"Crisis Consumption" by Manager K, "Health Anxiety Consumption" by Tami, "Popularity Consumption" by Motohiro: Office Chatter

Continuing from last time, let's explore another pair of scenarios in the theater of wellness product purchasing behavior. This time, we'll introduce three patterns: "crisis consumption," which likely resonates with the most people; "body type anxiety consumption," where gender differences are significant; and "attractiveness consumption," which is currently less common but seems poised to grow.

In the September office, where the lingering summer sun shone sharply, between the valleys of desks piled high with documents:

Tomi: Brrr...! It's freezing in here! The AC is way too strong!
(Characteristic: "Body Type Anxiety" - Suffers from poor circulation)

Manager K: Are you okay? If we raise the temperature any more, everyone else will get too hot... Your sensitivity to cold is pretty severe, huh.

T-mi: Hmm, maybe I should try buying that tea everyone says is good for cold sensitivity...
But cold sensitivity is everyone's enemy, right? It might even be related to that belly fat you're worried about, Manager.
(Constitution Anxiety trait: 31.2% tend to reach for products marketed as good for cold sensitivity or tailored to their constitution)

K Manager: Huh, really? Does getting cold make you gain weight?
(Crisis trait: Concerned about body fat/neutral fat)

T-mi: I feel like it might slow down your metabolism... I gain weight easily too.
Come to think of it, Muto-kun never gains weight, does he? Even though he seems to go to a lot of drinking parties. Do you have some secret or something?
(Constitution Concerns: Low basal metabolism is a worry)

Muto: Surprisingly, I'm pretty careful about it. Being slim makes me more popular, you know.
But you're dieting pretty hard too, aren't you, Manager?
("Popularity" trait: Dieting is for being popular 21.5%)

K-san: Well, I was doing it, but... the health checkup's over now, so...
("Crisis" trait: After the health checkup, they revert to their old lifestyle 19.8%)

Muto: Let's do it together again sometime. I found this awesome izakaya that specializes in healthy snacks. Wanna go next time? It's got a lot of women, but I think middle-aged guys who are health-conscious are pretty cool too.
("Popularity" trait: People/places that focus on health- and beauty-conscious ingredients/dishes are stylish - 25.2%)

K-san: Awareness? I don't usually think about it. Though when the checkup said "Watch out for lifestyle-related diseases," that definitely got me thinking.
("Crisis" characteristic: Becoming health-conscious after a health checkup pointed out signs of lifestyle-related diseases: 25.7%)

T-mi: Guys these days are way too health-conscious, right? M-to-kun, you take supplements too, don't you? Manager, if you keep this up, they'll start recommending supplements to you too.
("Popularity" characteristic: Actively wants to take nutritional supplements like vitamins 52.0%)

Manager K: I'm barely managing to keep up with my functional foods. Let's skip the izakaya this time. Come on, back to work.
("Crisis" characteristic: Recently bought Tokuho tea 27.7%)

T-chan: Ugh, it's cold and I feel so sluggish. I think I'll skip overtime today, do some yoga, and grab some medicinal hot pot before heading home.
(“Constitution Anxiety” trait: When feeling unwell, tends to try improving through diet or exercise 35.5%)

What do you think? Did images of "crisis consumption," "health concern consumption," and "popularity consumption" come to mind?

Surveys also show that the score for "frequently discussing health with others" jumped significantly in 2012. Don't you think these kinds of health-related conversations are happening here and there in your office too?

 

Here's a handy tidbit for such casual chats. The decision to host the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo has finally been made. This might inspire some of you to start exercising.
And if you're going to commit, you'll want to see results, right? That's where activity trackers, often called smart trackers, come in handy. This market has really taken off lately, with stylish wristband designs and advanced models that track not just activity but also sleep patterns. Data is managed via apps or websites, often visualized with graphs for visual appeal. Moderate exercise feels good, so even if you start just for the gear, you might find yourself getting hooked.