Twisted View of Marketing in Japan

(All those different names to describe people you want to sell your product/service to.)

At the end of the day, it is “a human-being (Hito)”, though.

This topic has been in my mind as the one that I have to discuss sometime.  But it is quite big topic to tackle, and I do not have any clear answer to it.

In a sense, this is about fundamental concept and its definition for marketing.  I do not have a license or knowledge to argue what is right or wrong.  Today, I just put my thoughts and feelings here.

Shouhi-sha (Consumer):  A ward that is used most often.  Consume-er sounds quite rough and anachronistic, or very 70’s.

Seikatsu-sha (Living People):  Guess it is created by Hakuhou-do Agency.  They are not-yet “consumers”, and decide themselves if they “consume” or not in their own living context.

Kokumin (A national):  A ward that is allowed only to those marketers of Tokyo University graduates.  To stress the nuance, add “normal”.  (Just joking.)

Shimin (A citizen):  A ward that is allowed to rest of the marketers who are not from Tokyo University.  Putting “normal” to the word does not lose its nuance of “we all are good friend/buddy”.  (Of course, just kidding.)

Target:  Often used with the Shouhi-sha; Target Shouhi-sha.  Has a nuance of selected/focused.

Viewers/Readers etc.:  Words coming up suddenly when you start working on advertising.  Somehow, have nuance that “they are waiting/dying for information, sitting before TV/magazine”, and thus have “passive” image.

Kokyaku (Customer):  Often used in the context of B-to-B.  Original meaning of the word is very straightforward.  Has some feel of “a loyal customer”.  When you have the 3^rd party in supply chain, the word often means companies in between,

Okyaku-sama (Dear Customer):  A ward you hear a lot in department stores and retail stores.  When used as “Okyaku-sama is a god”, it gets different nuance?  (Or, there might be a group of people who does not want “nation/citizen” to be a god??)

In the world of marketing, many people use one or two of those words without clear intention.  But, because it is “redefined as a word/terminology”, even slight difference of meaning and nuances can make big difference in final product like marketing plans and executions of communications.  Sometime, it can become tragedy.

When you say “Shouhi-sha”, it can lead you to “looking down and talking down to them” as it has a nuance of those (everyday) people who are waiting to “consume” your product or service.

On the other hand, I myself do not feel good/familiar to the “Seikatsu-sha” while it is designed to wipe out the nuance of consume-er.  Don’t know why, maybe because it is a “created” word.

In any case, both are of selling people’s convenience.  Both have marks of selling people’s ego.

I myself, by the way, use 3 words depending on situation/context.

Target:  I use the word to define size or number of people quantitatively.  It is “cold” and left-brain oriented word.  Having that in mind, use it to discuss size and risk of investment and strategy.

Okyaku-sama (Dear Customer):  After defining them quantitatively as “target”, switch my brain, using this word, to understand and feel them as a person, living his/her own life.  I have never seen, for example, a woman of “a woman aged 18-29 years old, not married”.

This is, in my view, the most important step of marketing thinking and planning.  You should never skip this, or you must pay a lot later.

Partner:  The other day, I had a chant with a Copy Writer over twitter about this.  When I move to a phase of developing communication executions, like package design and advertising, I push “Okayku-sama” to one step further/deeper to re-define him/her as a “partner” to develop communications together. Some say “buddy” for the same purpose.  Communication, regardless it is one-to-one or through mass media, does not stand only with a sender of message.  It becomes “communication” when receiver of message put the final piece of puzzle in.  In this sense, he/she is not just message “receiver”, but a partner to complete the communication and close the loop.

Good use of these 3 definitions can always help me be “faithful” to marketing challenges for business and Okyaku-sama.  80% of time, I see him/her as an Okyaku-sama, though.

If I just use those common words of Shouhi-sha (consumer) and Target, for some unknown reasons, I often end up with plans that are looking down and talking down to them.  For instance, “Hey you do not know such simple thing?  Let me educate you.”  They would notice my attitude somehow.  I have lots of failure cases due to this.

And after all, they are a “human-being (Hito)”.  It is a truth even in the world of mass-marketing.  None of them/us is living everyday to be a consume-er.  But “Hito” does not sound like marketing terminology…

Let me sleep on it.

“O.”

Sometime, TV programs feature “Interesting Oversea Advertising” or some sort to show award winning advertising from Cannes.  Some films make me say “Aha!”, but more often, they leave me behind, “What?  Why?”

