Communication Surrounding "Food"

When we make food, buy food, talk about food, and eat food.
Food-related moments are filled with diverse experiences, information, and thoughts.
We explore a glimpse of the immense potential within "consumer communication" and "food."

Decoding New Trends Among "Buyers" and "Sellers"

Consumer attitudes and purchasing behaviors toward "food" take on various forms, influenced by the prevailing social and economic environment. Simultaneously, the distribution industry is being challenged to develop sales mechanisms and business models that respond to these changing consumers. We spoke with Yoko Oya of DENTSU SOKEN INC., an expert on consumer trends, and Takeshi Kanai of Dentsu Promotion Division, well-versed in retail operations, about the latest food trends and future communication strategies.

Is "Food"the Killer Content for"Popularity"?

　The Delicious Relationship Between Food and Communication

Consumer attitudes and purchasing behavior regarding food are influenced by the prevailing social and economic environment, resulting in diverse manifestations. Yoko Ooya, who has long researched and analyzed consumer insights into Japanese dietary habits at DENTSU SOKEN INC., explains the "now" of food as seen through recent trends, using examples.

An Era Where "Food" Itself Becomes a Communication Tool

At DENTSU SOKEN INC.'s "Food Lifestyle Lab," we conduct in-depth consumer insight analysis through food-related research and analysis, leading to business development and future forecasting.

Although we call ourselves the "Food Lifestyle Lab," we are not primarily a food research project; our main subject of study is always the "consumer." Of course, we conduct our own surveys on people's current food awareness, actual eating habits, values, and trends, but these are merely tools to understand consumers. We believe the crucial part is how we interpret these facts, data, and emerging trends. We also place great importance on how to develop this into business opportunities and whether it can lead to richer, happier eating lives for us all.

When viewed through the lens of consumers × food, one notable trend in recent years is the growing importance of whether a food choice provides "conversation topics" as a key selection criterion.

For example, the long lines forming at pancake shops dubbed "New York's Breakfast Queen" stem not just from the reassurance of pancakes as a safe menu choice, but largely from the desire to eat something popular on social media to have something to talk about, or to post an impactful food photo and get reactions. This tendency is particularly pronounced among younger demographics.

The packaging of a chocolate snack that reportedly sold 120 million units in a single year is also packed with catchphrases ripe for comedic commentary. It makes you want to tweet about it. Its low price of 30 yen per piece also contributed to it becoming an actual "communication tool" among students, like giving it as a thank-you for borrowing a notebook. It strikes a perfect balance as a communication tool that fits the modern sense of personal distance, offering a casual gesture that doesn't burden the recipient more than an overt monetary thank-you.

Another recent trend worth noting is the growing importance of "food" as a tool to lift one's spirits. It's not about extravagant luxury, but rather seeking small moments of indulgence within the ordinary – like buying a slightly pricier loaf of bread than usual to savor a touch of luxury. The popularity of "premium" products like "Gold Edition [product]" or "Adult [product]" stems largely from this sentiment. This connects to the "desire for contrast" and the mindset of "cherishing small daily joys" that have grown stronger in consumer consciousness since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Is there a correlation between being particular about food and being popular?

Looking at recent hit products, you see a lot of "○○, yet □□" expressions: "instant bag noodles with the texture of fresh noodles," "canned food that tastes like authentic Thai curry," "freshly brewed drip coffee for just 100 yen at the convenience store." While the product categories themselves aren't new, that little added value becomes a "pleasant surprise," lifting your spirits. These familiar yet easily discussable items are perfect conversation starters.

Food is, in a way, a universal topic that everyone relates to. Moreover, since it's a tool that lets us easily feel happiness in daily life, food can bring people closer together. It's also a kind of "popular content" that gets lots of "likes" on social media. In fact, according to the "Food Lifestyle Lab Survey," people who are particular about their food tend to have a higher self-perceived popularity.

As an aside, I recently spoke with someone who used to be the editor-in-chief of a cooking magazine, and they mentioned that many chefs are quite proactive in romance. Of course, this doesn't apply to everyone, and it's likely just based on personal observation, but I can somewhat understand this tendency – not "heroes love color," but rather "chefs love color."

