Youth marketing in Japan

Reports on Japan, a country in which the falling birth rate gives marketers some interesting opportunities. Explores how smaller numbers of children leads to more money being spent on each, in particular the “six pockets” or six sources of financial support that children have from their two parents and four grandparents. Illustrates this by the example of Studio Alice, a photographic studio that lends ceremonial costumes to maximise the appeal to grandparents of the child’s appearance. Continues with “Morning Musume”, a manufactured pop group of ordinary young girls who audition on a TV show; aspirational clothing brand Narumiya International has been able to supply fashionable costumes for this at prices considerably higher than competitors. Moves on to the cosmetics industry: this is now a large market for the under‐tens, aided by appealing packaging, suitable products that are safe for children, low prices, child‐oriented sales channels, and information sources like magazines and TV advertisements. Shows how children under 16 are now the focus of the huge mobile phone market, especially for emails, and indicates the problems and advantages involved in the desire for this fashion accessory. Outlines how Japan’s corporate marketing teams are now trying to assess what children want, and the problems involved in designing questionnaires for young Japanese children, who are less used than Europeans or Americans to expressing opinions in public.