Unless I switch my brain to “Understanding Oversea Culture”-mode, many of them are just too hard to understand or appreciate.

A few years ago when I went to the Cannes award event, my “Understanding Oversea Culture” brain had melted and vaporized, spending 3 full days in theaters to watch, just watch thousands of advertising.

So, here is a piece of advertising that “Fu”-san asked me for perspectives:  Evian.

Do you get it?

I just don’t get it.

Visuals are great, very well crafted, that make me watch through, but at last, I am left out with “???”.  Well, you could argue, if it held me till the end to (vaguely) understand it is for Evian, then it does the job as a commercial film, though.

I heard that Evian has some effects to activate cell renewal, revitalize them, reduce health problems associated with aging, make skin beautiful, or help your brain to work.  However, at the end of the day, it is a bottle of mineral water, not medicine, that they may not be able to actively sell these as efficacy.

It could be then the case that they transformed them into an idea of “Evian = Fountain/Spring of Youth”, and dramatized it through “Full of life/youth = You become a baby”.  Am I correct?  Don’t know.  “Drink Evian and stay young”?

(It may be completely wrong thing that I have “logically analyzed” it, though.)

OK.  If I work hard, at least I can understand what is going on and intent behind it.  But if I keep my brain as “Normal (Japanese)”-mode, I have no clue what is going on for what-so-ever…

I wonder what is wrong with me.  I suspect the analogy of Youth – Baby itself puts the big wall that I cannot go over anyhow, right before me.  Even with copy/superimpose like “Let’s observe the effect of Evian on your body” and “Evian, live young”, they don’t help.  Often people say “Japanese people are just too literal”, and am I one of them?

While I usually agree with Creative saying “Let’s believe our viewers, they are matured enough to appreciate this.”, in this case, I would not buy it.

Am I the only one?

I would, by the way, agree that, with this great and fun visual drama, it would become talk of the town.

Airing it as it is should be much better than AXE, who somehow produces boring, cheap, and sloppy “Japan original CM’s”.  AXE has so many great films around the world, and they are not as “sophisticated” as Evian, so that they can/should choose to air them as they are.  If there is “most boring AXE advertising award”, Japan gets Grand Prix every year.

“O.”

To the previous note about “How clients view a position/role of Copy Writer”, one Creative Director (ex-Copy Writer) wrote to me.

Let me share this, hoping it would be another stimuli for people working on Marketing, as well as Copy Writers (or Writer-to-be).

“M.”-san, from B-con agency.

I worked with him for approx 10 years.  Through working with him (on Vidal Sassoon, h&s, and Attento), he demonstrated how great it is to “let the brand talk”.  Or, he is one of those “teachers” for me.

~~~

O.-san,

Long time no seeing, how have you been?

Recently, there came across a quote that made me get what is Copy Writing.

It is Mr. Shun-ichi Iwasaki’s words in Senden Kaigi’s advertising for Copy Writer Seminar, which I guess O.-san is teaching a part of it.

“Don’t try to craft copy, discover it.”  (May not be as is, though.)

Top-notch Creator, that he is!  Copy should not be made/crafted.

Good case, illustrating this.

It is a story about naming “Sha-mail (Photo-mail for mobile)” quite a few years ago when they were still J-Phone.

Back then, people in the project had already been using the word of “Sha-mail” to describe this new function.  It had started naturally, no one’s naming.

However, somehow, people had not believed the “Sha-mail” would be the right one for the function.

They were trying hard to “make/craft” a new name that is cool for their advanced feature of mobile phone.

After wasting some days over the naming, one of project members “discovered”.

“Hey, don’t know when, but aren’t we using the “Sha-mail” everyday?”

Said another.

“Yeah, that’s right.  Everyone’s using it.”

Then another said.

“Isn’t it great, spreading this fast?”

Finally they noticed that they had been sitting on gold mine.

(Dramatized conversation.)

When a Copy Writer comes up a good copy writing, it often came from a discovery.

It could be a word from ladies’ chat at the next table at a restaurant.

A word happened to be caught from a corner of a page skimming a magazine.

Or, a word from my memories of imagination long ago.

There happens a moment when the word and the task spark.

It hits me like lightning.  It is not often coming from hard work.  It is exactly like a discovery.

They may not be logically correct, rather they are “It’s strange and cannot tell, but I get it” or “It is charming, lasts long, and makes me want to speak”.

There was a mention in O.-san’s blog, “Copy Writer can give a name to something that is too conceptual or that you need to “explain”.  Once it has a name, it stands on its own.  It is no longer abstract concept, it now has a life, and has nuance of thoughts and belief.”

If I extend this, a job of Copy Writer may be about discovering a strong word, a word with full of life, in the market/category.

So, my request to client people is, rather than checking out if they are logically making sense or covering everything to be said, to choose one, client’s hat off, that talks to you like “strange but fall into place” or “somewhat crooked, but tickling”.

They go to consumers’ heart.

Another essence to be a good Copy Writer is to be “easily possessed”.

This goes well with what O.-san says.

No matter how good/bad the copy is, it must be on Brand Character.

So, Copy Writer should have a talent that gets possessed by the Brand’s spirit.

Going back to the J-Phone story.

They had wanted to make J-Phone a cool brand.

In fact, they used to ask Mr. Yaumichi Oka to develop edge-y advertising.

But from consumer view point, J-Phone was cheapest in market, smaller company, and familiar company, rather than cool.

Its Brand Character that consumers had as an image got along with the strange name, Sha-mail.

The word might have not become this popular if they had asked a Copy Writer to put a cool name instead.

By the way, Softbank, formerly J-Phone, runs two campaigns, but one with a dog is better than the other one featuring big celebs.

It might be coming from their DNA.

In addition, I would agree with O.-san that Copy Writer should be a translator between Creator and Client.

It is generally true that people with Art background is not always good at explaining things.

Mail got this long, but net I wanted to tell you many copy writers would agree with you.

Looking forward what is coming out from ETOJIYA.

Good luck.

“M.”

B-con Communications

