Four Keywords Marketers Are Watching Now

This series, based on the new book " The Hit-Making Research Method Textbook by a Current Dentsu Inc. Strategic Planner" by Ayaka Asami, a current strategic planner at Dentsu Inc., shares research methods that directly lead to business success.

Continuing from last time, we present a dialogue between brand researcher Shusaku Hirota, who published What Are Global Marketers Thinking About Now?, and Asami, from the talk event "What Will Happen to Marketing from Here On?" held at Aoyama Book Center. The two, who specialize in strategy development and marketing support centered on research, discussed keywords that unravel the future of marketing and tips for effective research.

Four Marketing Keywords Marketers Are Focusing On Now

Hirota: Since our theme is "What's Next for Marketing?", I'd like us to each propose keywords that unravel the future of marketing from our respective marketer perspectives. What do you think, Asami?

Asami: As I wrote in my book, I believe " inclusive marketing " will become mainstream. Simply put, it's about creating spaces where diverse people can comfortably coexist.

For example, EONE watches are products specifically tailored to the needs of visually impaired individuals, yet they are also convenient, beautiful, and desirable products for people without visual impairments. This approach involves focusing on the needs of one group to create something that meets the needs of everyone.

Another approach involves companies proactively creating opportunities and spaces that embrace diversity and leverage it as value. The diversity of fashion models is a hot topic, and cosmetics brands that promote self-expression beyond traditional notions of masculinity or femininity have gained favor. Creating enjoyable spaces where everyone can spend time together, like shops displaying rainbow symbols indicating LGBT-friendliness, is also crucial.

Another approach is expanding previously unavailable options. Examples include offering a wider range of product sizes, creating dolls with wheelchairs or hearing aids, or allowing credit cards to be issued under common names.

The key to inclusive marketing is involving diverse people in the development process. This leads to the creation of valuable products and services like those mentioned earlier. Simply having diverse people present without allowing their unique personalities to shine is meaningless. Creating situations where everyone can speak from their own perspective is crucial. Utilizing the insights born from this in marketing is what constitutes "inclusive marketing."

Hirota: So new value emerges from diverse perspectives.

Asami: We're also focusing on the keyword " effortless." This conveys the idea of minimizing effort. In recent years, even in fashion and cosmetics, the insight has shifted from external perspectives to valuing one's own identity and personal comfort.

Looking at hit products, we see more items that accept a little sugar, like "low-sugar" instead of "zero-sugar." CBD-infused foods and cosmetics, which help relieve mental stress, also became a hot topic. I think this trend of moving away from strict, stoic effort towards a more relaxed approach is gaining momentum.

※1 CBD (Cannabidiol): A legal, natural compound derived from the cannabis plant. Known for its relaxing effects and reported benefits in alleviating pain and improving sleep. The WHO (World Health Organization) has recognized its safety and efficacy, noting it has no addictive properties.
 

Finally, I'd like to highlight the keyword "originality." In today's world overflowing with products, consumers are rigorously questioning whether items are truly worth purchasing. This is precisely why companies are increasingly required to accurately grasp their core value and assert their uniqueness.

I've heard that even in the publishing industry, the mindset of "publish enough and something will hit" is shifting. There's a growing trend toward carefully selecting content for publication, creating books with originality that will be cherished for a long time.

This has been lengthy, but I believe these three keywords hold the key to unlocking the future of marketing.

Hirota: These are truly excellent keywords that showcase Asami-san's research prowess to the fullest. I'd like to add the keyword "composability." I discovered it while continuing my research after publishing my own book, and it's a term I wish I had included in my book.

" Composability " is a term originating from the systems world, often translated in Japanese as "構成可能性" (kōseibōsō). It refers to the ability to flexibly reassemble multiple elements.

We're currently living right on the cusp of transitioning from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0. That's why topics like NFTs and the metaverse have been gaining traction since last year. I understand the potential of Web 3.0 lies in " composability."

Asami: So it's a keyword related to Web3.0.

Hirota: Exactly. To explain a bit: Web 1.0 was the era of creating homepages. Web 2.0 brought the ability to post content. Web 2.0 means being able to write on Facebook or Twitter, upload your photos on Instagram, or post your own reviews and ratings on sites like Tabelog.

Concerns have emerged about Web 2.0's problem of certain platform operators becoming too powerful. Professor Shoshana Zuboff of Harvard University points out in her book "Surveillance Capitalism" that "When you upload a photo to social media, you are not a user; you are the product of that social media platform." In other words, when users post content, they are essentially doing work for the platform operator, which then profits from advertising.

In the Web3.0 world, intellectual property (IP), personal photos, and other content will be guaranteed as assets owned by individuals. Services will run on blockchain, meaning content is fundamentally copyable, but payment will be required. This facilitates easier integration and sharing with other services.

While Web 2.0 also has the concept of API integration (※2), services fundamentally don't connect, creating monopolistic markets. For example, you can't listen to a Shopify song on Apple Music or play a full song on Twitter. In Web 3.0, we won't say "connect via API" but rather "high composability." This means high adaptability, making collaboration with various products and services much easier.

※2 API: Stands for "Application Programming Interface," a mechanism that connects parts of functionality between different software.
 

Asami: So adaptability becomes crucial for companies too?

