FOCUS: MARKETING TO WOMEN: New survey shatters old image of Japanese women as subservient

The image of the stereotypical Japanese woman has been shattered by

a Beacon Communications study.

Instead of being subservient to men, the typical female in Japan today

strives to break free from the shackles of tradition; to be aware,

educated and independent.

Because of this, the study, titled B She, found that women are the

instigators of social progress - and proud to be playing this role -

while men were more often than not stuck in a rut.

Some of the key findings included: "being a woman is fun," "no single

role model anymore," "can create a life as they want it to be," and

"femininity is a source of power."

Beacon executive director of strategic planning Han van Dijk said,

"Japanese women are not nearly as edgy or hardnosed as their

counterparts in the West, but they are definitely moving up. They are

breaking free of all the cultural and traditional restrictions that have

been placed on them because they are women.

"Men, on the other hand, continue to be governed by tradition; they must

be the breadwinner, they must be in a position of dominance.

"This is especially true among older males but less so among younger

ones."

Women in Japan are, therefore, increasingly seen to be more dynamic,

discerning and sophisticated compared with men.

This, combined with the fact that they strive for independence, has huge

implications for marketers, who have realised the change and are

increasingly targeting their communications campaigns directly at

women.

"Women are buying for themselves items which they used to get as gifts,"

said Mr van Dijk.

"Cosmetics, perfume, jewellery, clothing etcetera. In their quest to be

seen to be leading their own lives, they are spoiling and pampering

themselves."

In addition, B She found that 74 per cent of respondents in the study

stated that being subservient to men "looks bad" and that 83 per cent

regarded compliments from other women as being more important.

Other statistics also underline the growing power of women. According to

the Institute of Statistical Mathematics, just 27 per cent of women in

1958 said they wanted to be reborn as a woman.

But by 2000, that figure had risen sharply to 85 per cent, the B She

study found.

"Japanese women today can be clustered by two key elements: they like

who they are and they give less importance to what men think of

them.

"The 'look at me' and 'I'm doing my own thing' concepts are very

important to them," Mr van Dijk said.

In order to effectively target them, marketers have to inspire Japanese

women to move in the direction they want to.

They must also present a proposal of beauty that comforts them.

Similar surveys are planned for the rest of Asia-Pacific.

"When you look at women in various countries in the region - India,

China, Singapore, Korea - there are radical differences because of

demographic and psychographic differences.

"All the more reason, therefore, to roll out research to all the major

markets of Asia-Pacific," Mr van Dijk said.