Roland DG Collaborates on Roland TR-808 Event with Creative Graphics and Music

Roland DG Collaborates on Roland TR-808 Event with Creative Graphics and Music

10/10/2024　Corporate Activities, Digital Printing

Roland DG collaborated on the “808 DAY at Roland Store Tokyo” event held from August 8 to 31 at Roland Corporation’s Roland Store Tokyo located in Harajuku, Tokyo. The collaboration involved creating original merchandise and store decorations centered around the iconic TR-808 rhythm composer.

TR-808’s timeless popularity

Roland Store Tokyo, which opened in October 2023, serves as a hub for showcasing and selling instruments like synthesizers and digital pianos, as well as various merchandise, and has become a key location for brand communication.

The event, “808 DAY at Roland Store Tokyo,” featured the TR-808, a rhythm composer released by Roland in 1980. This machine allows users to create full rhythm tracks and has been widely used in hip-hop and dance music production. Despite being over 40 years since its release, its distinctive sound continues to be popular.

Every year on August 8, fans around the world celebrate the TR-808 on social media with the hashtag #808day. This year, fans had the chance to experience the TR-808 in person. The event kicked off on August 8, symbolizing the model number. Visitors to the store enjoyed live demonstrations and exhibits of the TR-808. A staff member from Roland Store Tokyo explained, “The TR-808 is designed with analog circuits, creating a unique sound and deep bass through subtle pitch fluctuations. This sound, only achievable with the 808, is loved by artists and music fans worldwide.”

Display and demonstration of the TR-808

Roland Corporation’s Tokyo store in the bustling streets of Harajuku
Inside the store during the event

Creating special memories with original merchandise

The TR-808’s unique design extends beyond its sound. Its colorful red, orange, yellow, and white switches are visually striking. Roland DG used UV printers to create original Music Keychains and stickers inspired by the TR-808’s design.

We used the VersaOBJECT MO-240 benchtop flatbed UV printer to print on the keychains, accurately reproducing the TR-808’s iconic color scheme with orange and red inks. Capitalizing on the advantages of on-demand printing, we printed 25 keychains at once, each with a unique serial number from 1 to 150.

Customers who made a purchase at the store were presented with a keychain and we provided personalized printing services on the spot using the VersaSTUDIO BD-8 desktop flatbed UV printer. The BD-8 was wrapped in a TR-808-themed design. One customer remarked, “It really fit the atmosphere of the store and the event, and I thought it was wonderful.”

The keychains, all 150 of which were distributed in just three days, were a huge hit. One man who visited with his family said, “I came specifically for the 808. I’ve loved techno music since elementary school, and this event brought back a lot of memories.” He expressed his joy as he received a keychain personalized with his name. Another visitor, a woman who had been asked by a famous overseas producer to “definitely get an 808 keychain,” said, “After learning about the cool features, I wanted one for myself.”

The keychains incorporated The Music’s Music Keychain functionality, which activates a pre-set website (URL) when held over a smartphone. The site features a TR-808 simulation, allowing users to easily enjoy music creation. Shunsuke Hiruta from The Music commented on the event, saying, “I felt it was a project filled with unique experiences that you could only have by visiting Roland Store Tokyo. I was very satisfied with the final result, as the original Music Keychain captured every fine detail. The personalized printing service added extra value, turning the product into a special memory for customers.”

Satofumi Hashimoto from Roland also shared his thoughts, “I was delighted that our customers enjoyed their visit.”

Original stickers were also distributed to those who posted about the store on social media with the hashtags #808day and #RolandStoreTokyo. All 400 stickers were distributed in just two days. Roland DG’s inkjet printer/cutter was used to produce these stickers, recreating the TR-808’s signature colors with its wide color gamut and vivid output.
One visitor noted, “I’m glad I could take a piece of this memory with me, along with the sticker.”

The original Music Keychains distributed at the event
The BD-8 used for personalized printing was wrapped in the 808 design.

The original stickers distributed at the event
Personalized printing in progress

Eye-catching store decorations in vivid colors

The TR-808 design was also used in the store’s decorations. The store’s windows were wrapped using the TrueVIS LG-640 UV printer/cutter. By printing three layers of ink simultaneously—color + white + color—the design was visible both from the outside and inside of the store. The use of orange and red ink resulted in strikingly vivid colors.

Hashimoto remarked, “This was the first time we decorated the windows at Roland Store Tokyo. The vivid colors caught the eyes of many passersby, and we saw an increase in visitors who entered the store after noticing the decorations.”

Store windows decorated in TR-808 colors
The design visible from inside

Sharing the enjoyment of creativity

Roland DG utilized its printing products and technologies to help make 808 DAY at Roland Store Tokyo a truly special experience. Particularly, the BD-8, used for the highly praised personalized printing on the keychains, showcased the versatility of the compact and easy-to-use VersaSTUDIO brand products in producing and offering original merchandise at events. As a result, customers were able to enjoy a unique experience exclusive to the store.

A Roland DG staff member who was involved in the event shared their thoughts: “This was the first 808 DAY event since the opening of Roland Store Tokyo, and we were eager to use Roland DG’s solutions to create a special experience for our customers. It was incredibly rewarding to hear positive feedback directly from the visitors, such as ‘Just seeing the store decorations makes me excited,’ and ‘I’ll treasure this one-of-a-kind Music Keychain forever.’”

As our name suggests, Roland DG originated from the musical instrument manufacturer, Roland Corporation. While we now operate as an independent company producing different products, we still share the same slogan, “Enjoyment of Creativity.”
Through this event, we demonstrated how Roland DG’s technology can provide total solutions, from store decorations to creating original merchandise and offering on-site personalization, all while sharing the enjoyment of creativity with our customers and Roland Corporation. Moving forward, we aim to continue spreading the appeal of our products and bring exciting experiences to a wider audience.