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【Continued】Local Gurgle [1]No regrets in a life of chasing dreams
Dentsu Inc. has a methodology for generating ideas. And it can be applied not only to "advertising" but broadly across all fields requiring innovation. We'll explore this concept using delicious foods from across Japan as our subject.
According to Professor Emeritus Ikujiro Nonaka of Hitotsubashi University, commitment is essential for innovation. He emphasizes the importance of engaging physically and personally, rather than merely using one's mind for logical, objective criticism.
Actress Yuki Kudo is a master of this commitment.
One of her signature works is Jim Jarmusch's "Mystery Train." When the lead role of Mitsuko was about to go to another actress, Kudo—then 17 and lacking sufficient English skills—reportedly called the director internationally and simply repeated, "She is just like me! You never regret!"
It was precisely because she threw herself wholeheartedly into the difficult situation before her that she succeeded in achieving the life innovation of transforming from a "not-quite-successful idol" into a "Hollywood actress."
That same Kudo is now farming at the foot of Mount Fuji. She has vast land, keeps two clever sheep named Yuki and Saki that eat weeds, has obtained organic JAS certification, and makes sake from rice cultivated using the duck farming method...
She is seriously, wholeheartedly dedicated to food. The freshly harvested vegetables you can enjoy at her attached cafe are incredibly delicious!
And yet, the film she starred in, 'Karakara' (released January 2013), won two awards at the Montreal World Film Festival. Balancing actress and farmer. That too is surely a life innovation.
I tend to get passionate when this topic comes up, but it can't be helped. I've been a fan since her debut in 1984. Now, I'm one of only two people left (the other being O-san, who lives in Tokyo) – a rare existence indeed.
Just the other day at a concert, Ms. Kudo introduced me on stage, saying, "Today, Yamada-kun, who's been my devoted fan all along, is here too." I blushed so hard I thought I might die.
But enough digressions.
When it comes to innovation or management theory, things tend to get suddenly complicated and theoretical. But at its core, passionate commitment is human drama. As Professor Ken Kusunoki's bestseller 'Competitive Strategy as Story' also states, it should be an "interesting" story.
For this column, I wanted a theme I could connect with emotionally, something I could pour my heart into. So, I decided to follow Kudo-san's recent focus on "food" and use it as a lens to explore innovation and ideas. After all, delicious food is just plain fun, right?
Exquisite delicacies from all over Japan, discovered through travels and the online marketplace 47CLUB Inc., will be featured one after another.
Enjoy!
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Author
Sōo Yamada
Dentsu Inc.
Meiji Gakuin University Part-time Lecturer (Business Administration) Using "concept quality management" as its core technique, this approach addresses everything from advertising campaigns and TV program production to new product/business development and revitalizing existing businesses and organizations—all through a unique "indwelling" style that immerses itself in the client's environment. Founder of the consulting service "Indwelling Creators." Served as a juror at the 2009 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (Media category), among other roles. Recipient of numerous awards. His books, "The Textbook of Ideas: Dentsu Inc.'s Circular Thinking" and "How to Create Concepts: Dentsu Inc.'s Ideation Methods Useful for Product Development" (both published by Asahi Shimbun Publications), have been translated and published overseas (in English, Thai, and the former also in Korean).
