Tag: Japan

Tokyo, Japan – Hakuhodo Inc., a Tokyo-based integrated marketing and innovation firm, announces the introduction of SIX JOURNEY by its subsidiary, SIX Inc. Within the Hakuhodo Group, the newly formed firm is a horizontal organisation focused on offering worldwide communication solutions for both Japanese and international brands.

Together with creators from SIX, SIX JOURNEY is a diversified team that includes foreign creators and PR and strategy experts from Hakuhodo’s global network. The team was established to assist global brands with their Asian expansion as well as Japanese brands with their entry into Asian and worldwide markets. Through the integration of modern technology and creative thinking, SIX, along with local sei-katsu-sha knowledge, collaborates to provide customised solutions for brands expanding into new markets.

The primary individuals in SIX JOURNEY are Devi Attamimi, the director of Hakuhodo International Indonesia and the institute director of Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN; Jin Saito, the creative director and co-founder of SIX Inc.; and Jasper Ilagan, the CEO and CCO of NJYN in the Philippines.

SIX JOURNEY is forming teams, bringing together innovators from diverse Asian countries to create globally relevant branding initiatives. The ongoing collaboration between Hakuhodo and SIX works to use the Group’s comprehensive strengths, creating synergies that benefit clients’ businesses. The initiative places a strong emphasis on cross-cultural approaches to creative content and branding.

Speaking about the company, Jin Saito, creative director and co-founder of SIX Inc., said, “SIX JOURNEY aims to produce strong and unified creativity by collaborating with creators from all around the world to form a creative team supporting the overseas expansion of Japanese brands and the entry of

international brands into Japan and Asia.”

Hong Kong – TUMI, an international travel, lifestyle, and accessories brand, announced the opening of its first flagship shop in the Asia-Pacific area. The recently created store draws influence from the brand’s classic 19 Degree collection and stands as the pioneer of its sort on a global scale. It is located in Omotesando, a prominent luxury fashion hotspot in Tokyo, Japan.

TUMI hosted an exclusive VIP preview event on December 20 to celebrate this accomplishment. Victor Sanz, TUMI’s creative director, Takumi Kitamura, a Japanese actor and singer, as well as TUMI executives, business partners, VIPs, and media and influencers from different regions, attended the occasion.

The ground floor flagship store is more than 2,000 square feet in size and features a design with over 250 aluminium fins and hundreds of LED lights illuminating the distinct curves of the 19 Degree range. Inside, a 19 Degree Aluminum sculpture by Michael Murphy creates the illusion that it is changing into the TUMI “T” logo as people wander around it. It is a perceptual artwork.

Speaking about the launch, Victor Sanz, creative director of TUMI, said, “We are thrilled to unveil TUMI’s newly designed store in Omotesando. Not only is it our first flagship store in Asia-Pacific, but it’s also one of our most ground-breaking store concepts globally. We’ve taken the superior quality, design excellence and technical innovation that defines TUMI and created a completely unique design that is inspired by our 19 Degree collection. From the sculptural 3D facade to the upgraded materials, each carefully planned detail and element speaks to TUMI’s brand DNA,”

Hong Kong – Chinese catering group Fulum Group Holdings has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Sunpark Holdings, an F&B corporation in Japan, to further expand its diversified F&B offerings.

In this new partnership, Fulum Group will introduce multiple of Sunpark’s F&B brands into the Hong Kong food scene. These brands are ‘Takagi Coffee’ that provides specialty coffee and pancakes; ‘Karubi Kazan’ that offers handcrafted barbeque meat rice bowls; and ‘Hachikian’ that specialises in chicken dishes.

The restaurants will be located in the city centre with high foot traffic to attract the younger generation.

With Sunpark already eyeing Hong Kong as its next destination for expansion, its partnership with Fulum will materialise this plan. Meanwhile, Fulum’s cooperation with Sunpark is expected to further diversify the group’s restaurant portfolio.

This strategic agreement is the result of an initiative organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Tokyo) and InvestHK. The Hong Kong F&B Mission aims to business match and network the F&B corporations in Hong Kong and Japan.

Samuel Yeung, CEO of the Fulum Group, said, “Hong Kong people have always favoured Japanese cuisine. Sunpark offers various specialty F&B brands and has decades of experience and insights of the industry, which is what Fulum is trying to achieve with our diversified restaurant mix. We are very excited about this strategic cooperation. Looking forward, we will continue to closely monitor latest trends and hope to introduce more of Sunpark’s brands in hopes of offering even more gourmet options in Hong Kong.

