1. Research the market and develop localized strategies

Japan is one of the most meticulous markets in the world. The first rule is to understand your market and analyze your audience. Japanese culture is more family-centered, sentimental, and multicultural. Therefore, a localized marketing strategy that naturally utilizes the Japanese language is a must. For example, KitKat was originally from the United Kingdom, but this brand is now known throughout Japan and globally. One of the major contributors for KitKat’s success in Japan is the transliteration of the product name. The name KitKat is like the Japanese word for good luck, “Kitto Katsu”. Students get a KitKat before taking a test for good luck. Therefore, KitKat is popular during exam season, which runs from January to March. KitKat also sells various kinds of flavors designed especially for certain regions. By adapting the brand to Japan, KitKat became one of Japan’s most beloved chocolate brands. In addition to working with the Japanese language, it is also effective to develop marketing strategies that are region specific.

2. Develop a customized marketing calendar

Consider Japanese holidays and events to be essential when developing marketing plans. Being aware of Japanese holidays is key to a successful marketing campaign. For example, New Year’s fukubukuro (lucky bag) is popular as a New Year’s tradition, and many fukubukuro items are worth more than the price, attracting consumers. Scarcity is part of the appeal, so people line up for the it during New Years, priced with a lucky number, such as a price matching the year. People don’t mind waiting in line, and they have a strong desire to go to stores that have queues, so why not take advantage of this new year’s Fukubukuro and create a queue at your store or business?

March is also one of the most popular months for travelers to travel in Japan, so it can be an ideal situation for travel agencies to advertise. In addition, many companies will carry out campaigns by changing product designs and releasing limited flavors to connect to the season, such as the cherry blossom design Coca-Cola bottle and Sakura mochi pie released by McDonald’s Japan. We recommend that you pay attention to Japanese holidays and create a marketing plan that goes along with the season. At the end of March, students who are graduating will have more ways to enjoy their trips like discounts at amusement parks or events, and during Hanami season, hold events to enjoy cherry blossom-collaborated products while viewing the cherry blossoms.

3. Creating a Japanese persona may help

Target personas in Japan are very different from those in other countries. Knowing the type of Japanese people will lead to a successful marketing plan. By creating personas, companies can customize their marketing campaigns and effectively reach potential consumers. For example, unlike their elders, Generation Z personas do their own research on social networking sites about the products they want, check prices on several e-commerce sites, and have great faith in word of mouth communications. Therefore, Researching the Japanese market and creating Japanese personas will help you resonate with the market.

4. Conclusion

To conclude, Japanese marketing has a unique culture, consumer behavior, and language, so it is critical that companies thoroughly research and build a marketing calendar before starting a marketing campaign. In addition, by partnering with marketing specialists or agencies in Japan, you can gain valuable insight to ensure success. Localizing your materials such as websites and images can effectively communicate with your consumers. Establishing Japanese personas and implementing campaigns that leverage appropriate digital channels will help you reach and engage your target consumers in Japan.

According to data from Google Brandcast, the number of YouTube users in Japan increased dramatically in 2020, and 74% of users said viewing time has also increased. 

The biggest reason for this is COVID-19 as people tended to watch YouTube to kill time while staying at home. Another reason is that their popularity could be attributed to a cultural shift from blogging to vlogging.

Breaking down users by age group: the age group of 10s to 29 are at over 90%, 30s at 85%, 40s at 80%, 50s at 75% and 60s at 45%. From this data, it is clear that YouTube is a great platform to reach a wide range of generations. 

According to a survey by Trenders, which interviewed 800 Japanese social media users aged from 15 to 49, 62% of them use YouTube to kill time, 40.7% to gain updates on topics of interest, and 39.8% for discovering something new.

What kind of channels are the most popular in Japan? 

There are many kinds of channels on YouTube recently, but what is the most popular topic on YouTube in Japan? 

Usually, entertainment channels take up most of the top YouTubers chart every year and gameplay videos are also enjoyed by all generations. Most YouTube users don’t have their own channel.They log in to it just for watching videos and to deepen their understanding of what they like such as topics and hobbies they are interested in.

That’s why YouTube is easier to reach core fans and business targets than other social media platforms. Moreover, young people are likely to use YouTube instead of watching traditional TV. 

What products and businesses are great for using YouTube in Japan?

According to data from Cyber Agent, one of Japan’s biggest online advertising companies, the YouTube advertising market will be expand more in the future. 

The biggest strength is that videos can show content with voice and movement which is effective for products such as cosmetics, skincare, games, and many other genres that need explanation and practice. 

Recently, many companies also started their own YouTtube channels to promote their products to make a great impression of their company. For example, Japanese the variety store , “Hokuohkurashi no Dogutenn” has their official channel which is very popular among people aged 30 to 40. It provides not only product introductionsand company informationbut also documentaries and dramas. Creating interesting content for their core target is also great for making loyal customers for their stores. 

Furthermore,  the funeral company’s official YouTube channel, “Sougi Channel” has 910,000 subscribers, despite the fact that funerals are a very niche subject. 

They provide useful information about funerals which increases their popularity. 

The style differences between Japan and other countries

There is no big difference about the content but regarding the visuals, Japanese YouTube channels tend to be more complicated than other countries. It is because Japanese YouTube channels use  subtitles more often. This culture came from Japanese television. 

Also compared to the other countries, Japanese people have a tendency to prefer colorful thumbnails. 

Concluding remarks 

As a result, YouTube has gained a lot of popularity as a platform for personal video viewing, but it has also been a valuable tool for businesses. 

YouTube also gives brands the possibility to customize how their channel looks, so it is important for any kind of marketer to update their YouTube channel to reflect their brand identity in order to stand out among the competition.