Hirota: Yes. Composability is indeed gaining attention as a key management concept. Companies that can flexibly restructure their organizations and businesses to adapt to this rapidly changing era, or form collaborative relationships with other companies, are said to have high composability. This connects to the " inclusive " keyword you mentioned, Asami, and also ensures that " originality " is properly safeguarded.

As this becomes increasingly vital, companies in the US that excel at "culture composability" – effectively composing their culture – are thriving. Simply knowing technology isn't enough; companies that aren't knowledgeable about music, movies, or TV dramas are being left behind.

Web 2.0 was driven by advertising concepts, but Web 3.0 is shifting toward finding like-minded partners. It's evolving into a model where everyone can grow without monopolization. So, rather than starting with "let's run ads," the mindset shifts to "how do we find cooperative and collaborative relationships?" in the Web 3.0 era. Keywords like " inclusion," " cordless," and " building cooperative relationships " might become central.

In a way, the relative value of conducting proper research and uncovering insights increases, and the value of creativity itself rises. This also connects to the keyword " originality."

High-resolution insights are found in "play"

Asami: Over the past two sessions, we've discussed the role research plays in today's era and the future outlook for marketing. Finally, for those who've developed an interest in research, I'd like to share some tips for getting started right away.

First, I recommend the "Case Study Collection Template." This is a simple template you prepare for researching promising case studies. Everyone fills it out with details like the case summary, interesting points, the planner's analytical perspective, and the key takeaway. At GIRL'S GOOD LAB, the women's marketing specialist team I belong to at Dentsu Inc., we regularly use this template to share case studies and brainstorm new ideas together.

When researching with a team, try to divide roles based on individual strengths whenever possible. Information that seems obvious to one person can become a fresh insight for others. By looking at the collected cases holistically or combining them, you might discover insights that are just a step ahead of what's currently trending.

Hirota: That's fascinating, very impressive. What I'd recommend is a " people-centric" approach to research. There are many ways to read books, but my method involves constantly looking up proper nouns on Wikipedia or similar sources.

For example, there's this popular American forum site called Reddit. One of its co-founders stepped down during the Black Lives Matter movement. General news coverage only mentioned him handing over management to a Black successor. But digging deeper, I found out his wife was tennis player Serena Williams. That reveals a different perspective: someone stepping down as CEO to create a better future for his daughter. By thinking about proper nouns from multiple angles and visualizing how the tech industry, Black Lives Matter, and various other things connect through people, I can start to hear it as a very personal "human" story.

It's about taking a step beyond superficial understanding and imagining how this person might have changed at that moment. I tend to approach understanding from a human perspective, so when I hear about various things, especially highly abstract information, I make it a habit to dig deeper until I find the human story and grasp it emotionally.

Asami: Because you're constantly inputting through these human connections, I realized Hirota-san has an incredibly deep well of knowledge.

Hirota: Another slightly niche perspective I recommend is watching the music industry. Music, partly because its data is lightweight, is one of the first industries to be impacted by innovation. So it's also the industry where business models get disrupted first, and radical changes happen earliest.

Take the technological evolution from records → CDs → MDs → MP3s, of course, but also business model reforms like data distribution services and subscriptions. Recently, we've seen artists utilizing the metaverse, avatars, cryptocurrency, and NFTs. And gradually, these trends ripple out to industries with heavier data requirements.

For example, about ten years after iTunes, a service called "FARFETCH" emerged, often called the iTunes of the fashion world. Similarly, when Tesla appeared, what first happened in music gradually became more substantial and then trickled down to the automotive industry.

The fascinating thing about the music industry is how lightweight music enables new talent to emerge constantly, instantly reshaping the hit chart structure. As marketers, we observe what's happening.

Asami: Wow, I never looked at it from that perspective!

Hirota: It's not just music—food and fashion also have fast-paced change cycles. So I think it's crucial to stay connected to the latest information in the cultures you're interested in. I believe in enjoying the culture first, before diving into research.

Asami: Guess I need to get out and play more. It's a bit counterintuitive, but I think the most important thing in research is your own subjectivity. If you just do the research properly, the insights you get tend to be pretty similar. But among those, you can trust the ones that give you that "This is hot right now!" feeling or resonate with you personally, right? So honing your own sensibilities is crucial. Thinking about it that way, I realized that playing is also a form of research.

Hirota: I think the resolution of insights you can draw from research results differs significantly between people who engage with primary sources and those who don't. There's definitely a lot where play ultimately helps research.

By the way, I've been consciously focusing on improving my health this year. When I feel better and happier, I get this urge to share that happiness with others (laughs). While the book tackles the big theme of the future of marketing, I'll leave the grand future to Dentsu Inc. (laughs). As a small business owner, I want to start by fulfilling my own happiness and then gradually build a better future by spreading that happiness around me.

Asami: Ahaha (laughs). But personally, after working on LGBTQ+ projects for over five years, I've felt that when companies can create ideas to enter as profit-driven activities, the social impact becomes much greater. Reading Mr. Hirota's book this time, I realized that marketers around the world are also trying to create a better future using corporate power, which gave me tremendous courage. It might sound idealistic, but I hope we can increase the number of marketers who can work while envisioning a wonderful future. Thank you so much for today!

Details about 'What Are Global Marketers Thinking About Now?' (by Shusaku Hirota / Cross Media Publishing) can be found here

Details for "The Hit-Making 'Research Method' Textbook by a Current Dentsu Inc. Strategic Planner" can be found here

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