Ken Takagi, CEO of Sunpark, also shared, “Sunpark is committed to bring quality Japanese food at highest level of hospitality from Japan to the world, one store at a time. We are honoured to partner with a strong partner like Fulum Group. This cements our relationship as family.”

Meanwhile, Leo Tze, acting principal Hong Kong economic and trade representative for Tokyo, commented, “Today I am happy to witness the signing of the first deal resulting from this mission, namely this partnership agreement between Sunpark and Fulum. I wish them every success in their business in Hong Kong. I believe this would be the good start and hope to hear more good news amid ongoing partnership discussion of the participant companies.”

Also speaking on the partnership, Alpha Lau, director-general of investment promotion at Invest Hong Kong, said, “When foreign and local players work together, in a strategic partnership like that of Fulum and Sunpark, I believe the synergy will only mean even more opportunities and growth potential for both sides. This partnership is the result of our collaborated programme with colleagues at Tokyo ETO. Going forward, Invest Hong Kong will continue to work with ETOs around the world to assist more Mainland and foreign companies to set up their base in Hong Kong.”

Japan – Global creative and media agency VaynerMedia has recently announced its appointment of Kota Murakami as its new country manager for Japan.

In his new role, Murakami will be responsible for shaping the footprint and business expansion for VaynerMedia in the Japanese market, with a focus on growing the agency’s portfolio and ensuring the delivery of business solutions that build clients’ brands while fuelling maximum business impact and cost advantage.

Kota’s expertise lies in seamlessly integrating global innovation with local market insights, holding a proven track record of propelling business growth in the realm of advertising and digital media. Recognised as a trusted advisor to leading brands worldwide, Kota is also adept at steering clients and organisations to challenge industry norms while driving impactful changes.

Prior to joining VaynerMedia, Murakami was with Essencemediacom for over seven years, with his most previous role being the managing director for Japan, wherein he co-led the agency and played a pivotal role in winning key pitches for clients such as Uber and Tiffany & Co. during his tenure. 

He also holds a remarkable track record of successful engagements including leading the Google account at Essence Japan, serving as Global Account Director at Tag in New York, and partnering with renowned brands like Uniqlo, Bayer, and DIAGEO.

Speaking on his own appointment, Murakami said, “I’m really excited about joining the team during this period of growth. VaynerMedia is truly a one-of-a-kind agency; our talented people, empathetic culture and independent mindset allow us to continue our relentless pursuit of consumer attention. This allows us to help marketers deliver unwavering relevance through our modern approach to creative, media, and analytics, or all of the above as a full-service solution.”

“I just know that this will be a game changer for brands in Japan to evolve their marketing, and succeed in the social-first era and beyond. I am looking forward to solidifying VaynerMedia as a key partner for businesses in Japan, enabling them to achieve relevance with consumers, and to meet their business goals for both the present and the future,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Tim Lindley, managing director at VaynerMedia Asia Pacific, commented, “Kota is a fantastic business leader. His unique accomplishments, ambition, and empathetic leadership style excited me from the first moment we met. He possesses amazing insight into the Japanese market, a sharp, global perspective, and a holistic marketing approach that will take us from strength to strength as we continue to bring media, creative, and analytics back together to drive real business impact for our clients.“

“He has an incredible passion for innovation, a track record for nurturing world-class talent, and an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional results. He’ll definitely be a catalyst for our growth in Japan and an exceptional business partner for our growing clientele there. I’m looking forward to building with him, and learning from him, as we continue to grow in Japan and across the Asia Pacific region,” he concluded. 

Murakami will be assuming his role effective immediately and will be reporting to Lindley.

Tokyo, Japan – Global footwear brand Nike in Japan has launched a new campaign which is aimed at inviting Gen Z in Japan to escape the pressures of perfection and express the power of sport.

Conceptualised alongside creative agency W+K Tokyo, the local campaign is part of Nike’s global Reimagine Victory campaign.

As a part of its global campaign that reimagines the future of sport, Nike has singled out the pressure to be perfect as a key barrier Gen Z faces in Japan. Rather than depict elite-level athletes dominating flawlessly, Nike has built a story around a relatable Gen Z protagonist. 

The anthem film follows a protagonist, Aika, who is facing self-imposed pressures to get good grades, find a solid job and compare herself to her peers on social media. Unexpectedly, Aika witnesses the pressures of perfection on Japanese women from different time periods in the past. With each visit, she realizes she is not alone in feeling these pressures and gains confidence through sport to push through and unlock her authentic self. 

