The 17th Japan Marketing Awards Ceremony Held. "Future Lemon Sour" Selected as Grand Prize Winner
The Japan Marketing Association (JMA) held the award ceremony for the "17th Japan Marketing Awards" on June 12. The Japan Marketing Awards honor projects that have achieved remarkable results in terms of market impact, originality, and brand establishment. Held under the slogan "Seize the New Wind!", this year saw 96 projects entered, from which 10 were selected: 1 Grand Prize, 1 Runner-up Grand Prize, 5 Encouragement Awards, and 3 Regional Awards.
Selection Committee Chairman Yutaka Sakamoto (Director, Business Bureau, Yomiuri Shimbun Tokyo Branch) noted this year's trend: "There were more entries with a heightened sense of problem awareness than in previous years. A common thread was marketing that creates new value and contributes to solving social issues. This likely reflects the current state of marketing activities among Japanese companies."
The Grand Prix winner was Asahi Breweries' "Future Lemon Sour." This groundbreaking product features a lemon that rises from the bottom of the can when opened. It offers not only visual enjoyment but also allows consumers to bite into the lemon and savor its texture, engaging all five senses beyond just taste and smell. The product's compelling nature, which makes you want to experience it, and the numerous innovations achieved during its mass production were highly praised.
Upon receiving the award, Mr. Shimizu of Asahi Beer expressed his joy and future aspirations: "Development was a continuous series of challenges, but we managed to make it happen. While it has been limited to specific periods and regions until now, this September marks a major step forward with its nationwide launch. Going forward, we aim to further expand our raw material procurement and supply lines to deliver excitement to customers worldwide as a global brand."
The runner-up award went to Mynavi's "Sit Down, It's Fine PROJECT." Recognized for contributing to solving Japan's workstyle challenges, the project developed the "Mynavi Part-Time Chair" to address the issue of cashiers working while standing, unlike overseas practices, and is promoting its adoption by companies and other organizations.
Upon receiving the award, Mynavi's Yohei Hozumi stated, "Currently, over 268 companies and organizations have adopted the chairs, with a total of 2,667 chairs deployed nationwide. We will continue to challenge ourselves to provide working people with a richer life, as part of our efforts to contribute to updating Japanese society."
Award List:
【Grand Prix】
Projects selected for achieving remarkable results—including market impact, uniqueness, and brand establishment—under comprehensive and meticulous marketing plans.
●The Challenge of "Future Lemon Sour": The World's First Chuhai with Real Lemon Slices / Asahi Breweries
【Runner-up】
Projects achieving results comparable to the Grand Prix are selected.
●Sit Down, It' s Good PROJECT / Mynavi
【Encouragement Award】
Marketing projects that shine brightly despite their small scale, selected for their uniqueness, pioneering nature, potential to solve social issues, or as budding new marketing ideas
● "Laurier for the Workplace" / "Laurier for Schools" ／Kao
● Eleki Salt Spoon / Kirin Holdings
●A new proposal: "Colorful Serum." Shiseido "Foundation Serum" / Shiseido Japan
● "Grand Green Osaka" Project / Grand Green Osaka Development JV9 Companies
●Twinbird Rebranding Project / Twinbird
[Regional Award]
Outstanding marketing projects that utilize regional characteristics and contribute to regional revitalization were selected.
● Balchika 03 / JR West SC Development, JR West Osaka Development (Kansai region)
●Turning Japan's abandoned bamboo forests into assets. Local craft menma "Nobeoka Menma" / LOCAL BAMBOO (Kyushu region)
●Milk Land Hokkaido "I Want Milk! General Election" and "Milk-Filled Sweet Bread That Makes You Crave Milk" / Hokuren Agricultural Cooperative Federation (Hokkaido Region)
Details on the "17th Japan Marketing Awards" can be found here.
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