Session #1-1 The inspiration behind launching 'Inu no Kimochi' and its current state

To create a new pet industry, Dentsu Inc. and Benesse Corporation launched the cross-industry consortium Design with Pet Project. To explore the vast potential hidden within the pet industry, this time we bring together Masaaki Ito, the founding editor of Benesse Corporation's 'Inu no Kimochi' and 'Neko no Kimochi', and Seiko Ake, who established Dentsu Inc.'s in-house pet specialist team, Think Pet Project.

A Presence That Deepens Family Bonds

Akashi: Mr. Ito launched 'Inu no Kimochi' 12 years ago, and 'Neko no Kimochi' 9 years ago. I love reading them myself. Could you first tell us about the background behind their launch?

Ito: At the time, I believed that "since the family is the smallest unit of society, if families get along better, society as a whole should become kinder." I wanted to create many businesses that would deepen family bonds. While exploring what kind of approach I could take to achieve this, the pet field immediately came to mind.

Akashi: Why did you think of pets?

Ito: It was inspiration from a newspaper article (laughs). It really started as just a whim. But when I looked into existing data, I found research showing that children in households with dogs or cats tend to be more compassionate toward life, and family communication improves. Furthermore, I got curious and went to the library (the internet wasn't very developed back then) to research the pet industry. I realized the market size was over 1 trillion yen, yet the information available didn't seem to match that scale. At that time, I was focusing on what I called the "niche-mass strategy" – targeting areas that were niche but had large markets. That's when my hunch turned into conviction. So, I pulled an all-nighter to finish the proposal (laughs).

Akashi: That's incredible momentum (laughs). I don't believe Benesse had been involved in pet-related businesses before that. How did people around you react?

Ito: When I first presented the plan at the executive meeting, almost everyone was against it. It's understandable, right? We're an education company. This was before the pet industry had gained the acceptance it has today. But as I gathered various data on pets and families, emphasizing points like how American data showed reduced juvenile crime rates among children who interact with animals, and how it teaches the value of life, then-President Fukutake said, "Sounds interesting. Why not give it a try?" I was really happy – what a generous spirit.

Akashi: It ended up being a huge success, didn't it? When the Think Pet Project team conducted awareness surveys about "pet-related media," Inu no Kimochi and Neko no Kimochi had such overwhelming recognition among pet owners that they had no real competition.

Ito: The response was huge right from the launch. We started with direct sales, and the phones rang nonstop every day. One person finally got through after calling for three straight days and told us, "Inu no Kimochi is great, but think about my feelings too!" (laughs). That just shows how huge the latent demand really was.

Akashi: What was the reasoning behind choosing direct sales over bookstore distribution?

Ito: One reason was our desire for readers to engage with pet care consistently. Since it involves "life," we hoped readers wouldn't just learn functional information like training or health management in isolation, but would deepen their understanding, including the social aspects. That's why, generation after generation, our staff members themselves have always obtained the Pet Care Management Specialist certification. There were also marketing factors. For example, lifestyle magazines like 'Thank You!' are often placed in easily accessible main spots in bookstores, but pet-related books are more likely to end up on back shelves. We reasoned that leveraging Benesse's systems and expertise for direct sales would ensure the magazine reached more readers. Though we did get some complaints from bookstores at launch asking, "Can't you distribute through us?"

From guard dog to closer family member

Akashi: Over ten years have passed since launch. Having been involved in the pet industry, have you noticed any changes?

Ito: I believe the recognition that "pets are important beings for family communication" has become more widespread in society. Even in movies and TV dramas lately, they're often portrayed not just as beings that help people, like before, but more about the emotional bonds as family members. Various factors underlie this shift, such as the increase in apartments over single-family homes diminishing their role as "guard dogs," and the decrease in the number of people per household.

Akashi: I think pet owners have always seen them as family, but now more people who don't own pets understand that sentiment. When I first joined the company, I faced severe disapproval from colleagues for declining a drinking invitation from my boss because my pet was sick. I feel that today, people would likely understand (laughs). Of course, it's said that 20-30% of non-pet owners dislike animals, so we must consider how to coexist while acknowledging that. Still, I feel a tangible sense that society has come to accept it.

Ito: Considering coexistence, the Japanese have historically been a people attuned to nature and "life." With two-thirds of our land covered in forests and teeming with wildlife, we've coexisted without conflict, revering stones, trees, wolves, bears, and other creatures. That's why I believe we're a people with a relatively high affinity for pets.

Akashi: That inherent cultural affinity might also explain why the family-like integration of pets has become so widespread and socially accepted. Next time, we'll continue our discussion about the untapped potential within the pet industry and the kinds of services that will be needed going forward.

※The second part of this dialogue is scheduled for update on Wednesday, June 18.