As the film gains momentum, Nike athletes and catalysts such as skaters Yurin Fujii & Ginwoo Onodera and breaker Ami Yuasa appear as today’s expression of sport, adding even more inspiration along her journey. 

The film culminates with the protagonist receiving the support of generations of Japanese women before her and taking these learnings and confidence into living her life the way she wants to, unapologetically.

“To establish this world, we turned to director Georgia Hudson to bring a unique and poetic story to life. The film alternates between metaphorical sequences depicting the pressures of perfection in the past, contrasted with modern-day, relatable Gen Z pressures. Sport is positioned as the shortcut to reimagining those pressures, releasing the tension, and confidently finding the most authentic version of yourself,” the agency said in a press statement.

Tokyo, Japan – Global digital advertising platform GumGum announced their reinforcement towards the Japanese market by appointing seasoned digital media executive, Kenzo Selby as GumGum Japan’s managing director to lead its growing business in the area.

In his new role, Selby will be growing GumGum’s brand presence in the market, as well as deepening its relationships with brands, agencies, and publishers to embrace a mindset-first, cookie-less solution.

Notably, Selby and the Japanese team will be spearheading GumGum’s ‘The Mindset Matrix’, a concept that pushes brands to leave behavioural targeting behind by helping to pinpoint environments that drive the most attention and aligning ad creative to capture a consumer’s frame of mind, resulting in brand lift and boosted outcomes.

Selby joins GumGum after more than six years of driving growth for Teads in Japan as head of sales, leading a 14 person strong sales team. Prior to Teads, Kenzo was a sales leader at AOL’s BeOn. He also brings a wealth of business management and financial acumen from experience gathered at Ernst & Young and other accounting firms where he focused on Japanese corporations doing business in Australia.

Selby will replace outgoing managing director, Naokazu Wakaguri, who has driven the growth of the business in Japan for five years. Wakaguri will support Selby in a transition period through the end of the year before leaving GumGum to pursue personal projects at the start of 2024.

Commenting on this, Wakaguri said, “As I embark on my next stage, my belief in GumGum and the future it holds for our industry is strong. With Kenzo as the new leader, I am excited for the next chapter of GumGum in this region and am fully committed to providing my ongoing support during this transition period. We have all the ingredients for success; a compelling vision, amazing products, respectful people, ethics, and great culture.” 

Speaking on his own appointment, Selby said, “There is a huge opportunity for GumGum here in Japan as advertisers are looking for ways to deliver campaigns that demand attention and drive outcomes. GumGum’s Mindset Matrix will give advertisers the ability to understand their campaigns on a deeper level and pinpoint where to optimise for improved ROI. I’m excited to be joining GumGum’s amazing team and will be growing our market presence.”

Meanwhile, Sorrel Osborne, head of media, JAPAC, at GumGum, commented, “Kenzo’s appointment represents GumGum’s continued commitment to strong growth in Japan through bringing best-in-market media, targeting and measurement capabilities to this vibrant and dynamic media landscape. As always, our focus is on delivering outstanding business outcomes for our valued partners in Japan and Kenzo is expertly positioned to do so, with the support of the global business.”

Tokyo, Japan – Global news agency Reuters has announced the relaunch of its Japanese-language site edition as part of the news agency’s position to strengthen its local readership amongst Japanese professionals and being their top news source.

The upgraded website introduces enhanced functionality, including a reorganized content structure, increased accessibility features and a responsive mobile web experience, to improve discovery and navigation through the site. 

Users will also have a multimedia-enriched experience with more prominent video placement throughout the site and increased use of embedded video, graphics and data modules within articles. 

Meanwhile, the site provides new ad formats for advertisers to reach Japanese audiences. The Japanese-language site also presents a new look and feel consistent with the global English-language Reuters.com.

Harold Geslai, senior manager for product management for Asia at Reuters, said, “The new Reuters Japan edition delivers an elevated mobile-first and video-rich news experience that provides users more convenient access to the world and business news shaping our world.”

Meanwhile, Josh London, head of Reuters Professional and chief marketing officer at Reuters, commented, “Professionals in Japan and globally rely on Reuters unmatched depth and breadth of coverage to empower smart decisions. The refreshed jp.reuters.com strengthens Reuters position as the source and destination for global intelligence for Japanese-speaking professionals.”

