Project overview

When Danish furniture importer Scandinavian Living was getting ready to move to the upscale Minami Aoyama area, CEO and owner Henrik Kohberg asked Paradigm to help plan and manage the opening events for its new flagship store and showroom. The first event would be invitation only and the second would be a day-long event for the public.

Founded in 1990, Scandinavian Living brings carefully selected, high-end lifestyle products — including furniture, interior design items, and building materials — to Japan. It represents some of the most distinctive Scandinavian design brands.

The planning stage

Paradigm met with the Scandinavian Living team to discuss what exactly we could do for them. For example, we offered to document the events with photography and videography; to write, design, and produce physical and digital invitations; to invite influencers involved in the design and furniture spaces; and to write a press release about the opening.

In the end, they asked us to plan and manage the events, arrange for a caterer to serve authentic Scandinavian food and drink for the first day, send out invitations by e-mail for the public event, and provide support with audio needs.

The invitation-only event

At the invitation-only event, we helped with setup and pack-down, ensured everything stayed on schedule, and assisted both the staff and caterers. More than 160 people attended, including partners, designers, Scandinavian Living clients, business leaders, and representatives from the Embassy of Denmark and the Danish Chamber of Commerce in Japan.

“Paradigm was very service minded, so we could rest assured that everything was taken care of and just focus on the event and our guests,” says Kohberg. “The preparations were very carefully made, and there were no loose ends left undone. The quality of the catering, the sound, the music — everything was perfect.”

The public event

The second day was the opening event for the public. Visitors streamed into the new showroom throughout the day to take a look at the firm’s iconic furniture — some of which has appeared in movies such as Men in Black, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan — and enjoy a selection of beverages, including coffee, soft drinks, wine, and Danish beer.

“We will remember this event as one of the greatest moments in our company history,” states Kohberg. “The quality of the event aligned perfectly with our overall image and the impression we want to give. Our customers also were very impressed.”

“We will remember this event as one of the greatest moments in our company history. The quality of the event aligned perfectly with our overall image and the impression we want to give. Our customers also were very impressed.”

Henrik Kohberg
CEO of Scandinavian Living

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