Tokyo 2.0 is actually the name of an industry networking group of web technology professionals here in Tokyo, the founders of whom I had the pleasure of meeting at a Forrester Research bloggers dinner event. The following is a summary of some of my observations & learnings during my trip and at the bloggers event.
Quick Response Codes. QR codes are ubiquitous in Japan. They are an enhanced form of traditional barcodes, and used on everything from business cards to shipping packages. Nearly all cell phones in Japan have the ability to scan QR codes – for example, scanning the QR code on a person’s business card will open the cell phone’s web browser to that person’s web site. An even better example – scan the QR code for a product while in a department store, and instantly access price comparisons on eBay.
The Japanese typically employ multiple identities/personas when interacting with online social communities. One identity represents the person’s true, real world identity. A second, partially anonymous identity is used to enable a less inhibited form of communication. Although a pseudonym is used, close friends and colleagues are typically aware of the person’s true identity. The third persona is totally anonymous, enabling totally uninhibited dialogue. This appears to be the most popular persona used, and has had a profound impact in the real world, as tragically exemplified by the recent suicide of a Korean celebrity, who was allegedly driven to kill herself as a result of overwhelmingly negative (and anonymous) online attacks (Japan and Korea share the anonymous-preferred approach to social computing).
Cell phone usage is through the roof. As expected, mobile phones are extremely popular in Japan. What I found curious, however, was the near-zero absence of Apple’s iPhone. What gives? Well, for starters, the iPhone can’t process digital TV signals, can’t be used as a bus and subway pass, can’t be used as a credit card, doesn’t support emoji characters (update: emoji characters are supported as of update 2.1, with enhanced support coming in update 2.2), nor can it scan QR codes (due to the significantly inferior built-in digital camera). These are all features that are readily available on nearly all other (and less expensive) mobile phones in Japan.
Tokyo fashion trends: East vs. West. According to W. David Marx, in Western markets, fashion trends (and I’m doing my best to paraphrase here – I’m no fashion expert by any stretch) tend to follow a more organic pattern of diffusion, where fashion forward individuals key in on certain aspects of an emerging trend, and adopt them to fit their own sense of style. This is in stark contrast to the Japanese, who take a much more strict approach to fashion adherence. The result: Westerners are visually highly varied, with loose to moderate interpretation of new fashions. The Japanese, on the other hand, look identical to what is presented in fashion magazines, the result of what appears to be an obsessive, perfectionist-like attention to detail and a culturally embedded desire for conformity.
Television, as a marketing channel, is still very much relevant in Japan. There are 2 national stations, and 5 local stations in Tokyo. For whatever reason, cable and satellite access never took off in Japan, which means the media diffusion and fracturing that resulted from the 500-channel universe in North America never happened in Japan. While traditional television advertising can be effective, product placement is king. Being featured on a popular program can (and almost virtually guarantees) overwhelming, overnight success.
Updated: More blog posts are generated in Japanese than any other language. While Japanese consumers seem ahead of the social computing curve, this lies in stark contrast to Japanese corporations, which have only begun to tepidly test the waters of engaging their customers in this emerging space, if at all. This would seem to represent a significant opportunity, especially for digital marketing agencies, to help these corporations understand why and how creating relationships leveraging digital mediums can enable competitive advantage.
Social media brand analysis & measurement. Who is saying what about your brand? And just as importantly, how influential are they? I had the great fortune of receiving a personal demo of Press Army, an innovative new tool from UltraSuperNew Inc. that enables real-time brand or topic tracking and analysis in social media. This impromptu review merits its own post.
Special thanks to:
- Jeremiah Owyang, Jonathan Browne and Ritsuko Tague from Forrester Research
- Michael Sheetal from UltraSuperNew Inc.
- W. David Marx from Diamond Agency
- Last but not least, my very good friend Swimmy Minami - thank you for showing me the best of Tokyo!
Filed under: Technology , Fashion, Japan, Social Computing