As part of the Japanese site launch, Reuters has also added a new Japan subsection on the global Reuters.com, available under its World section. The navigation update provides English-speaking audiences faster access to Reuters reporting from one of the leading global economies.

Japan – Global online dating and matching app Tinder unveils a brand new campaign titled “愛は他人と” (Love is with others) that aims to encourage single young adults in Japan to try online dating in seeking out new possibilities in life.

The campaign celebrates young single Gen Zs as they embrace online dating to find friendship, love, or community. It also encourages them to look for joy, laughter, and even sadness with someone else to make every day special. 

Tinder’s “愛は他人と” campaign will also feature celebrated Japanese influencers like comedian Yuriyan Retriever, businessman and talent ROLAND, video creator Kemio, and model Michi. 

The influencers will be joining the campaign to introduce young Japanese singles to the world of digital dating by speaking about their own unique online encounters. Throughout the campaign, the four of them will be supported by people of all ages and genders who have had diverse experiences and unique encounters by being open to meeting someone new and spreading the message of “愛は他人と” in their own words and expressions.

The online dating app’s campaign is anchored on its latest surveys of Japanese adult singles ages 18–29.

Young adults in Japan today are embracing new experiences, connections, and self-discovery. 

According to the survey, young Japanese singles are choosing online connections over traditional matching to meet new people, and this is reflected in the data, with 52% of Gen Z matching app users in Japan saying that they are interested in seeing who they might meet on matching apps, and more than one-third (35%) saying that they use matching apps to find a long-term partner with the intention of marriage. 

The data also showed that the number of young adult singles in Japan between the ages of 18 and 29 who say that they have recently gone on a date with someone they met on a matching app has more than doubled. 

The app further revealed that 40% of Japanese Gen Z users on Tinder say that they are looking for a long-term relationship. 

Qu Zhao, country manager at Tinder Japan, said, “Young singles in Japan are choosing to come online on Tinder to find new possibilities in matching whether it be friends, romantic love, or community. They are questioning traditional views and are embracing experiences on their own terms with their own expressions and their own meaningful encounters.” 

Qu further adds, “With this new campaign ‘愛は他人と’ , Tinder celebrates the power of making a new connection on the app to share experiences with others in a fun and safe way.”

Weeks before the intended release date of the “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” movies–which were released on the same day: July 21–an online term sprang from its growing popularity amongst fans. The term ‘Barbenheimer’ became synonymous with the growing excitement of fans debating whether they should watch either “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” or choose both of them and watch back-to-back.

And while the ‘Barbenheimer’ effect was something that was widely accepted by a large chunk of netizens, this was not the same case for Japanese users, considering the sensitivity of the “Oppenheimer” movie theme as it delved into the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the “Manhattan Project” and being responsible for the development of USA’s first atomic bomb.

Recently, the “Barbie” Twitter account handled by its US counterpart reacted to a fan art depicting Barbie (played by Margot Robbie) and Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy) against the backdrop of a mushroom cloud explosion caused by an atomic bomb. While the interaction has been since deleted, this did not sit well with Japanese fans, saying that it was ‘insensitive’ to the real atrocities and horrors brought by the two atomic bomb explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

In response, the Japanese Twitter account of “Barbie”, handled by Warner Bros. Japan, released an apology statement, stating that it regrets the interaction of their American counterparts in regards to these social media postings. It also added that aside from taking it very seriously, they have also asked its American counterparts to take appropriate action. A day after the apology was released, Warner Bros. USA also released a statement, stating that it regrets its insensitive social media engagement, and has also apologised for said action.

While “Oppenheimer” hasn’t been released in the Japanese market considering the sensitivity of the topic, online discussion regarding the movie and the “Barbenheimer” trend persists in the local market. To learn more about what Japanese users think of these recent events, MARKETECH APAC’s dedicated deep-dive The Inner States series tapped social insights and analytics solutions provider Meltwater to learn more about the insights surrounding this online trend.

Negative Sentiment Spikes Following Apology Statement

According to data from Meltwater, further negative sentiment amongst Japanese spiked during the apology statement released from Warner Bros. Japan in July 31 and gradually died out the next day following an apology from Warner Bros. USA.

It is also worth noting that prior to the apology statements from Warner Bros., there has been an uptick already of negative sentiments regarding the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. Such type of sentiment accounts for 41.5% of online discussion. However, neutral sentiment still dominated with a 54.5% share of online discussion.

Most of the negative sentiment came from Twitter users, accounting to 40% of online sentiment in the platform. Meanwhile, discussions on Reddit leaned towards more positive-driven sentiment, accounting to 40% of discussion. 

