The 11th Japan Marketing Awards Grand Prix Award Ceremony: "Pocari Sweat"

The Japan Marketing Association (JMA) held the award ceremony for the 11th Japan Marketing Awards (sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) on June 21 at the Akasaka Intercity Conference the AIR in Minato Ward, Tokyo.

The Japan Marketing Awards, launched in 2009 to commemorate JMA's 50th anniversary, aims to improve consumer lives and revitalize the economy and society by actively encouraging the development of new marketing and communication methods and business models by companies, local governments, and organizations. For this 11th edition, the previous "Grand Prize" was renamed "Grand Prix," and a new "Runner-up Grand Prix" category was established.

At the outset, JMA Chairman Sadayoshi Fujishige (Lion Corporation Advisor) explained, "From 151 nominations, following vigorous discussions within the Selection Committee, we decided on one Grand Prix, one Runner-up Grand Prix, five Encouragement Awards, and three Regional Awards." Selection Committee Chairman Satoru Takada (Director, The Asahi Shimbun Company) revealed, "The evaluation criteria focused not merely on popularity rankings of products or services, but on whether the initiatives were backed by solid marketing strategies and capable of withstanding historical evaluation."

Following this, introductory videos for each award-winning project were screened, and prizes were presented to all 10 projects.

The Grand Prix was awarded to Otsuka Pharmaceutical's "Pocari Sweat."
The award was given because, despite being a challenging product with a target user base (junior high and high school students) that changes every year, it succeeded in gaining empathy and resonance from its target audience through comprehensive marketing. It has established an image as a "brand that supports young people" and continues to expand its market.

Pocari Sweat, celebrating its 40th anniversary next year, launched a campaign under the slogan "Unleash your potential." "You are more than you imagine." The campaign utilized newspaper ads, outdoor advertising, TV commercials, SNS, YouTube, and other marketing channels. Its TV commercial, featuring a large group of young people dancing in perfect unison, conveyed the dynamism of youth and the power of teamwork to their peers, shaping the brand image of Pocari Sweat as "a brand that stands by and supports us."

During the intense heat of 2018, it recorded a 7.6% increase in purchase rate among teenagers compared to the previous year and a 9.4% increase in average purchase amount per buyer. Furthermore, its awareness campaigns emphasizing the importance of hydration and heatstroke prevention gained resonance across a wide range of generations.

Shin Inoue, Vice President of the company, introduced the corporate philosophy of "manufacturing innovative products that contribute to the health of people worldwide," explaining that the company has developed products backed by evidence from a medical perspective. He then discussed the rebranding of Pocari Sweat, which began in 2015: "Overlapping the youthful, positive image with the product's image made targeting young people a natural choice. We will continue to create products that are meaningful to young people."

The award-winning entries are as follows. Details can be viewed on the Japan Marketing Association's official website.

■Grand Prix
Pocari Sweat's Marketing: Aiming to Be a Brand That Stands by Junior High and High School Students
Otsuka Pharmaceutical

■ Runner-up Grand Prize (New Category)
Marketing for the manga "How Will You Live?"
Magazine House

■Encouragement Award
A Concert You Don't Listen to with Your Ears
Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra

"Drawing Refresh Happy"
Lotte

COGY: The Wheelchair for Those Who Never Give Up
TESS

Building a Regional Collaboration Marketing Platform with "Kobe Tartan"
Kobe Tartan Council

The Challenge of the Long-Established Bookstore "Yurindo"
Yurindo

■Regional Award
Hankyu Umeda Main Store Department Store Basement: "A Unique Strategy for Repeated Hits Through Collaborations with Food Manufacturers"
Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores

Minamishima Honsha! Home Delivery Cleaning Nexcy
Clustas

High Schools Transforming Towns: Decisions Made After School Closures
Mikasa City