Agency Correspondent, Heather Nicholls, spoke to Jim McLoughlin and Kate Middleton at Bray Leino Events about delivering The UK’s National Day at Expo 2025 Osaka.
This year UK based brand experience agency, Bray Leino Events has been awarded the contract by the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to provide full operational services at Expo 2025 Osaka, running from 13 April until 13 October.
The programme showcases UK culture, business, education and sports, featuring a special celebration for UK National Day. The agency has been responsible for managing and delivering all aspects of the UK Pavilion’s live schedule of events, the food and drink offering, staffing and the retail experience, bringing a host of iconic UK brands to the 28 million people expected to visit the Expo site over its six month run.
The highlight of the programme of events is the UK National Day which took place on 22 May and celebrated British creativity, culture and connection. The National Day programme featured a performance from the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and a flag raising ceremony. As dignitaries and VIPs attended the flag raising ceremony, Japanese taiko drummers joined the performance in a reminder of what the day was about – two cultures joining together and collaborating.
Jim McLoughlin, creative director at Bray Leino Events says: “This was our moment to share the UK’s story with the world. What we’re good at, how we innovate, who we are and what we stand for. With performances, experiences and encounters, we celebrated heritage, artistry and ingenuity, all rooted in a spirit of partnership”.
He adds: “At its heart, UK National Day was about connection. About the ideas sparked in conversation, the relationships built through shared moments, and the possibilities that grow when people come together.”
Following the flag raising ceremony came familiar faces from UK storytelling tradition, including Peter Rabbit, Shaun the Sheep and Paddington. Music was also a massive part of the event, with England’s Shao Dow blending with anime references in a genre-defying set with Japan’s Z-Fighters, Northern Ireland’s :Panic : performing Indie rock and Nina Nessbit representing Scotland with a performance of her latest album Mountain Music. Wales was represented by Strawberry Guy’s orchestral pop.
At the end of the performance, the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the UK’s Matthew Freeman, brought Hans Zimmer’s score to life in the Japan premier of Planet Earth III Studios Live in Concert.
The UK Pavilion, has been designed by UK architects WOO to reflect the UK’s Expo theme ‘Come Build the Future’. The pavilion blends British heritage and cutting edge design inspired by the work of Ada Lovelace, the world’s first programmer and is built with aluminium wire rods reminiscent of the punch cards used in early calculators. The appearance of stacked blocks expresses the concept of small ideas coming together to form great ideas.
UK experiential specialist Immersive International, has designed a unique experience inside that doesn’t just show what the UK does, but makes visitors feel what it believes through story-led experience, projection-mapped interior, gamified interaction, responsive lighting and spatial sound.
Visitors are able to explore the different charms the UK has to offer through a story of Japanese father-daughter and their experiences in the UK and discover creativity and innovation through British culture, science and innovation.
The broader theme of Expo 2025 is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, and the UK Pavilion is a symbol of the UK’s openness, inclusiveness and partnership with the world.
It reflects a country that thrives on diversity of thought, values partnership and welcomes the world’s problem solvers to come and imagine better
Bray Leino Events also partnered with Living Hospitality part of the Mosimann’s group, to deliver a distinctly British culinary experience at the UK Pavilion, featuring classics like fish and chips and afternoon tea. The bar was bought to life by Diageo, offering curated drinks menu and mixology activations with brands such as Gusbourne English Sparkling Wine, while the retail space will showcase iconic British products—from Union Flag umbrellas and Paddington Bear merchandise to the UK Expo mascot, PIX.
Kate Middleton, event director at Bray Leino Events said: “This is what we do, and we know how to deliver on a global stage. This was event delivery at its most complex and impactful. We managed so many moving parts across the entire site; teams, stages, VVIPs, artists, multiple stakeholders, performers, technology, hospitality. The challenge was balancing the logistical complexity of a site-wide takeover with the emotional tone of a national celebration.”
She added: “It’s the kind of challenge we love; planning, production, people, experiences – the small stuff in the background that makes the big stuff on the day flow seamlessly. Paddington on one stage, taiko drums on another. Indie bands followed by symphony orchestras, each on their own platform. UK and Japanese culture woven together in a way that just worked. It wasn’t easy, but the audience reactions suggest we got it right. Honestly, it’s been a huge undertaking, but exceptionally rewarding, the Bray Leino Events team excels on this kind of stage.”
As Expo 2025 continues to unfold, the UK Pavilion stands as a vibrant testament to the power of cultural exchange, innovation and collaboration. Through meticulous planning, bold creativity and seamless execution, Bray Leino Events has brought the UK’s story to life on a global platform—celebrating not just what Britain does, but what it believes in.
From Paddington Bear to fish and chips to futuristic tech, the UK National Day captured the spirit of a nation proud of its heritage and excited about its future. For Bray Leino Events, it was more than a showcase—it was a statement, proving once again their ability to deliver unforgettable experiences on the world stage.
AloJapan.com