The secret behind Famima's initiatives making headlines is "not planning with an advertising mindset."

CX (Customer Experience) continues to evolve daily.
How can Dentsu Inc.'s creative approach contribute to the CX domain, now demanded in every scenario?

To explore this potential, Dentsu Inc.'s CX specialist division, the "CXCC" (Customer Experience Creative Center), shares insights on CX and creativity in the series "Monthly CX" ( For more on Monthly CX, click here ).

This time, we spoke with Rinko Kato, who has been involved as Creative Director since the 2021 "FamilyMart 40th Anniversary Project" and continues to contribute to the project.

[Profile: Rinko Kato]
Dentsu Inc.
Customer Experience Creative Center
Planner
Engaged in planning with the motto "Work that makes news." Specializes in creating news stories rooted in human experiences. Strives to offer neutral proposals tailored to challenges, unconstrained by narrow definitions of advertising.
FamilyMart 40th Anniversary "40 Good Things!?" Campaign Lead CD (Menstrual Products -2%, Rainbow Famichiki Bag, Home Famichiki Set, Japan's 2nd Most Popular Chicken Shop, etc.), Toma Ikuta's Singer Debut "CHICKEN No.2↑↑", Morinaga Milk Industry Pino "Pino and V6 'Let's Be Best Friends. ", Netflix "-First Love- "First Love Coffee"

【About the FamilyMart 40th Anniversary Project】
In 2021, for FamilyMart's 40th anniversary, various initiatives were implemented based on FamilyMart's marketing strategy to generate newsworthy buzz. We continue to be involved even now in the third year. At the end of 2022, a collaboration project with Kiina (Kiyoshi Hikawa) just before his hiatus from singing activities became a hot topic.

The 40th anniversary was merely a starting point. We continue to evolve initiatives with the same approach in subsequent years.

Monthly CX: I understand FamilyMart's 40th Anniversary Project began in 2021 and continues even now, after the 40th anniversary.
 
Kato: Yes. On the first page of our 40th-anniversary competitive presentation, we wrote "Anniversaries are just a trigger," and I'm surprised to see it unfolding exactly as planned. We're still actively working towards realizing the five marketing keywords established for the 40th anniversary: (1) Even more delicious, (2) Fun savings, (3) What makes "you" happy, (4) Food safety & security, kind to the Earth, (5) Stores where you can work with excitement.
 
The number of initiatives implemented to date exceeds 100. As Creative Director, I support these efforts from various angles, including planning proposals and production. The 40th anniversary was merely the beginning; since then, we've maintained the same stance, expanding our scope while continuing to run forward. A key feature is that alongside new initiatives, some started as 40th-anniversary triggers—like the 40% increase in portion size—have become standard offerings continuing into subsequent years.

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・It All Starts with PR: How FamilyMart's "40 Good Things!?" Unravels the Creation of "Newsworthy CX"

Monthly CX: I haven't heard of any other anniversary projects that continue beyond the anniversary year. The collaboration with Kiina (Kiyoshi Hikawa) at the end of 2022 was also part of this, right?
 
Kato: Yes. For this campaign, we planned product design and promotions that highlighted Kiina's unique qualities. Additionally, we aimed for the memorable timing of New Year's Eve. We placed ads in newspaper TV listings featuring messages like "Live in your own color." and "I'm not satisfied with just one color," conveying a sense of diversity. I believe this allowed us to deliver a message that transcended the typical year-end and New Year sales promotions. Behind the scenes, as a token of appreciation for store staff, we played an in-store message from Kiina specifically for staff working on New Year's Eve.

The Rainbow Family Chicken Bag sparked a new connection

Monthly CX: We understand the background of the campaign with Kiina was quite unique. How did this collaboration come about?

Kato: I heard that before we planned this campaign, Kiina approached us saying, "I want to collaborate with FamilyMart because I'm playing a convenience store clerk in my solo stage performance."

Monthly CX: So the initial proposal came from Kiina-san's side?

Kato: Yes. I was surprised when I saw the promotional image Kiina-san's team released announcing the stage tie-in. Kiina-san was holding a "Rainbow Famichiki Bag."

The Rainbow Famichiki Bag was released in limited quantities during our 40th anniversary campaign. We changed the usual yellow-striped Famichiki bag to rainbow colors, symbolizing sexual diversity and LGBTQ support. Seeing that photo in the tie-up announcement, I realized Kiina-san resonated with this stance, which made me very happy.

Later, FamilyMart approached us with the idea: "Since we're collaborating, wouldn't it be great to do something together for a FamilyMart campaign too?" I proposed, "If we're going to collaborate on something, it should be timed with the memorial period for my hiatus as singer Hikawa Kiyoshi." That's how it led to the year-end and New Year campaign.

Monthly CX: So various initiatives were born from Mr. Kato's idea.

Kato: I don't think it was just my idea that sparked things; FamilyMart's fundamental corporate stance played a major role. Even before we took charge in 2021, FamilyMart had been continuously strengthening its diversity initiatives. Starting with the rainbow Famichiki bags, followed by the release of rainbow-colored products, the collaboration with Kiina, and changes to franchisee rules, FamilyMart's diversity strategy has expanded over multiple years. This kind of experience is new to me too.

Thinking about how to communicate new value through press releases, not just advertising

Monthly CX: How long have you been planning these new initiatives?
 
Kato: We proposed last year's Christmas campaign around the time cherry blossoms were blooming. It's not as simple as immediately realizing ideas as they come to mind; achieving something new takes far more time than one might imagine.
 
