, and tabletops are based on eucalyptus, a fast-growing and sustainable tree. Wall decorations are made from recycled wood, and the concrete floors are soy-painted. Then too there's Sno:la's support of social causes: It gives 1 percent of its gross proceeds to Slow Food USA, which supports sustainable farming, and 1 percent of proceeds from its Chocolate Cremita flavour to the United Nations World Food Program, which helps children worldwide. All that on top of a range of seasonally flavoured yoghurt treats made with organic dairy products, "sweetened only by nature" and accompanied by a choice of some 40 toppings.

Need further proof that the frozen yoghurt industry is maturing? Red Mango recently launched Club Mango, a loyalty program that rewards customers for their purchases. Make no mistake: the era of differentiation has begun. Something to keep in mind for your own next big, yoghurty venture....?

Website: www.snolayogurt.com and www.snola.co.jp

Spotted by: PSFK via Raymond Kollau

Language barriers are one of the online world's most prickly challenges, largely because no single translation solution has yet managed to combine speed, accuracy and low cost. Enter myGengo, a Tokyo-based company that aims to change the way translations are done.

Whereas machine translators are notoriously inaccurate and traditional human agencies are often slow and expensive, myGengo taps a global team of pretested translators working from home for a quicker and cheaper solution. The service currently provides just English-Japanese translation, but more languages are coming very soon, the company says. Users of the site begin by typing or pasting the text they want translated into the myGengo site. There are three service levels to choose from: Standard, which is done by a native speaker for basic, informal communication; Pro, which is conducted by business-qualified translators for more critical translations; and Ultra, which provides extra assurance through the use of two quality-checked translators per job. Once the request is made, qualified myGengo translators are alerted through a dedicated portal, and one immediately begins translating. When the job is complete, the user is sent an email with a link to pick up the translated text. Per-word pricing ranges from USD 0.05 for standard translation to USD 0.15 for ultra services; payment is made via PayPal.

myGengo keeps its pricing low in part by focusing on short lengths of nonspecialized text, it says, as well as by relying on automated administration and economies of scale through the large numbers of jobs it handles. Next on the company's list is Spanish, which will launch in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, myGengo is hiring translators around the world through a team of professional 'Super Workers' who find and qualify translators in each language.

Will myGengo prove to be the solution the translation world has been waiting for? Time will tell. In the meantime, one to watch—and try out! (Related: Real-time IM translation — While-you-wait editing service.)

Website: www.mygengo.com
Contact: info@mygengo.com

Spotted by: Ozgur Alaz

Those who have watched with interest the rise of dedicated tryvertising spaces in Asia--including Sampleplaza in Shanghai, which we just recently covered, as well as Club C and Sample Lab in Japan--now have an opportunity to jump into the arena themselves. Sample Lab, which has only been open for a little more than a year, is now seeking franchisees to expand its concept around the globe.

Based in Australia and with plans to begin its expansion next year, Sample Lab International is currently in discussions with potential franchisees in more than a dozen countries, and it actively seeks partners in more than 30 others as well. The company offers strong business, marketing, operational and training support; ideal partners are owners of well-established medium-sized to large enterprises with established networks of contacts, infrastructure and resources, it says. Interested parties are invited to fill out Sample Lab's online Expression of Interest Form.

Still not sure? Check out our sister site trendwatching.com's briefing on trysumers, and you'll see why tryvertising is the new advertising. Oh, and also see our stories on tryvertising for tykes, in a tube, by mail and through social gatherings. This one isn't going away anytime soon! ;-)

Website: www.samplelab-international.com
Contact: www.samplelab-international.com/contact.php

Last year, we wrote about Ponoko, an innovative company from New Zealand that turns two-dimensional designs into three-dimensional objects by way of laser-cutting plastics and wood products. Besides creating products for themselves, users can also sell their designs through Ponoko, with the company handling payments and shipping.

Ponoko was recently joined by Shapeways. The Dutch venture, which is part of Philips' Lifestyle Incubator, lets users upload 3D designs and have them produced on one of Shapeway's 3D printers. Customers can currently choose from four different types of rigid and flexible plastic, and their object is shipped to them within 10 days of ordering. Costs depend on size and mass, but smallish items are priced around USD 50-150.

Since users need to have access to CAD software and be able to design an object in 3D, Shapeways isn't as widely accessible as Ponoko, which allows users to create items based on 2D vector images. On the other hand, this is one of the first initiatives that makes 3D printing widely available to consumers around the world, at a relatively low cost. Creative people who love to design in three dimensions finally get a chance to turn those computer screen images--of toys, tools, art--into tangible objects, a desire that drives the make-it-yourself trend.

