Co-Creating with Youth, Co-Living with the City: Joy City’s ‘Big Friend’ Strategy in Action for a Young-Driven Future

Entering a new economic cycle, every industry must transform from being followers and imitators into proactive creators and iterators—and the commercial real estate sector is no exception. Take Joy City as an example: its 18 years of experience and practice serve as the strongest proof. By refusing to simply follow trends, Joy City, under its “Big Friend” identity of growing together with young people, has advanced step by step, proving itself as a reliable, warm, and dynamic young-spirited “Big Friend.”At the “Trend Leap, Infinite IN JOY” 2025 Joy City Brand Launch held on November 25 in Beijing, Joy City once again showcased, in a lively and trendy way, its systematic approach to interacting with young people as a “Big Friend,” communicating to the industry its firm belief in co-creating with youth, co-winning with partners, and co-living with the city.Focusing on new trends in youth consumption and new drivers of commercial growth, Joy City unveiled the “2025 Joy City Commercial White Paper” and launched the “Joy City Young Power Program” at the event. The program systematically explains its new commercial strategy dedicated to the youth segment, its professionalized model separating asset management from operations, innovative REITs pathways, and new project planning—demonstrating its successful transformation from a “commercial platform” into a “growth partner for the younger generation.”

According to the China Chain Store & Franchise Association (CCFA), the event featured the 2025 ANNALS milestone wall, documenting Joy City’s innovative achievements throughout the year: from “Joy City China’s Red Opening” and “Joy Hi Festival” to the grand finale “Joy Crazy Shopping Festival”; from the first dividend distribution of the Huaxia Joy City Commercial REIT to the grand openings of Nanchang Joy City and Shenzhen Joy City; and the 2025 special brand project “Hey Big Friend, Live Large!” … In 2025, Joy City continuously iterated and innovated while maintaining steady progress.So how does Joy City, as a “Big Friend,” continuously evolve and resonate with every generation of young people?Scenario Innovation and IP Debuts Create the “Young Power” Attraction of a Big Friend.Entering the launch venue, guests were immediately immersed in a vibrant “young power” atmosphere. The immersive Mapping Show, “JOY UNIVERSE Trend Energy Universe” IP wall, and 2025 ANNALS milestone wall allowed Joy City to convey, through a “light entertainment + strong resonance” immersive experience, the youthful attitude of its brand and the synchronized energy between the “Big Friend” and young audiences.In our view, this strong scene-building and content creativity fundamentally stems from the “trend power” proposals that the “Big Friend” continuously offers to attract young people.

Realizing Ultimate Commercial Vision Through “Trend Power”.Official reports show that Joy City has already expanded to more than 20 cities nationwide, completing full coverage in first-tier cities and municipalities, operating and under-construction projects exceeding 40. Tailoring to local conditions, Joy City builds its unique “young power grid” in each city.Leveraging innovative scenarios, Joy City actively creates effective emotional release outlets. Whether it’s Xiamen Joy City’s “Half Day, Half Sea” themed space blending mountains and seas, Sanya Joy City’s “Sunlit Garden” bringing tropical rainforests into the city, Beijing Haidian Joy City’s “Mountain Lifestyle” concept promoting relaxed smart living, or the newly opened Shenzhen Joy City rooftop LOFT park “Star Chef Garden” and Nanchang Joy City’s scenic rooftop terrace showcasing Jiangxi’s local charm, Joy City’s mastery in scenario creation has reached a pinnacle. By deeply integrating local culture, natural ecology, and young lifestyles, it has created “young power magnets” that stimulate emotional resonance and social vitality.For mature projects, the “Big Friend” continues to inject new vitality through systematic scene upgrades.Beyond well-known themed areas like “Goose Riding Commune” and “Yuejie” or China’s first cantilevered rooftop Ferris wheel, Joy City this year emphasizes youth-oriented social spaces, such as Chengdu Joy City’s “Park More+” corridor space, COFCO Xiangyun Town Courtyard community space, and Tianjin Joy City’s musical theater “Milk Theater.”

Significant investments were also made, including a 220 million RMB full-floor renovation of Xidan Joy City and the creation of the “Box + Park” ecological model at Chaoyang Joy City, upgrading existing commercial spaces into vibrant ecosystems resonating with youth culture—a testament to the long-term potential unlocked through deep operational expertise.Strengthening Youth Culture Launches Through “Trend Power”.In IP launches and youth cultural co-creation, Joy City is not just a provider of commercial spaces, but a “resonator” and “amplifier” of youth emotions and interests. By launching IPs and reshaping content, Joy City understands and responds to young people’s passions and expectations, accompanying them from “trend followers” to “cultural creators.”Joy City consistently leads in IP curatorship. From Shanghai Jing’an Joy City’s first-ever real-world second-dimension commercial space “Ba Ji Island i-LAND,” to Hangzhou Joy City’s immersive dimensional hub “B1 Super Underground Pain City”; from Shenyang Joy City’s “Northeast Akihabara” Pain Museum 2.0, to Tianjin Joy City’s selective introduction of Pokémon, Tomb Raider, CRYBABY IPs enhancing community resonance, and synchronized nationwide pop-ups, Joy City leverages a “super IP + first store” strategy to continually create immersive trend experiences for youth.Local Culture Deep Dive.Joy City continues to explore and creatively extend local cultural DNA.

