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Like the West, Japan is no stranger to the use of characters the marketing of both companies and their products. However, that's where the similarity ends. In Japan, such characters are not only used for the more obvious categories, such as foodstuffs and products for children, but quite literally for everything else as well. From money lending to the military. From potato chips to the police. in Japan characters count!
Quite often, these characters end up becoming
valuable businesses in their own right. According
to the Nikkei Weekly, the combined sales of corporate
character merchandise in Japan is said to be valued
at close to ¥1.6 trillion.
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Take the case of
Daikin Industries. The company manufactures
air conditioners and owns a popular character
known as Pichon-kun. Resembling a cross between
a water droplet and an Area-51-style alien,
the character has long been a popular favorite.
Pichon-kun merchandise, including picture
books, toys, candy, and even bed linens, has
become a profitable side line for the company,
generating annual sales of around US$10 million.
Moreover the character is credited with playing
a major role in Daikin's market leadership
in the home air conditioners category. |
| Pichon-kun |
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Nova Usagi |
In the competitive world of private English-language
schools, product differentiation is tough. After
struggling with its marketing message over the years,
the Nova Group introduced a bunny character, known
as the Nova Usagi, in an effort to re-invigorate
its brand. The character, which has strong appeal
to children, became an immediate hit and the company
received an influx of calls inquiring about the
bunny. Sales from Nova Usagi merchandise totaled
over ¥260 million yen in the first 2 weeks of
it becoming available!
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| The Aiful Chihuahua |
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And corporate characters are not limited
to inanimate cartoons. The Aiful loan company
has become famous for using a real Chihuahua.
When the company revamped it's branding,
its new television advertising campaign featured
a typically un-emotional Japanese father who
is unable to hide his paternal feelings towards
his little Chihuahua. The series of ads proved
immensely popular and both revitalized the
company's image as a trusted financial services
provider as well as making the Chihuahua synonymous
with Aiful. The company has also sparked a
craze for owning Chihuahuas, and now they
even have their own credit cards.
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Given their strong appeal, corporate characters
even turn up in the least expected industries. On
one Japan Self Defense Forces poster in a local
Tokyo train station, servicemen are represented
by adorably cute characters wearing the uniforms
of their respective branch of service, complete
with the weapons of their trade!
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| Join the Japan Self Defense
Forces! |
Even more surreal, characters sometimes seem to have absolutely nothing in common with the brands they represent. The Kanagawa Prefecture Police Department's winged spaceman is a good example. He has no obvious connection with the terrestrial police of Kanagawa. Neither does he wear their uniform or adopt their intimidating attitude.
Some characters from the west have found a new
home in Japan, often transcending the boundaries
of their original product categories in the process.
Such an example is Tony the Tiger. In the US,
Tony the Tiger is solely associated with the breakfast
cereal. However he has become so popular in Japan
that his face is seen on a range of products from
clothing to candy. Indeed Sanai Ai Co. distributes
12 styles of Tony the Tiger bikinis, with its
namesake proudly, but tastefully, attached.
In 2005 we'll expect to see the emergence of a new generation of as yet unimaginable characters and probably they'll be put to use in an surprising array of categories. After all in Japan it seems that characters count!
The JMI
Christmas 2004 competition
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This is your chance to win
your very own fluffy and friendly Japanese
character. Here he is - He's 2 and a half
feet tall and answers to the name of Qoo-chan.
All you have to do is answer the following
question. Correct responses will be entered
into a draw, and the winner will get their
very own Qoo-chan.
Which type of Japanese company uses a running
tomato as its character logo?
Good Luck! |
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