Website: www.shapeways.com
Contact: www.shapeways.com/contact

Spotted by: RK

On a sidenote: while Ponoko and Shapeways focus on remote printing, Japanese Tsukulus lets customers print 3D figurines on the spot in their Tokyo showroom (see Akibanana for a summary in English). One for Disney, Mattel and friends to look into? Ready-made figurines are one thing. But let customers change a character's clothes, accessories and pose, and then manufacture their own unique rendition on the spot, and you've turned a product back into an experience.

We know that many of our readers like a good vending machine story. In the past, we've featured machines that vend everything from umbrellas to hair straighteners, but we feel we've let you down on the vending front lately.

Which is why we were happy to spot a new automated selling device in London: Onitsuka Tiger, the Japanese sports brand, launched a sneaker vending machine on Carnaby Street today. Sneaker vending isn't entirely new—it's been done in Japan, of course, and Reebok sold shoes from a vendomat back in 2004. Reebok's machine, however, was a bit of a let-down: the sneakers were packed into a seemingly standard, drab box. Onitsuka Tiger, on the other hand, put some effort into custom-building their machine, which can sell 24 pairs of shoes at a time, in 6 sizes.

Following its London debut, the machine will travel across the UK to bring convenience-buying to the rest of Britain's sneakerheads. Fun bit of brand promotion (this marks a UK first for sneaker vending) and consumers should enjoy the concept, too. "What, these shoes? I just got them from a vending machine down the street." To us, that sounds like a status story ;-)

Website: www.onitsukatiger.co.uk
Contact: info@onitsukatiger.co.uk

Thanks to the rise of "fast fashion," discarded clothing finds its way into landfills at an alarming rate, including one million tonnes of the stuff each year in the UK alone, according to the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. While there are many charitable organizations that collect used clothes for resale and reuse, two global retail chains have launched initiatives of their own to give the clothes they've sold another life.

Japan's Uniqlo chain, owned by Fast Retailing, began recycling its fleece jackets back in 2001, and has since expanded the program to include all Uniqlo garments. Collections are held during the months of March and September each year at all Uniqlo's Japanese stores. Items that are still wearable are distributed to developing countries through the Japan Relief Clothing Center and other like organizations. Items that are no longer usable as clothing are either recycled into fiber and used to make thermal insulation, work gloves and cotton rags, or they are converted into power-generating fuel. As of March of last year, almost 800,000 items had been recycled, roughly 90 percent of them for use as clothing.

UK-based chain Marks & Spencer, meanwhile, launched an effort with Oxfam just last month to encourage consumers to recycle their worn clothes. Consumers who donate clothes—which must include at least one Marks & Spencer item—will receive a voucher worth GBP 5, valid for one month, to use with their next purchase of GBP 35 or more on clothing, homeware or beauty products at M&S. Donations can be made at any of Oxfam's 790 stores across the UK and Ireland, where they will be sold to raise funds for Oxfam's work in global relief. (From February 20–24th, M&S and Oxfam will also host a 'Fashion Amnesty' on the lawns of the Natural History Museum in London, which brings to mind IKEA’s furniture swap in Amsterdam.)

Whether it's printer cartridges, beverage containers, cell phones, eyeglasses, plastic bags or clothing, recycling the products you've sold benefits not just the environment but also pretty much everyone involved.

Website: www.fastretailing.com/eng/csr/environment/recycle.html — plana.marksandspencer.com
Contact: taono@uniqlo.co.jp — www.marksandspencer.com/gp/contact

Spotted by: RK

Taking personalization in a new direction, Japanese Yosimiya is selling bags of rice printed with a newborn's photo, name and date of birth. The bags are shaped to resemble a swaddled baby. But the key feature is that the bags contain the baby's exact weight in rice. Holding the bag will therefore feel like holding the baby. Bags of rice with baby's photos printed on them aren't new in Japan, by Yosimiya is the first to make them to order, creating bags that match the baby's size and weight. The personalized, made-to-order 'dakigokochi' are priced from JPY 3500 (USD 32 / EUR 22) and available in a wide range of colours and designs.

Yosimaya's dakigokochi are selling like hotcakes and mainly given to friends and family by the baby's parents. Could this be one of those Japanese crazes that catches on in other parts of the world? Ongoing interest in personalization (see the books and DVDs for children that we recently covered) definitely won't hurt, and both parents and other gift-givers are always on the lookout for fun new baby gifts. It's also the kind of business that can easily be started by solopreneurs with a crafty bent. Build a cute website to sell the product online (or use Etsy) and start printing, sewing and selling. We hear they make good doorstops, too ;-)

Website: www.yosimiya.com
Contact: shop@yosimiya.com

Spotted by: Mio Yamada

A while back, we featured a theme park that focused on giving children a taste of various careers by putting them to work for a day. While Kidzania is firmly grounded in the realms of make-believe, elementary schoolers in Tokyo had a more realistic option this summer. For a few weeks in July and August, the Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo ran a program for guests aged 3–12, employing them for a day.

