Creative from a Management Strategy Perspective

Creative techniques aren't solely for advertising expressions like mass media ads. Words, design, concepts. Designing and realizing how to communicate. Utilizing these techniques across all aspects of management to drive business forward. Communicating accurately, of course, but also stirring hearts. Uniting everyone's feelings and setting the direction forward.

This series will introduce such creative examples based on insights from those involved.

For the first installment, we spoke with Ms. Kayoko Mori of the Management Strategy Department about the story behind the movie created to express the group's newly formulated corporate philosophy, launched to mark Morinaga & Co.'s 120th anniversary.

Written by: Web Dentsu Inc. Editorial Department

From Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Group "OUR PHILOSOPHY ~Movie~"

 Establishing a New Corporate Philosophy

"At this milestone of our 120th anniversary, we reviewed our previous corporate philosophy. The newly formulated philosophy was created by gathering input from many employees and through extensive discussions among management. I believe it embodies the sentiments of all Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Group employees," stated Mr. Mori. The impetus for formulating the corporate philosophy came from President Eijiro Ota's belief that "to achieve further growth, it is essential to revisit our founding spirit and history, envision the future we aim for, and share this vision with all employees." The president himself called on all employees to gather their opinions.
 

Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Group Corporate Philosophy

■Click here for the Morinaga & Co. Group Corporate Philosophy

The goal was to share the corporate philosophy with all group employees

"We created four major materials as tools to communicate the corporate philosophy: a dedicated website, a video message from the president, OUR PHILOSOPHY ~Book~ (a book embodying the corporate philosophy), and OUR PHILOSOPHY ~Movie~ (a video embodying the corporate philosophy)," Mr. Mori recalls. The primary purpose of creating these materials was "to serve as the first step in permeating the corporate philosophy, ensuring employees first knew the philosophy had been renewed and understood its content." The key focus was "communicating it thoroughly to every employee" and "ensuring it was firmly retained in their memory." "Considering how to reach all employees across diverse roles and positions, we planned to create various materials—web content, print materials, and more. Then, thinking about how to make it memorable, we wondered if there was a more impactful way to convey it. That's when we consulted Dentsu Inc., which became the catalyst for creating the movie."
 

From Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Group "OUR PHILOSOPHY ~Movie~"

The appeal of creativity lies in its "breadth of ideas"

The movie production was carried out in collaboration with Dentsu Inc.'s creative team. According to Mr. Mori, because the Management Strategy department typically doesn't interact with advertising creatives, there was some initial hesitation. "Actually, what came out initially was different from what we requested," Mr. Mori explains. "As I mentioned earlier, the purpose of creating this movie was to clearly communicate our newly revised corporate philosophy and its content to our employees. Our most important task was to clearly convey the new, systematized corporate philosophy: Purpose, Vision, and Values. However, the proposal from the creative team centered on the phrase we've long used: 'Delicious, Fun, and Healthy.'"

The proposal from the Dentsu Inc. creative team was as follows: "We believe 'Delicious, Fun, and Healthy'—a phrase Morinaga has championed for many years—is truly wonderful for a food company. Shouldn't you treasure this phrase, which is also an asset of Morinaga? Using this catchy phrase, which is easily understood by people outside the company, could be an option for creating a video that communicates effectively both internally and externally."

Mr. Mori himself understood the importance of "Delicious, Fun, and Healthy" and considered it a phrase he wanted to continue valuing. It is also featured as the corporate message in the current corporate philosophy. "However, hearing the creative team express it that way made me truly realize the significance and importance of 'Delicious, Fun, and Healthy,' even though we had been using it so naturally until then. Also, initially, we hadn't really considered the perspective of external communication, so it helped us recognize a new viewpoint," he recalls.

After that, through discussions and trial and error with the creative team, we developed the movie currently featured on our website. It successfully combines the "new elements we definitely wanted to convey" with the "elements that haven't changed but still need to be communicated."

■Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Group "OUR PHILOSOPHY ~Movie~" can be viewed here

The closing narration of the movie states: "Delicious, enjoyable, and healthy. We believe in the infinite potential of these words and will continue to evolve alongside this enduring message." "I thought it was truly wonderful," said Mr. Mori. "Packing the sentiment into such a concise statement without any waste. The way those words were woven together made me appreciate that this is the skill of a professional."

Reflecting on the project, Mori noted initial hesitation but ultimately a positive outcome. "The creative team's breadth of ideas was also a huge help. They proposed various approaches: 'If you want to explain the corporate philosophy in detail, try this expression. If you want to convey an emotional image, try this. If you're somewhere in between...' That helped me visualize something concrete, like 'Ah, this might be close to what I imagined.'"
 

From Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Group "OUR PHILOSOPHY ~Movie~"

Creating Something That Resonates

"I learned there are many techniques for touching hearts," says Mr. Mori. Even with just the movie narration, the impact changes depending on whether it's a male or female voice, or whether the tone is high or low. By trying various patterns, the answer emerges: "Ah, this matches the image we want to convey." "I'm truly grateful to the creative team for their patience in working with us until we found the perfect match. I felt they were people who always approached their work with sincerity, striving to create something that resonates with the heart."

Ms. Kayoko Mori, Management Strategy Department, Morinaga & Co., Ltd.

As a Steward of Food Culture

At the end of the interview, I asked Ms. Mori about "food culture." "I understand why historical buildings or expensive paintings are recognized as culture, but isn't it strange to think that daily food, meant to sustain life, could become culture?"

Ms. Mori responded: "Since 'food culture' is a term we use commonly, I haven't really found it strange... However, if culture means creating something new that didn't exist before, having it accepted by customers, and then seeing it seamlessly integrate into daily life until it becomes indispensable – then as a comprehensive food manufacturer, I believe we should always strive to remain stewards of food culture."

One of Morinaga Confectionery's flagship products is "in Jelly." Its pouch format allows for easy, one-handed consumption. Though now the top-selling jelly drink, this product didn't exist when it launched in 1994. Yet today, it's an everyday staple. It perfectly fits modern lifestyles—providing nutrition when appetite is low or diets are unbalanced, or satisfying hunger pangs when time is tight.

Looking back, even the creation of Milk Caramel began with the founder's strong desire to deliver nutritious confections to the Japanese people, starting with introducing Western sweets that were then unfamiliar in Japan. Morinaga Confectionery has undoubtedly been a key player in Japan's food culture, and will surely continue to create such products. This is neither flattery nor exaggeration. It is both historical fact and a hope for the future.