This year, a cluster analysis based on consumer food attitudes and behaviors from Dentsu Inc.'s large-scale database d-camp revealed that the "Food Hunters" – who love trying new places and have strong food preferences, potentially fitting the "popular" category mentioned earlier – make up just 1.4% of the total. In contrast, the "Food Moodies" – who prefer the internet and lounging around, eating quickly based on their mood – were about 14%, a tenfold higher occurrence rate. Looking at their demographics, the former group tends to be more common among men in their 40s, while the latter is more prevalent among men in their 20s and 30s.

Additionally, the "Food Self-Improvement" group, seen primarily among women in their 30s, consists of trend-sensitive individuals highly attentive to beauty and health in their eating habits. These individuals also appear to have strong interpersonal communication skills and fulfilling relationships with friends and acquaintances.

Other clusters include "Food Sports Enthusiasts" and "Food Homebodies," totaling nine distinct groups. As lifestyles and values diversify, and gender, age, and life stage no longer necessarily align, examining consumers through these clusters offers fresh insights and is quite fascinating.

Recently, interest has been growing not only in "today's food" but also in "food in the near future." Hints for the near future derived from this year's "Near Future Mind Survey" have generated numerous inquiries from both inside and outside the company.

---

 

 

Content-linked MD development opens new possibilities

What is currently demanded in retail settings? Takeshi Kanai of Dentsu Inc.'s Promotion Business Division, who visits retail locations nationwide, asserts that media content power holds the key to shifting from consumption of goods to consumption of experiences with added value. He discusses the "present" of retail settings and the development and direction of Dentsu Inc.'s unique MD (merchandising) initiatives.

An Era Where Stories and Added Value Influence Purchasing Decisions

Prior to the consumption tax hike, the distribution industry feared it would dampen consumption. However, at least regarding "food," the actual impact has been minimal. In fact, we're seeing robust momentum. Walking through retail sites nationwide now, I strongly sense a shift: retailers are moving away from the old low-price strategy towards a mindset of "selling good products at fair prices."

In the retail industry, customers who have purchasing intent but haven't decided what to buy are called "shoppers." When these shoppers develop the mindset of "if it's good quality, I'm willing to pay a bit more" for everyday stock items like ramen, this attitude spreads to their purchases of fresh ingredients. It changes their buying behavior, leading them to think, "Maybe I'll get bok choy instead of bean sprouts today." Retailers are well aware that this synergy effect raises the average customer spend.

Another noteworthy point is the growing need for in-store promotions that align with both shoppers' and retailers' perspectives. For instance, instead of promoting condiments individually, present them as part of a menu suggestion alongside cabbage or pork belly. For retailers, this is preferable because it encourages sales of related items and fresh produce together.

Whether selling quality goods at fair prices or offering in-store menu suggestions, the key lies in convincing shoppers who are inclined to buy but undecided about what to purchase. Adding value that resonates with shoppers is essential. We often hear about the shift "from product consumption to experience consumption." We've entered an era where the story and added value a product offers to consumers significantly influence their purchasing decisions.

Not just shoppers, but a nudge for internal staff too

To encourage experience consumption, the power of media content can be highly effective at the point of sale. Over the past few years, I've focused my efforts on how to effectively leverage media content power within the retail environment.

One example I worked on involved using the logo and music from the NHK morning drama "Teppan" to develop in-store dining table proposals. Teppan is a drama set in an okonomiyaki restaurant. At supermarkets, "flour-based foods" like okonomiyaki sell well from January to March. For busy housewives after the hectic New Year period, it offers a bit of a shortcut, and kids enjoy the fun of sizzling "iron plate foods" they can cook themselves.

Aligning with this peak demand period, we proposed an in-store sales promotion campaign that included not only okonomiyaki products themselves, but also related ingredients, cooking oil, seasonings, and even beer. The result was highly praised by both the stores and the manufacturers. While we conducted thorough negotiations with NHK beforehand, the morning drama is truly national content, so its ability to drive shoppers was substantial.