Children picked one of five different types of work: housekeeping, doorman, front desk, floor service and kitchen, with 72 different tasks to tackle. At the end of the day, the young staffers were allowed to choose their preferred form of remuneration: a gift certificate for books, or a passport for free ice cream every year. Rihga Royal's informal work experience program was open to children accompanied by an adult staying at the hotel.

For an extra JPY 24,150 (USD 210 / EUR 155), parents had the option of hiring a professional photographer to snap shots of their industrious offspring greeting guests or making an omelette. With dual aims of keeping children entertained and encouraging them to consider a future career in hospitality, this seems like a fun program for hotels, restaurants and other industries to try out for size. Just make sure to abide by locally applicable child labour laws ;-) (Related: Dream job holidays.)

Website: www.rihga-tokyo.co.jp/stay/kids
Contact: w-room@rihga.co.jp

Spotted by: Mio Yamada

Last year, we featured WC1, a public powder room that had opened on London’s Oxford Street. A place where, for GBP 5, stressed out shoppers and women on their way to a meeting or to dinner can relax, revive and be pampered. A recent spotting from Japan shows that this new business idea is spreading. Angelbe, which opened in December 2006, is a powder room operated by the West Japan Railway Company and located in Osaka's main railway station. Like WC1, the space was designed to resemble a lounge, with chandeliers, soft curves and gentle lighting.

Besides spotless bathroom facilities, Angelbe features make-up booths with comfortable chairs and well-lit mirrors, changing rooms and a separate smoking room. Since this is a perfect setting for relevant tryvertising, it's no surprise that several companies have their products on offer in Angelbe: women can sample Shiseido cosmetics and use an array of hair dryers and straightening irons by Matsushita. Visitors pay JPY 300 (USD 2.50/EUR 1.85) per hour for use of the facilities, which are open daily from 6:30 am to 10:00 pm.

There’s no doubt that women across the world would welcome an inviting place to recharge while on the go, and they're likely to take notice of brands providing the service. Partner with retailers, transport companies and female-focused brands, and make it happen! For much more on how smart companies are catering to female consumers, check out trendwatching.com's recent female fever briefing. (Related: Luxe London loos, Chic sanitary stop, Mobile loo locator and Schiphol's baby lounge.)

Website: www.westjr.co.jp/grbiz/newbiz/angelbe

Spotted by: Mio Yamada

The Sample Lab, which opened 25 July 2007 in Tokyo's Iceberg Building in Harajuku, is a members-only space that invites consumers to sample and test new products.

More than a hundred people lined up for the opening, paying a modest JPY 300 registration fee and JPY 1,000 annual membership fee. Members need to be over 15 years of age, and gain entrance to the lab by showing a QR code stored on their cellphone. In addition to store-like shelves stocked with merchandise, the space also features a powder room where women can sit down to try out beauty products.

While the Japanese sampling salons we featured in the past focus solely on cosmetics, Sample Lab offers everything from BBQ sauce and exercise equipment to pantyhose and moisturiser. Besides trying everything out in the shop, members can take home up to 5 items per visit. To harvest their precious feedback, Sample Lab asks visitors to fill out surveys about the products they've tested. The concept was created by marketing agency Mel Posunetto, with the dual purpose of collecting user feedback and sparking word of mouth advertising.

Many consumers are happy to pay to be the first to try out a new product, and to spread buzz that's invaluable to brands launching new products. Moreover, creating a dedicated space for trying out new products makes it easier to collect feedback, which creates a nice niche for firms like Mel Posunetto. Tryvertising is the new advertising, right? ;-) So this could be one for agencies to set up everywhere from Miami to Mumbai.

Website: www.samplelab.jp
Contact: gogo@samplelab.jp

Spotted by: Mio Yamada

Most dieticians agree that food awareness and healthy eating habits beat a fad diet any day. The problem is that most people don't have the discipline, time or interest to continuously track what they're eating and how many calories each meal or snack adds to their daily intake. A practical solution has been launched in Osaka, where a Tokyo medical equipment maker is working with public health officials to help consumers keep tabs on what they're digesting. How it works? Before lifting their chopsticks, users take a picture of their meal with their cellphone's camera. They send the picture to the system, and nutritionists analyse the meal and its nutritional value, following up with advice on necessary adjustments. Feedback follows within three days. Users can also get more information online, and upload photos from digital cameras. The system is being trialled with 100 cardiac, diabetes and obesity patients, and is hoped to rein in growing health problems caused by growing waistlines in Japan, especially of men in their 20s and 30s.

