Japan Marketing News

New marketing links

I've just added three more links to blogs that feature writings on marketing and advertising in general and issues in other markets.

From Europe With Love

Ad Hunt

Brand Infection

Check them out!

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Marketing and advertising outside Japan

I've long wanted to check out what's happening on blogs devoted to marketing and advertising in other markets, and I finally got the chance to do so during Japan's New Year's holidays.

So far, I've been looking at two types: blogs devoted to marketing and advertising in general, and those specifically focused on marketing and advertising in international markets.

Taking the second category first, here are three international blogs that you might like to take a peek at.

Adblog Arabia
Written by two Middle Eastern communications pros, this blog features ad samples plus industry-related news from the Middle East.

Ads of the World
The title says it all: sample ads from all over the planet.

Russian Marketing Blog
An interesting collection of ads and articles that provide insight into marketing and advertising in Russia.

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If you're interested in marketing and advertising issues in general, or topics specifically related to English-speaking markets, then you may want to take a peek at these high-quality sites:

AdFreak
The blog of AdWeek magazine.

AdRants
"Marketing and advertising news with attitude."

Adverbox
"Daily visual pleasure for ad voyeurs."

AdvertisingLab
"An ongoing catalog of emerging advertising technologies."

MarketingProfs: Daily Fix
A blog jam-packed with articles from the marketing professionals of MarketingProfs.com

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This is just a start. I'll continue adding high-caliber marketing and advertising resources as I find them.

Please let me know if you've discovered other sites focused specifically on international marketing and advertising. I'm also keen to find more sites devoted to general marketing and advertising that are both well-written and designed.

How to survive and thrive in Japan

The fact that you're here is proof of your interest in the Japanese market.

I'm glad that you read Japan Marketing News. We do our best to deliver a range of information, news and analyses related to products, marketing and advertising in Japan.

However, no website can cover every category and every brand in detail.

If you want to survive and thrive in Japan, you need in-depth market intelligence.

The optimal approach is to conduct tailor-made research on the market, your competitors and the consumer. But this can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

What to do?

A good first step is to tap into publicly available sources. The problem is that most of this information is available only in Japanese, and only from sources that highly-experienced marketers know exist.

We can help.

We've handled information gathering and analyses for trusted international brands like Microsoft, COACH, Bruno Magli, and many others. We can do the same for you.

We can also help with marketing strategy, product localization issues, advertising production and partnerships.

For details, e-mail us.

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Need more?

Japan Marketing News is produced by Spark Productions, a boutique marketing consultancy and creative shop located in Tokyo. If you need more information on any subject featured on these pages (or anything else related to products and marketing in Japan), Spark Productions is available to handle research, consulting and marcom-related design and development projects.

Japanese consumers are amongst the most demanding in the world, and international brands commonly need to modify their business strategies, products and communications approaches to survive and thrive in the Japanese market. Determining the right way to do this takes experience and expertise. Spark Productions specializes in showing “outsiders” the way into Japanese hearts, and pocketbooks.

Think your brand can prosper in Japan without making changes? Learn from the experience of others. Here are just a few world-leading labels that have revamped their product lineups and/or communications programs for the Japanese market:

Nike, Frito-Lay, Land Rover, Levi's, Microsoft, Coach, McDonald's, P&G, Kit Kat, Coca-Cola, Le Sportsac, Minute Maid, Gravis, Adidas, Starbucks, KFC, Bulgari, Haagen Dazs, Maybelline, Salvatore Ferragamo, Kodak.

To learn more, contact Spark Productions.

Need references? Click here and see what CEOs and top executives of world-leading brands have to say about Spark Productions and its founder, Michael Fiorella.

SPARK PRODUCTIONS SERVICE LINEUP

Research and Analyses
- Guerilla research: tapping Japanese-language sources and networked experts
- Primary research: defining needs, selecting research companies, analyzing research results within the context of Japanese culture and customs
- Strategic orientation: the market, the consumer, the competition
- Brand diagnostics: what's wrong and right with your brand

Strategy and Business Development
- Segmentation and positioning issues
- Optimizing products for Japan
- Developing new products to meet special Japanese consumer needs
- Channel issues
- Pricing
- Maximizing media effectiveness in Japan
- Integrated branding
- After-service and the Japanese consumer
- PR issues
- Marketing strategy development and annual activities planning
- Strategic partnerships
- Market entry approaches

Creative
- Localization of international ad campaigns
- Development of integrated, Japan-only communications programs: ads, PR, collateral, events, and more
- Consulting and support to home market creative teams
- Ad hoc assignments: copywriting, photography, graphic design, website production, video, translation and localization work.

English-language websites of Japanese companies

Most Japanese consumer products and services companies do not maintain English language websites focused on their domestic businesses. However, some do provide general information in English for investor relations purposes and a few have links related to products and marketing-related activities. The following are provided for reference.

ASAHI BREWERIES
ASICS
BENESSE
BRIDGESTONE
CANON
CASIO COMPUTER
CHUGAI PHARMACEUTICAL　
CITIZEN ELECTRONICS　
CLARION　
DAIHATSU MOTOR　
DAI-ICHI HOTEL
FUJI PHOTO FILM
FUJI TELEVISION　
FUJITSU
GOLDWIN
HITACHI
IMPERIAL HOTEL
ITO EN
JAPAN AIRLINES
KANEBO　
KAO
KENWOOD
KEY COFFEE
KIKKOMAN
KIRIN BREWERY
KONAMI
KONICA MINOLTA
KYOTO HOTEL
MANDOM http://www.mandom.co.jp/english/index.html
MAZDA http://www.mazda.com/
MAXELL http://www.maxell.com/
MITSUBISHI MOTORS http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/
MITSUI HOME http://www.mitsuihome.co.jp/f_menuB
MIZUNO http://www.mizuno.com/
NAMCO http://www.namco.com/
NEC http://www.nec.com/index.html
NIKON http://nikonimaging.com/global/index.htm
NINTENDO http://www.nintendo.com/
NISSAN MOTOR http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HOME/
PIONEER ELECTRONIC http://www.pioneer.co.jp/index-e.html
RICOH http://www.ricoh.com/
ROYAL HOTEL http://www.rihga.com/
SANRIO http://www.sanrio.co.jp/english/welcome.html
SANYO ELECTRIC http://www.sanyo.co.jp/koho/index_e.htm
SAPPORO BREWERIES 　http://www.sapporobeer.jp/english/index.html
SHARP http://sharp-world.com/index.html
SHISEIDO http://www.shiseido.co.jp/e/index.htm
SONY http://www.sony.net/
SUZUKI MOTOR http://www.globalsuzuki.com/index.html
TAMRON http://www.tamron.co.jp/en/corp/top/index.html
TDK http://www.tdk.co.jp/tetop01/index.ht
TOSHIBA http://www.toshiba.co.jp/consumer/electronics.htm
TOYOTA MOTOR http://www.toyota.co.jp/english/
UNI・CHARM http://www.unicharm.co.jp/english/index.html
VICTOR http://www.jvc-victor.co.jp/english/index-e.html
WORLD http://www.world.co.jp/english/index.html
YAMAHA http://www.global.yamaha.com/index.html