JAPAN: THE SUPER NATION BRAND

Nancy SnowAbe Fellow and Visiting Professor

Keio University

SOFT POWER SUPERPOWER

TELLING AMERICA’S STORY

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, J-Pop idol formerly known as KirikoTakemura. Self-described HarajukuLolita

We sell bonds!What else do we sell?

Just another rainy day in Tokyo? Or is it?

WHY HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE IN JAPAN STOPPED HAVING SEX?

ASKS THE SUNDAY OBSERVER

DR. RUTH WEIGHS IN ON TWITTERYoung people in Japan not having relationships or sex. Somebody needs to bring me over there, no?

Perpetuate stereotypes Exaggerate trendsUse easy labels (spotlight)Prefer sex/violence stories that travelAvoid cultural context (landscape)

Nation Branding May…

PACK MENTALITY IN GLOBAL MEDIANo Sex Please, We’re Japanese (BBC Documentary)Why have young people in Japan stopped having sex? (Observer)Japan’s Hottest New Sex Trend Is Not Having Sex (Time)Young People in Japan Have Given Up on Sex (Slate)No, Japanese People Haven’t Given Up on Sex (Slate)Japan’s sexual apathy is endangering the global economy (Washington Post)Don’t worry. The Japanese are having plenty of sex (Washington Post)

JAPAN’S CELIBACY SYNDROME WELCOME TO WIKIPEDIA!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celibacy_syndrome

Like Hikikomori, Japan-specific

COOL JAPAN

CARE ROBOTSEldercare is a growth industry; lessons for Brand Japan?

Ferrari SalesBeer Sales

WEF GGI105

“Under Control”

Discover Tomorrow

Engage the logo within you

ISRAELIFICATION OF JAPAN BRAND

JAPAN’S PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IS PLAYING CATCH-UP(1) JPD R&R (Respond to negative; Reinforce favorable)2013 BBC World Service poll “positive influence” dropped by 7 points (58/51)

Negatives driven by neighbors (JPD should focus on region) China (74%neg/17%pos) and South Korea (67%neg/21%pos) Foreign correspondent presence diminishing

Tokyo: 209 bureaus/325 correspondentsBeijing: 385 bureaus/544 correspondents

(2) Greater Need to Foster Japanophiles 親日(Beyond Otaku)(3) Counter “rightward shift” (Secrets Law)

EXPAND (AND NAME) THE CULTURE BRAND

PRC’s Confucius Institutes (900/108 countries1,500 by 2020)ROK King Sejong Institute (90/44 117/50) Korean Cultural Centers 24 48 by 2017Japan Foundation (22 branches in 22 countries) Japan Cultural Centers (25/21)

JPD budget ⅓ in 10 years

Sophistication Presentation High quality taste

WASHOKU 和食

GLOBAL BRANDING OMOTENASHI

HAVING GOOD MANNERS SHOULDN’T BE DIFFICULT BUT A COUNTRY AS WELL BEHAVED AS JAPAN HAS TURNED BEING NICE INTO AN ART. (ANDREW TUCK)

And if I was in charge of marketing for Japan, I’d be bottling it and selling it. Being nice is nice.

It is said that heaven does not create one man above or below another man. Any existing distinction between the wise and the stupid, between the rich and the poor, comes down to a matter of education.

The world is large.

The same might be said of nation branding:

The world is large (i.e., complex, chaotic, dynamic) but building up a good nation brand (public diplomacy) begins with education, especially goal-driven education.

Keep moving! Facebook (drnancysnow)Twitter (drpersuasion)