A similar commercial service has been available in Canada and the US for a while. Canadian MyFoodPhone also gets users to send in pictures of what they're eating, creating a running nutrition diary. Once a week, a nutritionist advises the client on how they’re doing and what they need to improve. Uploading to a diary is free, and weekly advice comes at a monthly cost of USD 9.99. While the Japanese system delivers feedback faster than MyFoodPhone, the killer app would be one that comes back with an instant response and tips. Which could be made possible using sophisticated image recognition software, or trained operators who are available 24/7. Given worldwide health issues related to obesity and the near ubiquity of cameraphones, this could be huge.

Website: www.myfoodphone.com (no website for Osaka project)
Contact: info@myfoodphone.com

Spotted by: Bertjan van Dijk

Giving customers the opportunity to learn a few words of Korean or Portuguese while en route to Seoul or São Paulo, Air France introduced in-flight language instruction on selected flights this month. An interactive audiovisual language program developed by Berlitz, the service works on regular in-flight entertainment screens. Passengers can learn and practice the basics of 23 different languages, in four main lesson categories: numbers, dates, words and dialogue.

JAL and Singapore Airlines also offer Berlitz Word Traveller as part of their in-flight entertainment package, and Virgin Atlantic has experimented with Japanese and Spanish lessons. It's a great example of trendwatching.com's status skills trend. As many consumers are demonstrating a value shift in status from passive consumption to mastering skills, smart companies are offering their customers the opportunity to add to their skill set. Similar initiatives include BMW's Performance Driving Schools, the Sony Digital University or the Viking Cooking School. Watch and learn!

Websites: www.airfrance.com - www.jal.com - www.singaporeair.com - www.virginatlantic.com

Spotted by: Sophie Schmitt

An innovative Japanese company is offering university students free photocopies. This free love is made possible by printing ads on the back of the copy paper, which is slightly thicker than normal to prevent ads from shining through. For JPY 400,000, advertisers can have their message printed on 10,000 sheets of paper.

Tadacopy machines have been placed at a few dozen campuses, and are a big hit with students. The company was founded by students at the universities of Keio, Chuo and Hosei, who installed the first free copy machine in April of last year. Nice one for student entrepreneurs to set up in other countries! You'll make some extra money, your fellow students will thank you, and local advertisers will be able to reach a targeted audience in a novel way. Like any good free love concept, it’s a win-win-win situation. (Related: Free mobile calls for teenagers.)

Website: www.tadacopy.com
Contact: info@oceanize.co.jp

Spotted by: Peter den Ridder

With an overwhelming number of cosmetics in the marketplace and the high price tags on many department store offerings, it's no wonder customers are wary of plunking down their hard-earned dollars without first trying a product. Department store make-up counters have long offered samples and testers, but not without a sales pitch. Cosmetics shoppers in Tokyo now have an alluring alternative—sampling salons like Club-C.

Customers at sampling salons are invited to take their time and try as many make-up and skin care products as they like without any pressure to buy. They can test-drive different brands and varieties side by side and make their purchases later on at traditional sales counters or over the internet. While some salons employ a staff of knowledgeable consultants, there are no salespeople onsite.

The concept—a perfect interpretation of tryvertising—offers a relaxed shopping experience for consumers and expanded product exposure and market research for manufacturers. Salons get revenue from manufacturers who pay for their products to be displayed, market research organizations and sometimes from the customers themselves, who pay modest membership fees. Already quite the rage in Japan, this is a concept we can expect to see more of in other parts of the world—and one that could be applied to other product categories as well.

Website: www.club-c.net
Contact: info@club-c.net

Back in 2002, we reported on a Thai government initiative to launch a chain of over 3,000 Thai restaurants across the world, promoting both the country and its cuisine. That plan fizzled out after elections brought on a new government with different priorities.

A recent spotting from Japan proves the idea can work, if on a slightly smaller scale. Sponsored by Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand, the New Zealand Travel Café opened in Tokyo's Roppongi district three months ago. The café serves New Zealand burgers, beer and wine in an upmarket setting. Kiwi music plays in the background, a small shop sells NZ products and visitors can browse travel guides and brochures.

Travel Café, which operates 20 themed cafés across Japan, also runs a branch in cooperation with the Philippine tourist board. The Philippine Travel Café serves 'images of Philippine leisure resorts and tasty Filipino cuisine'. Maybe the Thai government can breathe new life into its old plan, working with the Travel Café this time. In other countries, we could see the Costa Rican tourism board working with Starbucks, or the Italians teaming up with Café Nero. If you've spotted similar examples of country branding in your hometown, please let us know! Just leave a comment below.

Website: www.travelcafe.co.jp
Contact: info@travelcafe.co.jp

Spotted by: Lance Sy