~~~

Thank you very much, M.-san.

“Hyoui Taishitu” (a talent that gets possessed by else’s spirit), nice word, let me use it as well.

“O.”

Was a question from White Knight-san, in Sapporo City.

It is not at all easy question for me.  But the question came at the right timing, as I have just started teaching a few classes, staring on last Friday, in Advanced Copy Writing Seminar by Senden Kaigi in Osaka:  What is a role of Copy Writer/Creator from Client’s view point.”

Thus, I anyway had to throw some thoughts on this topic.

I do not have any license, knowledge, and experiences to tell you either “All clients view this way” or “Copy Writer must act that way.”  This is just my own perspective.  I will try not to make argument too abrupt, but please bear with me.

I (when I was working as a member of client) think I often had the following three roles/expectations to Copy Writers or Creative Directors who used to be CW.

“Talk like Brand does. ‘Shall We Haagen-Dazs?’”

Of course, it’s the job #1 for “Copy Writer”.

If it is a matter of simply translating strategy into set of words, we do not need Copt Writer.  Writing copy is not simple math with theory and process, so that client people like me, left-brain-heavy people, cannot do the job.

If there is any difference for my opinion/perspective versus “commonly understood role of Copy Writer”, I would expect Copy Writer writes/talks as if the brand talks.  Copy is to me an expression of who the Brand is.

“Shall We Haagen-dazs?”, when it is written in Japanese, does not stand.  You go “Then who are you?”

To large extent, I often look for “Character of the Brand in words/choice of words” than “unique set of words”.

In one of my previous write-up, I defined “Brand” as “giving a name and respect to its character”.  Words/choice of words are the place where character/belief come out most.  Therefore, copy writing is of key essence to “grow Brand”.  (It includes attitude of not “talking”.)

“Translator between Creative and Client.  ‘In this useless and wonderful world.’”

As Copy Writer is primarily deals with words, compared to those Creative people speak visuals and sounds, s/he could be the closest friend among Creative people for left-brain-heavy client people.

Why the submitted idea conveys strategy best, and how?  What is “interesting” about it?  Where is key point or source of inspiration for Creative?  It is in fact quite difficult for client people.

So, if Copy Writer put them in simple structure using words I can understand, it is always very helpful.

Or, easier example is that scripted style of storyboard is very often much simpler to understand than usual storyboard with pictures.

I need 100 years to understand and appreciate why the campaign of “Alien Jones’s Diary – Living in Japan” can sell canned coffee, if I just got storyboards.

I believe Creative people already have complete picture of advertising when it is presented first.  But, when it is not produced yet, it is hell of a work for client to understand it and feel it.  Copy Writer can bridge the gap.

On the other hand, in the mind of client people, there are clear vision/results of achieving the objective and strategy.  However, they are usually data or numbers that most Creative people cannot feel how good they are.  Copy Writer can bridge the gap, too.  (One could argue it is a job of Planners, though.)