Xi’an Joy City integrates the heritage of thirteen dynasties with Journey to the West IP; Suzhou Joy City revives the “Yuanhe Twelve-Month Market”; Beijing Chaoyang Joy City launches the Youth Road Poetry Festival; Yantai Joy City builds the “Sea View Platform” overlooking Zhi Fu Bay and Yantai Mountain. Through the lens of the “Big Friend,” each Joy City location becomes a spiritual home and emotional landmark for local youth.Advanced Community Culture Operations.Joy City has built a highly inclusive “youth social ecosystem,” combining commercial stages with emotional engagement so that everyone finds a role and resonance. From coastal cycling activities in Sanya Joy City to urban outdoor lifestyle hubs like Beijing Jingxi Joy City’s bike stations and Shanghai Changfeng Joy City Sky Park, Joy City carefully observes and responds to young lifestyles, including pet-friendly and family-oriented spaces like Beijing Haidian Joy City’s “Happy Home for Pet Families” and Shenzhen Joy City’s “Cute Pet Gathering Hall.”Leading Night Economy Trends.Joy City also leads in nightlife innovation. Shanghai Jing’an Joy City has a rooftop “Night Food Terrace” for authentic night experiences, while Hangzhou Joy City launches a 24-hour late-night dining zone with “food + music + light intoxication,” creating a micro-therapeutic nightlife experience.

These initiatives ensure a sustainable sense of anticipation for young audiences, delivering new experiences with each visit and fostering symbiotic relationships with brands and IPs, driving traffic, sales, and brand visibility across multiple dimensions.Commercial Performance and Youth-Led Innovation.According to official data, Joy City’s overall sales in 2024 rose 40% compared with the three-year average, with foot traffic up 57%; new 2025 projects achieved 15% sales growth and 20% traffic growth. From the White Paper to the Young Power Program, and the “Youth Talk” segment featuring a post-95 employee from Shanghai Jing’an Joy City sharing hands-on experiences, Joy City demonstrates its core strength: youth-led commercial creation.Big Friend Young Power Program Highlights.By deeply understanding consumer emotions and trends, Joy City identifies youth needs evolving from “material consumption” to “emotional value,” from “single visits” to “long-term engagement,” and from “community identity” to “cultural co-creation.” The 18th-anniversary launch of the Young Power Program seeks new points of connection with consumers, brands, and partners, exploring tangible manifestations of youth energy. Signature initiatives include “Hey Big Friend, Live Large” and festivals like “Joy Hi Festival” and “Joy Crazy Shopping Festival,” reinforcing the brand’s role as a “youth cultural landmark.”Release of the 2025 Joy City Commercial White Paper.The White Paper translates top-level strategy into practical implementation, with sections “Youth Evolution History – Companion Profiles – Future Growth Formula,” systematically reviewing Joy City’s 18-year journey of growing with youth.

It combines commercial chronicle with iterative understanding of youth culture, detailing consumer trends, partner networks, and five benchmark spatial upgrade cases emphasizing human-centered commercial spaces.Launch of the Joy City Young Power Program.Building on 18 years of experience, the program marks a new chapter of co-creation and shared growth with young people, focusing on:Deep cultivation of youth cultural content ecosystems,Expansion of co-creative, resonant lifestyle scenarios,Building long-term brand-driven compounding value with partners.Investment and Collaboration Opportunities: A Win-Win Ecosystem.As a trusted “Big Friend,” Joy City upholds “openness, symbiosis, and co-creation,” demonstrating robust results in 2025 brand leasing and collaboration opportunities. Focusing on “first-store economy,” Joy City accelerates brand growth and deepens symbiotic relationships, with examples including Shenyang Joy City introducing nearly 230 new brands in 2024 and Beijing Chaoyang Joy City developing a youth-centric trend street.Strategic Upgrades and Organizational Excellence.Finally, insights from Wei Xuewen, Deputy General Manager of Joy City Holdings and General Manager of the Commercial Division, highlight that Joy City’s vitality and confidence stem from strategic upgrading and organizational efficiency. The “1123” strategy prioritizes enhancing commercial leadership, while organizational restructuring into a “headquarters–regional–project” model ensures professional execution. REITs issuance and operations further provide financial stability, enabling proactive asset deployment and sustainable partner environments.