For Weldon Fung, social solutions lead for Southeast Asia at Meltwater, the online sentiment analysis shows how marketing–regardless if its fan-driven or conceptualised by a marketing team–must also take into account the cultural sensitivities of the market they target reaching for.

“This incident reminds businesses, especially entertainment ones that operate globally, that cultural nuances and sensitivity is critical to any marketing campaign. And while ‘Oppenheimer’ is a movie specifically filmed in the perspective of the American Manhattan project, its conflation with a more pop cultural brand is a regrettable instance for the Japanese market,” he stated.

What Are The Online Terms That Dominated the Discussion

Evidently, following the uptick in online discussion on “Barbenheimer”, the hashtag #NoBarbenheimer trended in Japanese Twitter, accounting to around ~26,900 mentions on Twitter.

In terms of negative terms being mentioned, the most mentioned is kinoko kumo, which translates to ‘mushroom cloud’. The term signifies the shape of the atomic bomb explosion in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945 respectively. The atrocity done by the United States killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, with many of the survivors, referred to locally as hibakusha, still suffering from the effects of the bombings.

Meanwhile, the most-mentioned positive-centric keyword was ‘apology’, referring to the outcry from Japanese users to have Warner Bros. apologise for their insensitive actions on social media.

Fung also added that following this incident, brands such as those in the entertainment industry should be more careful in how they would target their marketing in the locality.

“It’s moments like this, before and during a campaign launch or in this case a “fan movement” to be utilising tools that can give real-time sensory feedback on the consumer response particularly for key overseas markets. We’ve seen this many times before where things get a little “lost in translation” as it goes overseas,” he explained.

Fung further added, “The more critical point is that tools like social listening become even more important when co-creation with fans is part of the marketing strategy. Consumers and Fans now have more say over the narrative of brands so it’s important that having a real-time sense on where the brand is going at all times.” 

Singapore – The latest joint data from measurement and analytics suite Adjust and mobile data analytics provider data.ai revealed that in-app spending amongst Japanese users for this year’s first quarter has ballooned up to $4.65 billion–an increase of 13% compared to the previous quarter. The data also notes that this expending is expected to exceed $17.7 billion in spend this year.

In terms of mobile gaming, Japan is making a slow but steady comeback in 2023 with 12% and 6% increases in installs and sessions, respectively, from Q4 2022 to Q1 2023. In Q1 2023, Japanese mobile gamers increased their spending on gaming apps significantly, with a 13% increase over Q4 2022. Puzzle games are extremely popular in Japan, accounting for 19% of all gaming sessions.

Meanwhile, Japan’s progression toward a cashless society continues with digital payment apps capturing 77% of install share and sessions increasing 7% in Q1 2023 compared to Q4 2022. Meanwhile, crypto apps have exploded in popularity with significant growth in both installs and sessions, with a captive audience leading to a day 1 retention rate of 28% in Q1 2023. Overall fintech app sessions increased by 17% in Q1 2023 compared to Q4 2022.

Lastly, e-commerce apps have showcased remarkable resilience, with deal discovery apps growing 24% YoY in 2022 and another 11% in Q1 2023 compared to Q4 2022. Notably, marketplace apps achieved an impressive day 1 retention rate of 28% in Q1 2023, highlighting their strong appeal and user engagement. Although there was a dip in installs of e-commerce apps in general, sessions increased 5% YoY in 2022.

Toby Torii, territory director for Japan at data.ai, said, “As the industry continues to grow and user behavior shifts, building strong partnerships, leveraging innovative technologies and staying ahead of industry trends are key factors for unlocking tremendous growth opportunities. With the right approach, mobile marketers can take their campaigns to the next level and capitalize on this exciting market’s enormous potential.”

In addition, connected TV (CTV) is already a large part of mobile users’ journey. Currently, 70% of Japanese TV viewers have a CTV device, and CTV and OTT devices are expected to be owned by 30 million Japanese households by the end of 2023. This presents a wealth of opportunities for advertisers to reach new and engaged audiences, and to drive users from CTV apps to mobile devices or back to CTV apps themselves. 

Gijsbert Pols, director of connected TV and new channels at Adjust, said, “CTV campaigns are set to become a fixture in app marketers’ user acquisition strategies, and early movers in Japanese CTV advertising stand to benefit greatly. CTV offers better ad quality, a more captivated audience, precise targeting for users interests, measurement and optimization for engagement rates, impressions and click-through rates.”