When planning ads or buzz-worthy campaigns, we often focused on the short term, assuming we couldn't predict what would happen two months ahead. But through the FamilyMart project, I've learned the value of taking a long-term view to make things happen, and I'm learning a lot myself. Also, as we continue our ongoing relationship, the business areas we're involved in are expanding.
  
Monthly CX: Regarding the expansion of the business areas you're involved in, what do you think are the reasons for this?
 
Kato: I believe it's because "news-driven" marketing isn't necessarily confined to the world of advertising alone, nor is it limited to creating one-off buzz. Questions like "Is it delightfully surprising the world?", "Does it offer something new to society?", and "Does it bring joy to consumers?" are crucial perspectives when creating customer experiences. Press releases are one of the most direct ways to express this. We start projects by asking "How can we express new value through a press release?" Conversely, if something doesn't make the news, we know it's unlikely to succeed as is, so we reevaluate our approach.

By leveraging press releases as a key tool for proposal items, we increase touchpoints with various departments and expand the scope of business areas we engage with.

To move society forward, we need debate that sparks both support and criticism.

Monthly CX: I believe your strength lies in creating PR narratives from facts. Could you share what mix of skills, experiences, and mindsets form your unique approach?

Kato: I believe my strength in storytelling and context comes from consistently working backwards from "How will society react when we send this message?" to shape marketing and creative. My approach, grounded in "What makes this initiative newsworthy?" and "What is the value of this campaign?", has become my weapon. While "news-driven" can be misunderstood, it's never about creating fleeting, flash-in-the-pan content. It's about creating what's needed while considering broader societal movements. Here, having been assigned to the marketing department early in my career has likely helped me develop the ability to logically organize information, construct compelling narratives, and propose ideas and plans as a package. This skillset, balancing left-brain and right-brain thinking in proposals, has proven immensely valuable in business.
 
Another trait is being moderately trendy. I maintain multiple social media accounts where I follow no one from the advertising industry, cultivating the ability to gauge the sensibilities of everyday consumers and the reactions of the streets.
 
Monthly CX: Could you also share tips for drawing out a client's strengths and framing them within a PR context?
 
Kato: There aren't really any specific tricks, but I've often been complimented on being "good at finding the positive in others" (laughs). I think the important thing is approaching things with the mindset of trying to find what's appealing.

I tend to view companies like a magazine, adopting an editor's perspective. Magazines have covers and lead features, but they also have serialized columns and horoscope pages – each page has different content and budgets. If we think of FamilyMart as a magazine, new products are the lead feature, while diversity initiatives are like a serialized column—they define the magazine's character. I work with a sense of creating or drawing out the strengths and standout elements within the overall balance.

Monthly CX: Socially conscious messages like diversity can easily spark debate. What do you pay attention to when sharing this kind of information?
 
Kato: I think having diverse perspectives is crucial. I'm a woman and a mother myself, and our team members have varied backgrounds too. Working continuously on the International Women's Day campaign, I believe my own experience as a woman informs the planning. For other campaigns conveying socially relevant messages, we also get input from team members who are directly affected. Conversely, we're mindful not to hurt those with opposing viewpoints. Fundamentally, if the message offers even a small perspective that could help those directly involved, we judge it acceptable to share.
 
Monthly CX: That said, considering risks like backlash, I imagine there are times when judgment becomes difficult. How do you feel about the risk of backlash, Ms. Kato?

Kato: I believe there's "good backlash" and "bad backlash." Backlash that unilaterally harms someone must absolutely be avoided. However, if the reaction sparks debate and moves the discussion forward, even if it's controversial, I firmly believe it's far better than the issue being ignored.

Monthly CX: You could say that debate and friction are inevitable for progress, right?

Kato: Yes. In FamilyMart's case, with approximately 16,500 stores nationwide, the convenience store format itself has a highly public, societal aspect. By simultaneously conveying messages through these stores, we can potentially change the landscape and shift society's perspective. For me, media is "something that changes people and society." I approach FamilyMart's work by viewing convenience stores as a form of media in the broadest sense.

Monthly CX: Finally, could you share any future goals you have ?

Kato: Lately, I've been very conscious of "going beyond advertising." While I enjoy advertising work, I personally have a strong desire to be involved in creating things like products, experiences, spaces, and even shaping culture and customs. Business strategy can often feel overly complex, but CX is fundamentally about creating human experiences. I want to leverage a PR perspective to build enjoyable, enduring experiences and cultures. I also hope to collaborate with FamilyMart to create experiences that leverage the convenience store's public presence to positively transform society.

(Editor's Note)
This time, we introduced FamilyMart's project where various initiatives are being born through news-driven marketing.
 
Mr. Kato constantly thinks from a news perspective about how to generate buzz. Despite already having over 100 initiatives, he continues to expand their scope, steadily creating more newsworthy campaigns. His perspective that FamilyMart's messages function as a medium to change society conveys a sense of determination to shoulder corporate responsibility. We look forward to FamilyMart's future initiatives.

This interview was conducted in collaboration with 'CX Creative Studio note' ( For more on CX Creative Studio note, click here ). We are also working with Dentsu Digital Inc.'s CX Creative Team, not just the Dentsu CXCC team, to collect and introduce a broader range of case studies. If you are interested, please check them out as well.

If you have requests for future case studies or topics you'd like us to cover, please send a message to the Monthly CX Editorial Department via the contact page below. Thank you for your continued readership.

Monthly CX Editorial Department
Dentsu Inc. CXCC: Koike, Oda, Takakusaki, Kanasaka, Okumura, Ohtani