Why You Should Consider Japanese Influencer Marketing

Japanese consumers are "brand loyal“. Their level of interest in well-known brands tends to rise when influencers recommend the products. For instance, according to the infographic below, we can see that the Japanese consumer repeat purchase rates are much higher than the western market repeat purchase rates. It means that it's easier to make marketing promotions when brands earn the trust of Japanese consumers.

However, the truth is far from being as simple as it seems. After all, Japan is widely regarded as one of the most challenging and elusive markets to penetrate and difficult to forecast success. Let's take "Avengers: Endgame" as an example; the film was ranked first at the box office worldwide during its release but not so in Japan. Meanwhile, Detective Pikachu, which had way less success than the Avengers, was pushed to the top of the local box office. Thus, Japanese consumers don't follow international trends but always stick to the opinion of influencers and their preferences.

It is critical that brands increase the repeat purchase rate of Japanese consumers, but how can this be done?

As we mentioned earlier, it is tough to gain the trust of Japanese consumers. A survey report released by the global trust Edelman Public Relations research in 2020 stated that in comparison with other countries, Japanese consumers do not easily take the risk of buying products that are not popular. First, they will assess the influencers' recommendations from a multi-dimensional point of view, conduct multiple verifications and finally determine whether to take the following consumer action. Therefore it remains one of the consumer behavior trends that distinguish Japanese consumers from other global consumers.

Regardless of their social status, whether rich or poor, the Japanese consumers have a mutual perspective: a low-level trust in their government institution. As indicated their trust level is lower than other countries according to the graph above.

When they lack trust in NGOs, businesses, governments, and media, consumers will seek more relevant information regarding what they want to purchase. Therefore, any user-centered word-of-mouth promotion such as reviews, recommendations, and evaluations will help them learn more about products they want to buy.

Secondly, earning consumer trust and building the brand reputation cannot be done all at once. So how can start-ups penetrate the market without a CRM list?

Crowdfunding campaigns and influencer marketing are our recommended solutions for preliminary market testing. Influencer marketing can help build bridges between brands and customers. The most important thing is to create a "credibility endorsement" in Japan, which is critical for the brand's success.

That having been said, after building a connection with Japanese consumers through influencer endorsements, it's important to provide after-sales service consistently in order to develop brand awareness. As long as brands are willing to persevere, Japanese consumers will make their investment worth it, eventually.