What we needed in an era of sluggish sales was "obsession."

We often hear phrases like "The era where making good products guarantees sales is over." And it's true – today's world is overflowing with quality goods. Everything is good, but it's also an era where anything will do.

Furthermore, as lifestyles, ways of working, and how we access information continue to diversify, what consumers perceive as "good" and the moments they deem "good" are also becoming increasingly diverse and fragmented.

From the perspective of product and brand creators, the big challenge is figuring out which customers to connect with and how to connect with them, so that they choose "this is good" from among "anything will do" and keep choosing it.

Amidst this, the focus is shifting away from mass marketing—which targets large numbers of people—toward "fan marketing." This approach prioritizes building deep, lasting connections with customers who genuinely love the product or brand.

In his book published last year, "Fanbase: How to Be Supported, Loved, and Keep Selling Long-Term" (Chikuma Shinsho/2018), Sato Naoyuki (known as "Satonao") advocates the concept of "Fanbase" – building sales and value over the medium to long term based on fans. This highlights how the existence of "fans" is becoming increasingly important in corporate and brand marketing activities.

(Reference Article) "Fanbase" Makes the World More Enjoyable. Sales Accelerates It. https://dentsu-ho.com/articles/6039

According to the Pareto Principle, the top 20% of all customers generate 80% of sales. There's no doubt that fans are the cornerstone of sales.

Fans Unlock the Psychology of Fandom

The book we introduce this time, "Strategy of Obsessive Love: 6 Switches to Ignite the Hearts of Fans" by Natsuko Ishihara (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha), also covers this "fan marketing." What sets this book apart from other fan marketing-related books is that the author herself is an extreme obsessive lover.

While working as a creative director on the sender's side, she is also a long-time, passionate fan of a certain artist. Drawing from her own history of extreme passion, she introduces strategies from the fan's (receiver's) perspective, step by step, as "Six Switches to Ignite the Fan's Heart." These strategies cover how people develop extreme passion, nurture that love, continue loving without leaving, and even connect to bring in new fans.

(Knowing firsthand how deeply the author himself adores his favorites, I can't help but think that if you could get fans who feel this level of passion, you'd be unbeatable. lol)

1. The "Companionship Switch" for Creating Contact
2. Deepen Obsession: "Special Treatment Switch"
3. The Word Power Switch: Maintaining Passion
4. Preventing Dropouts: The "Comradeship Switch"
5. The "Personal Connection Switch" Prompted by Fans
6. The "Spread Switch" that increases fans

Not all "purchasers" are necessarily "fans"

What exactly is a "fan" to a product or brand?
Someone who buys the product? Someone who says they like the brand?
In this book, "fans" are defined as

"people who hold a 'preferential love for the future'," meaning "people who look forward to the sender's 'next move'." (P.24-25)

To put it extremely, even someone who hasn't bought the product yet can be a fan if they hold expectations for the future of the company, brand, or product. If you can ignite that spark in their heart, there's a high possibility of building a deep, long-lasting connection.

Speaking for myself, this weekend while shopping at a department store, I bought a skirt I liked. However, I had never purchased clothing from that brand before, and I only bought the skirt because it happened to be my style. I don't know if I'll buy anything else from that brand in the future.

What's crucial for that brand's fan marketing isn't someone like me who just happened to buy a skirt. It's the existence of people who regularly check out the brand, eagerly await the next season's new releases, and hold expectations for the brand's "next move." The brand, as the sender, must stand in the shoes of these fans and continuously deliver that "next move" that meets their expectations.

In this world where trends come and go so quickly, becoming something that endures and is cherished

Have you ever had a strong passion for something? And do you still hold that passion today? Even if you've had such passions in the past, it's probably rare to maintain them indefinitely.

We often hear that "Japanese people get excited easily but lose interest quickly." Observing recent trends, it feels like the pace of what's in and out of fashion has accelerated even more than before.

Due to my work, I often talk with young people. When I ask, "What do you think of that thing that's popular right now?", it's not uncommon to get a response like, "Oh, that's already over and done with."

In this world of rapid trends, how can something become a lasting favorite rather than just a fleeting fad?

I believe it comes down to this: rather than focusing solely on immediate sales, creators must strategically invest in mechanisms to earn and sustain the affection of their fans. It requires the resolve to patiently invest time and money into this effort.

However, unlike traditional mass marketing, fan marketing doesn't yield immediately visible results. So, while many companies understand its importance, I get why they still hesitate to fully commit.

When you're on the sender side, it's easy to get caught up chasing immediate numbers and missions. But reading this book made me realize again the strength and warmth of fans' "passionate devotion." And that "fan marketing" is truly the happiest kind of marketing possible – one where you deeply consider the people who genuinely adore you, nurture that love together, grow together, and ultimately make both the receiver and the sender happy.

For those on the sending side—those putting products, services, content, and other offerings out into the world—I hope this book serves as a catalyst. I hope it encourages you to take another look at the fans who hold such affection for your offerings and to build relationships where you pursue mutual happiness together with your fans.

And I feel that if "fan marketing" becomes even more widespread from now on, it would be wonderful to see a world overflowing with beloved products and experiences.

※ Read the serialized column by Natsuko Ishihara, author of 'Strategy of Obsessive Love'

【Dentsu Inc. Modern Communication Lab】