Changing Communication and a New Perspective on Brand Theory: Part 2

Akamatsu: I believe there are two types of people: those who passively process information that flows to them, and others who actively seek out and gather information while processing the flow. The latter are the so-called market mavens. When we examine market mavens' behavior, we see they actively seek information not only through SNS and word-of-mouth apps, but also by purchasing magazines and checking company websites. Market Mavens are still a minority, but with smartphones lowering the cost of information exploration, their numbers are likely to grow significantly. Considering this, shouldn't we start thinking about how to communicate with Market Mavens going forward?

Kubota: You're absolutely right. Effective communication strategies differ between those who passively receive information and market mavens who actively seek and share it. How marketers approach each segment will be where their skills truly shine.
So, what kind of communication is effective for Market Mavens? What do you think, Professor Akamatsu?

Akamatsu: Market Mavens engage with a balanced range of information sources, but magazines surprisingly hold strong appeal for them. Magazines organize information into meaningful features. Moreover, you have to actively pay and go out to buy them. This differs significantly from the flow-based information delivery via TV that Professor Kubota mentioned, and that's precisely why it resonates with market mavens. However, even among similar media, newspapers' support rate doesn't differ significantly from non-market mavens. This is evident in the data.

Kubota: I believe we should be conscious that we are now in an "era where the sideways view is visible." Information used to flow one-way from companies to consumers, but we've shifted to an era of interactive information exchange from consumers to companies. Furthermore, we are now in an era where information is exchanged horizontally between consumers themselves – a CtoC era. That's precisely why the actions of market mavens have come to influence the purchasing and lifestyles of ordinary consumers.

However, in this era of visibility, negative information also becomes transparent and shared. In the past, favoring certain customers within a closed environment meant other consumers wouldn't find out. But now, favoring someone becomes completely visible. This makes it impossible to offer preferential treatment carelessly.

For example, even if you invite only market mavens to a special sale to promote it, there's a risk that other consumers will react with "That's unfair. That company is terrible." Overseas, research is actively emerging on the negative effects of such customer discrimination, often framed as the "dark side of CRM." While market mavens hold significant influence in this transparent era, it's crucial not to forget that if approached incorrectly, it can backfire and spread negative perceptions.

Do Recommendations Resonate with Consumers?

Kubota: Professor Akamatsu, how do you view product recommendations? Since they suggest items tailored to you based on big data, they might be effective for those who passively process information. But what's the reality?

Akamatsu: For example, if you hold your ID up at a vending machine and it recommends juice based on your past purchases, would you buy it? My gut feeling is that I might buy something recommended by a market maven, but if a machine suggests it, I'd be a bit skeptical.

Kubota: I feel the same way. When shopping online, you get all sorts of recommendations, but if you only encounter information tailored just for you, there's no room for new discoveries or surprises. That's why I don't find it very appealing. Even Amazon, which I think does recommendations relatively well, is like that. If you're seeking new discoveries or surprises, for now, you might be better off going to a physical store and browsing the shelves. It's inefficient as a way to interact with information, but I still want to encounter unknown worlds. I think what's missing from current recommendation systems is that "fresh sense of surprise."

Akamatsu: Isn't satisfying both the need for new discoveries and a certain level of efficiency the defining feature of market mavens? One bookstore runs a service where they ask customers to send them a letter, read it, and then select and send back 10 or 20 books perfectly suited to that customer. While they're on the seller's side as a bookstore, from the customer's perspective, they're a market maven standing on the same side as them.

Kubota: In that sense, MarketMaven functions as a substitute for a brand. "If that person says it, it must be right" is equivalent to the brand's reputation function, like "That brand is reliable" or "They must have good products."

Japanese People Who Cross-Over Themselves with Brands

Kubota: Finally, let's briefly discuss globalization. Many global mega-brands originate in the US and are continuously entering Japan. However, the nature of brand relationships differs between the US and Japan. Westerners hold a self-concept of individual independence. Consequently, in their relationship with brands, there's a strong notion of two distinct entities being bonded together. In contrast, the Japanese self-concept blurs the boundaries between self and others. Their relationship with brands feels less like bonding and more like a sense of unity or crossover with the self.

If the nature of brand relationships differs between Japan and the West, it seems plausible that even if global brands enter Japan with the same concept, they might struggle to fully permeate Japanese lifestyles. However, it's also possible that younger generations' self-concepts will become more Westernized, leading to greater acceptance of Western-style brand relationships. As the Japanese market globalizes further, this issue will likely gain attention. In 10 or 20 years, I'll be retired, so I'd love to see younger scholars like Professor Akamatsu take up this research (laughs).

Akamatsu: Are you suggesting that brand value and structure might differ between the West and Japan?

Kubota: For example, Keller's Brand Resonance Pyramid, which you mentioned earlier, is a fundamental model, so I don't think it's specific to East or West. However, when it comes to applying the basic theory, we probably need to consider differences in culture and era.

Akamatsu: If the relationship between brands and consumers varies by culture, we should probably also consider that word-of-mouth among consumers and the influence of market makers might differ. While various empirical studies are emerging overseas, Japan needs to conduct its own research. That really brought things into sharp focus. Thank you very much for today.

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