Similarly, the previous NHK morning drama "Gochisousan" had "food" as its central theme, making it another perfect fit. This time, we partnered with a major wholesaler to launch a successful integrated sales promotion campaign uniting manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers.

In fact, such promotional proposals resonate strongly not only with shoppers but also with "inner staff" – the sales associates responsible for in-store sales. Like the increasingly common in-store cooking demonstrations, they create opportunities to foster communication between inner staff and shoppers. For management, enhancing inner staff communication skills is also a key challenge in talent development. We see our role as giving inner staff that extra push alongside shoppers as a major theme.

In this sense, effectively leveraging media content power for in-store merchandising (MD) will become increasingly vital as a "food solution." This necessitates meticulous analysis of food-related information exposure in media. By analyzing seasonal exposure trends, we can proactively set up in-store triggers that prompt shoppers to recall, "Oh, I saw this on TV recently." Grasping the flow of information—the "information flow"—will significantly impact the "commercial flow."

We are currently promoting the development of a new MD approach called DCMD (Dentsu Contents-based Merchandising), which matches retail MD with content. The key factors here remain shoppers' resonance with added value and boosting motivation for in-store promotions. These two elements will undoubtedly become indispensable focal points in the sales strategies of future retailers and manufacturers.

---

Up Table

Comprehensive capabilities to create original food worlds

UpTable is a company that solves corporate challenges by creating original food worlds. Founded in 2012, its location in Tsukiji—the world's premier food distribution hub—is symbolic.

Clients extend beyond food manufacturers to diverse industries. Services include food product development, brand creation, sales channel development, and media exposure coordination. The scope of work varies widely based on each company's specific challenges. Original foods for corporate campaigns, exclusive gifts featuring top pastry chefs, recipes and products developed in collaboration with renowned chefs, groundbreaking new menus. The list of creations is endless, yet one constant remains: the relentless pursuit of originality. The high added value of "something unique" and "something unprecedented" garners significant acclaim.

A major secret enabling this is the company's vast network of food creators. The list features names of Japan's leading chefs and pastry chefs.

"This network is our treasure. But honestly, it's not enough on its own," says Tetsu Komatsu, Director of the company. "To deliver outputs that solve client companies' challenges, it's essential to incorporate creative power."

The company then leverages its network of factories and wholesalers to turn these ideas into products. "In the food world, where safety and security are paramount, this is only possible with the underlying support of product manufacturing management expertise," Komatsu explains.

Uptable's uniqueness lies in its comprehensive ability to "cook" together top chefs, factories, and various distribution networks.

---

Delicious Food Producer

Consumer-Participation Regional Specialty Product Development Support Service

Launched jointly by Dentsu Inc. and Nifty in October 2013, "Delicious Food Producer" is a consumer-participation service supporting the development of regional specialty products. Internet users nationwide collaborate with local small and medium-sized businesses, from product development to sales promotion, to create "delicious food" through comments and surveys. It's a new marketing service connecting regions with the nation, and online with offline, while also partnering with regional banks.

Currently, 25 projects are under development. The service has over 15,000 online member users and partnerships with 8 banks. The first completed product, "Kiritanpo Nabe-Style Dumplings" (Akita Prefecture, Gyoza Keikaku), began sales this February. In April, the locally brewed beer "Buna no Mori" (Akita Prefecture, Warabi-za), using natural beech yeast, was relaunched with improved packaging design, demonstrating steady progress.

Shigetaka Nagamatsu of the "Umai Mon Producer" secretariat (Dentsu Inc. Platform Business Bureau) expressed enthusiasm for expanding the service: "Amid growing demands for the sixth industrialization of food, we're working not just to do something for rural areas, but to help them gain the strength to stand on their own. We want to leverage Dentsu Inc.'s regional network capabilities and marketing solutions."
Umai Mon Producer　umaimon-p.nifty.com/

---

Tabe Aru King

An all-star team formed by food-travelling experts with strong information dissemination capabilities

Social media has become one of the most influential media platforms today. "Tabe Aru King" was developed by the Food Curators Association, with the cooperation of DENTSU SOKEN INC.'s "Food Lifestyle Lab," as a new form of food communication tool for this SNS society. It is a powerful collective where Japan's top-tier "food influencers," active primarily on blogs and SNS but also in mass media, come together as a team. Driven by their shared passion—"Revitalizing Japan through food!"—they undertake diverse team activities, including corporate collaborations and media appearances. Information from companies is transformed by this team into consumer-focused content, evolving into user-engaging campaigns centered on SNS.

