Behind the Scenes at Mama Lab ②

── Do you see potential for future expansion?

Tanaka: The characters are already stepping out of the manga into promotional tools like in-store handouts and decorative emails. We want to expand that further. The main character is "Cat-Wearing Director," a mother of three who always takes off her cat mask at the end to speak her mind. It's interesting that, despite being aimed at housewives, she doesn't look like a typical housewife character but has the face of a product developer. We want to increase opportunities for her to be a bridge between developers and housewives, a place where both sides can speak their minds.

── Tell us about something you're working on now or plan to tackle in the future.

Tanaka: There are several, but one is focusing on moms' potential value. I want to approach things not just for the present, but by envisioning their future selves and thinking, "This would surely make them happier." For example, as more moms enter the workforce, what will actually happen? Products for moms, or how they shop, might change. Anticipating that will change how we do business, or the nature of products, or how we convey messages.

── Balancing work and childcare is definitely a hot topic.

Tanaka: That's right. We released a news article from Mama Lab titled " Direct Effects and Economic Ripple Effects of Housewives Re-entering the Workforce." We're proceeding by capturing macro-level changes while also watching how things shift at the micro level.

── How do you see things changing?

Tanaka: For example, dual-income households currently spend more on education and communication costs than households with stay-at-home mothers. As dual-income households increase, these expenditures are likely to rise. Automotive-related spending, dining out, prepared foods, and alcohol consumption are also likely to grow. Of course, it's not all positive effects. How to manage housework and childcare isn't just an economic issue; it's about lifestyle choices and values. Still, I think it's positive that the recognition is shifting—that balancing work with housework and childcare isn't just the homemaker's problem, but everyone's problem.

── What potential do you see in terms of value?

Tanaka: Work styles are diverse, and everyone has their own circumstances. It would be great to see more products and services that expand options, plus reliable information media to turn to when you're unsure. There's a certain pain in having choices, but personally, I think it's only by embracing that pain of choice that we can truly evolve. That said, moms won't be happy if we just analyze "this is how moms are now." So, as Mama Lab, we want to steadily continue activities that lead to tangible results – products and services that genuinely reach moms, events where moms can participate, and so on.

── Next time, we'll summarize the details on "The Economic Impact of Working Mothers."