[Satoshi Akutsu × Takashi Asaoka Dialogue] Brand Marketing for the Future (Part 3)

Part 3: Brand Management in the Customer-Centric Marketing Era

The third theme is "Brand Management in the Era of Customer-Centric Marketing." We've moved beyond an era where selling goods as exchange value was the goal; now, designing the customer's brand experience is essential. How can we refresh a brand while advancing this design? We discussed this, including the role of advertising in the customer-centric marketing era.

 

"Things," "Individual Matters," and "Collective Matters" Are All Connected

 

Asaoka: While new terms like service design and customer experience design are used, the foundation is "brand design." As brand experiences become critically important for both customers and brands, it leads to the concept of designing the brand experience itself. For companies, this isn't just about reevaluating or strengthening their brand; it could fundamentally change their marketing model. Looking at the trajectory over the next six months to a year, I believe companies will shift their focus in this direction, and our service offerings will also pivot accordingly.

Akutsu: With social media becoming so ubiquitous, the brand design process itself must change. Rather than forcing it into a large framework, start small, gather customer feedback, and iterate through trial and error. As you do this, if it gains momentum, it will scale rapidly. It seems we're entering an era where those with experience in numerous iterations – those with the drive to act – hold the advantage.

Asaoka: The concept of customer experience design was previously referred to as contact points or touchpoints. While the shift from "things to experiences" has been discussed for some time, the value of addressing the "individual" wasn't widely shared, and the relationship between companies and customers was largely one-to-one. The advent of the social media era suddenly brought customer experience design—the creation of customer experience frameworks—into focus. This shifted from closed, individual value to experiences shared among customers and fed back to companies. Conversely, corporate messaging can also alter customer perceptions. We see highly dynamic shifts, like changing how a community is perceived.

Akutsu: Around the time we were talking about the shift "from things to experiences," regional branding was simultaneously gaining traction in the brand world. Local governments were actively creating characters, like the "yuru-chara" mascots, to differentiate themselves. After the initial character boom subsided, it made a comeback riding a new wave of consumption—one focused not on the individual, but on shared excitement and collective engagement. I believe the revival of "yuru-chara" through events like the "National Local Character Competition" reflects this new consumer culture.

Asaoka: So "things," "individual matters," and "shared matters" aren't separate but all interconnected. We discussed spiral-in and spiral-out; this is about building brands as a single management model called "co-creation."

Akutsu: Exactly. Since "things," "individual experiences," and "group experiences" interact, if we can convert these connections into energy, brand renewal becomes possible. Previously, forming a brand community was difficult unless the brand proposed a lifestyle. But with the spread of SNS, that seems like a thing of the past. Here's another example: A company whose main products are tomato drinks and foods distributed tomato seedlings and created a gardening community to grow them together. It started small but gained momentum rapidly. Beginning with the growing process, it culminated in a recipe contest using the harvested tomatoes. The organizer never mentioned their products to participants, yet participants talked about the company everywhere. Before they knew it, participants were buying far more of the company's products than non-participants... Now, with the right approach, any brand can achieve this. It doesn't even require a large budget. This is where marketers can really show their skills.

 

In the era of customer-centric marketing, what should advertising look like?

 

Asaoka: In the era of mass-produced goods following the high-growth period, products were made in factories, creating a barrier between customers and companies. Now, companies are investing heavily in creating touchpoints mid-process—like factory tours—to actively cultivate customer connections. Customers who experience the production firsthand translate that brand experience, craft their own stories, and share them, creating a structure where word spreads gradually. My question for you, Professor, is about advertising's role. In this era of customer-centric marketing, what role do you believe advertising should play?

Akutsu: I believe brand consulting will undoubtedly become a larger part of advertising agencies' work. Since this skill is cultivated through experience, the know-how accumulated by agencies—who assist multiple diverse companies—will hold greater value than that limited to in-house brand experience at corporate clients. In this sense, I think advertising agencies can provide valuable services to clients. Amidst major shifts in consumer culture, I hope they will continuously drive innovation that breaks free from traditional advertising paradigms.

Asaoka: Speaking with you has clarified several points for me. One is that controlling the value of brand equity is crucial in brand management. Regarding brand flow, a new model—spiral-in, spiral-out—has also emerged. There's this "in and out" concept involving customer feedback or customers sharing their brand experiences with others, and the speed of this input and output is significant. I don't think brands have ever been discussed in terms of speed before, but the sense of speed in flow should hold great meaning for future brand marketing. Since stock value is already established, minor adjustments might suffice. Flow, however, still has much room for research. I thought we might need not just the number of "likes," but also some kind of speedometer-like benchmark.

Akutsu: Regarding flow, one approach might be to quantify actions like "search," "purchase," and "share" from new perspectives—such as their interrelationships, speed, and influence on others. Also, listening to you just now, I felt something was missing from "Search," "Purchase," and "Share"—there's also "Evaluation." Behind "Evaluation" lie psychological constructs like "empathy," which could also be used as metrics. Compared to the era focused solely on stock, the number of measurable metrics will multiply many times over. Therefore, effectively selecting and prioritizing them, and building systems to track strategically valuable metrics will become crucial.

Asaoka: First, view stock and flow as a single system. As society changes rapidly and we enter the social media era, we tend to focus solely on the value of flow while neglecting stock. The model of using mass advertising to promote the value of the product itself (stock) is outdated. While it may seem correct, it's a significant mistake. Connecting the value of stock and flow is crucial, and a customer-centric perspective is indispensable for this. I feel I've gained new insights for brand design. Thank you for today.

Akutsu: Thank you very much.