“Giving it a Name.  ‘Impossible is Nothing.’”

This role might be bigger than other two, at least to me.

Copy Writer can give a name to something that is too conceptual or that you need to “explain”.  Once it has a name, it stands on its own.  It is no longer abstract concept, it now has a life, and has nuance of thoughts and belief.

It is not “Nothing is Impossible”, nor “Anything is Possible”.  It is “Impossible if Nothing”.

Some of these go out as “Copy”, and others may stay internally.  Establishing Team’s slogan/manifesto is a copy writing of goal of the project, vision, or attitude.  Or, like TSUBAKI, name of project can be “copy writing” to start with.

Well, maybe I am trying too hard to “categorize” its role into 3, and telling you the same thing three times.

Excuse me that this may have been half cooked.

Net, I wanted to say Copy Writer has 3 roles:  Storyteller for Brand to Consumer.  Storyteller for Creative and Client.  Storyteller for Conceptual to Tangible.

Even worse?

Sorry.  This topic is way too big for me.

“O.”

The other day, I have asked you to give me some feedback, comments, or some topics that you would want to hear what I have to say.  Despite the selfish request, there came some response already.  Thanks you very much.

Today, let me pick up a question from PO-san.

“That is a very nice piece of commercial.  I like it.”

“Me, too.  That touches my heart.  But which Company’s is that?”

“What?  Well…  I don’t remember.  Maybe an insurance company or some sort?”

Typical conversation that you would hear often or you may often be a part of.

For example, that popular advertising in which you see slide-show of nice pictures of family (and especially kids) one after another with a heart-warming song by Kazumasa Oda, a famous Japanese singer-song-writer.

Which Company/Brand is that for?

No clue.

Topic today is about the one that you must have viewed various versions on TV.  The one that “Cat and Duck work together”.

I like the advertising.

Before anything, that lovable song.

The cat somehow makes me smile with its strange movement and expression.

There are lots of good things in that.

Among others, if I have to pick up a few essentials, they are:  1) The fact that it coveys lots of things with exact balance within the limited time/space (while one could argue it is covered by its high media spending).  And 2) the fact that it is almost only one that is establishing a “Brand” in the industry or category, life-insurance, where being distinctive is of a tough job.

Given tough economy, commercial communication tends to be loaded with lots of tasks.  It is almost a thing of the past that being popular is everything, all you need is to get awareness, or just to improve images of the brand.  Recession forces TV advertising, of which media is losing it power day by day, to be multi-tasked.

It is always the best to focus only one thing to communicate to be a great advertising.

This may already have become a dream of naïve creators from 20^th century.

I don’t know.  But at least, I can say that it is a dilemma, and it is not easy to communicate lots of things at one time.

This campaign of “Aflac’s Cat and Duck” succeeds to communicate or at least leave an impression of its new service to cover super-advanced medical treatments, while TV is a media of emotion and senses.  And it has done it in a way that is not heavy, and is light and casual (without being too much so), through its lovely song.  Good Job #1.

Each piece of the campaign features insightful life moments/events to make you think, or re-consider your life insurance package.  Good Job #2.

This leads to eye-opening paradigm shift from “insurance being a fall back option to be ready to happenings” to “insurance blessing your life”.  In general, advertising of life insurance tends to use “threat”, like “what if you suddenly pass away or get seriously injured”.  (Even that commercial with gentle voice of Oda-san uses this “threat” approach behind the nice pictures.)  On the contrary, this Aflac’s campaign is blessing you/your life.  (No wonder they have Christmas and New Year versions as well.)  Good Job #3.

Their previous campaign, featuring true stories of cancer patients, contributed to wiping out too funny an image of “Why a duck?  Are you trying to fool me around?”, and it was certainly distinctive in the category.  Yet, it was within an arena of “threat”.  This new campaign elevated the brand to the level of “blessing” by re-defining “what is life insurance for”.  As a result, in the category where every (Japanese) company has been trying hard to be nice, not specific/tangible, not impressive, or when it is impressive, look like government/public advertising, Aflac became a “Brand”, only one in the market.  Good Job #4.

Aflac, please hung in there, be persistent about what you are doing.

Japanese friends in the life insurance, get out of the box otherwise you will be left alone.

Well, after talking this much, at the end of the day, what’s too good is that song.  It goes on and on in my mind, and cannot be stopped.

“O.”