Category
Theme
Published Date: 2025/02/21

5 Hot Marketing Trend Words: February 2025

 

As the global situation grows more complex, domestic issues like declining birthrates, aging populations, population decline, and rising prices significantly impact individual lives. As companies are challenged to address these social and economic issues, several key terms are gaining attention. Examples include "transportation gaps," where declining populations lead to insufficient transportation infrastructure, and "refurbished," which refers to quality-assured used goods offered at low prices. Understanding these trend words may offer hints for new business approaches that meet societal needs. This article highlights five trending keywords currently in focus.


 

 

Can't find transportation? The nationwide infrastructure problem: " Transportation Gaps "

 

Amidst an aging population and declining demographics, the problem of "transportation deserts" is becoming increasingly severe. A "transportation desert" refers to an area where public transportation like trains or buses is not readily accessible within a convenient distance, making it difficult to secure daily transportation. According to one estimate, if areas without a station or bus stop within a 1km radius of residences are classified as "transportation deserts," approximately 2% of Japan's total population falls into this category. Furthermore, if areas without a station within 500 meters or a bus stop within 300 meters of one's home are included, this proportion rises to about 20%. This situation occurs not only in rural and depopulated areas but also in urban centers, prompting countermeasures led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Specific solutions include introducing Japanese-style ride-sharing, promoting micro-mobility, and building compact cities. To advance these initiatives and eliminate "transportation gaps," local governments and businesses must collaborate, pooling their wisdom while maximizing the use of technology.

RevOps (Revenue Operations) is gaining attention, particularly among B2B companies, as a strategy to enhance corporate profitability. "RevOps" refers to an initiative where revenue-related departments such as sales, marketing, and customer success collaborate to simultaneously achieve operational process efficiency and improved customer satisfaction, aiming for revenue maximization. Typically, a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) oversees the entire team, driving KPI setting and data sharing/utilization based on unified revenue goals. According to one survey, over 70% of leading U.S. companies plan to implement RevOps by 2026. Success stories from companies that have already adopted it include a 40% increase in deal volume through centralized management of high-value leads. In Japan too, companies facing profitability challenges are increasingly considering RevOps implementation. Why not start gathering information early?

In the U.S., new terms describing consumer segments keep emerging. "Henry" (High earner, not rich yet), increasingly common among millennials, is one such term, referring to "high-income earners who aren't yet considered wealthy." While previously discussed "Hifis" also represent a high-income group, the key difference is that "Henrys" perceive themselves as "not wealthy." They tend to avoid extravagance to satisfy their need for validation and instead choose prudent ways to spend their money. Specifically, they show tendencies such as living with their parents to save on housing costs, diligently managing their own investments, and prioritizing experiences over material possessions. "Henry" individuals represent a crucial target for businesses due to their high purchasing power. However, since they hold the stance of wanting to pay a fair price for quality and experiences, advertising that emphasizes luxury or extravagance is unlikely to resonate with them. Strategies that understand the characteristics of "Henry" are therefore essential.

"Mental Availability" refers to how easily a brand or product is "remembered" by consumers in daily life, while "Physical Availability" indicates how "accessible" it is when recalled. This concept, proposed by Australian researchers, emphasizes that optimizing both is crucial for increasing corporate sales. To enhance "Mental Availability," advertising strategies focused on category entry points that trigger brand recall are effective. For "Physical Availability," channel strategies, in-store presentation, and improving e-commerce site UX are cited as effective methods. The former is often handled by marketing, while the latter falls to sales. As mentioned earlier with "RevOps," cross-departmental collaboration is key. If you feel your company's marketing or branding faces challenges, these approaches may provide a breakthrough.

 


 

 

A New, Affordable, and Sustainable Choice? What Is " Refurbished "?

 

As C2C platforms proliferate and the circular economy gains traction, consumer perceptions of used goods are shifting dramatically. Amid this trend, "refurbished" products are seeing renewed attention. "Refurbished" refers to the process of restoring returned or used products to near-new condition through manufacturer inspection and testing, or to the products themselves after this process. The primary advantage is that these products are priced lower than new items while being in better condition than typical used goods. Data indicates that in Europe, approximately one-third of smartphones are already "refurbished" products. Domestically, sales of refurbished products, including smartphones and home appliances, are expanding. Against the backdrop of rising prices and heightened environmental awareness, further growth is anticipated. As demand for reused and recycled goods increases, let's track this movement as one of the keywords related to the SDGs.


 

This month, in addition to keywords related to challenges faced by society and individuals, we also covered terms like "RevOps" and "Mental Availability/Physical Availability" that offer hints for solving challenges in corporate marketing and sales. As consumer economic situations and values diversify and become more complex, making traditional methods less effective, companies are increasingly required to pioneer new approaches adapted to these changes. If you are seeking marketing methods suited to your products or strategies based on consumer needs and market trends, please feel free to consult with us.

The information published at this time is as follows.

Was this article helpful?

Share this article

Also read