The Tabe Aru King members include 27 influential figures across various genres: Sweets King's Sweets Boss (Photo ①), who sparked the "sweets-loving guys" trend; Ramen King, Mr. Hideyuki Ishigami (Photo ②), known as the Ramen King; and Foreign Deb Hashii (Photo ③), famous for his blog with 2 million monthly views. It will be fascinating to see what movements emerge from the information shared by these masters of eating out.

---

Cookoo and Spoon

Gently and playfully conveying the charm of food

Cookoo is a mysterious creature born from a chef's hat. Spoon is a girl who loves delicious food. They are friends and live together. Their series, "Cookoo and Spoon's Delicious Everyday," is currently serialized simultaneously in three magazines for homemakers: ESSE, Thank You!, and Lettuce Club.

These close friends also play a role in corporate solutions. Within the magazines, they talk about corporate products and convey their appeal. They even go beyond the pages, becoming content for corporate websites and in-store leaflets, and collaborating with social media.
Ayaka Miyawaki from Dentsu Inc. Publishing Business Production Bureau, a member of the Cookoo and Spoon development team, states: "Just as pancakes in picture books look incredibly delicious, we want to cultivate Cookoo and Spoon as characters that evoke thoughts of tasty food, positioning them close to the act of eating. Starting with the July magazine issue, we plan to enhance Cookoo's appeal and refresh the series."
Cookoo and Spoon are not just cute characters.

---

Food Action Nippon

Food Action Nippon is an initiative driven by private companies, organizations, and government agencies working together to expand consumption of domestically produced agricultural products, ensuring Japan's food legacy for future generations. To boost food self-sufficiency rates, it actively promotes initiatives like the "Koku-Po Campaign" domestic product support point program and collaborations with diverse sectors such as healthcare, welfare, and tourism. As part of this initiative, the "Food Action Nippon Award 2014" was established. It invites the public to nominate businesses and organizations contributing to improving food self-sufficiency rates, recognizing outstanding efforts. Applications are being accepted until August 11th, aiming to widely disseminate activities promoting increased food self-sufficiency throughout society.

---

Japan Food Festa 2014
Local Produce National Grand Prize

Since 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has designated November as the "Festival Month for Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries." The Japan Food Festa, held in early November, serves as the kickoff event for this festival month. This initiative aims to deepen bonds between producers and consumers, as well as between Japan and the world, to widely communicate the outstanding value of Japan's agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food industry, and rural communities, and to rebuild the Japan brand. Last year, it attracted approximately 195,000 visitors. This year, it will be held on November 1st and 2nd in Marunouchi, Tokyo. The main content, the "Local Food National Awards," is a contest that solicits outstanding foods from across Japan to determine the grand prize winner. The submission period is scheduled for mid-June to mid-August.

---

Meat Festival

The "Meat Festival," held for the first time in early May this year, took place during Golden Week at Komazawa Park with meat as its theme. All elements were well-received, resulting in a huge success. The 290,000 visitors over five days greatly exceeded the organizers' expectations. The event was hosted by "Food Nations," a group consisting of four companies including Dentsu Inc. Next year, they aim to further upgrade the event by improving operations to minimize visitor wait times. Food Nations, which has connections with embassies and other entities, is also considering holding food events overseas in the future.

---

Japan Pavilion at Expo Milano

The theme of the "2015 Milan International Exposition" is "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life." Participating countries and regions/international organizations (as of April 2014) total 147, with the event running from May to October. The Japan Pavilion, themed "Harmonious Diversity," is the largest among participating nations. It will communicate how Japan's diverse food culture holds significant potential for solving global challenges. Its symbol mark, featuring chopsticks, embodies Japanese values like "Itadakimasu" (Let's eat), "Gochisousama" (Thank you for the meal), "Mottainai" (What a waste), and "Osusowake" (Sharing).