A new Asia-Pacific study, using a radically different methodology,
has made some startling findings, which has implications about the way
companies market their brands in the region.
The proprietary research undertaken by BBH targeted opinion leaders
chosen by their peers within the youth markets in five major cities:
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney and Bangkok.
The survey, called "Elixir" and involving 101 people in total, did not
take the traditional approach of focus groups. Instead, it used a very
different technique called 'dreaming', conducted by research house, The
17's Project.
BBH strategic planning director Guy Murphy said that this method was
likely to yield to a more accurate reflection of the state of mind of
respondents.
"Paying $50 to a respondent doesn't really work any more,
especially with younger people, who are generally more cynical than any
other age groups. Why should a teenager pour his heart out in a
corporate office with executives staring at him and asking him how he
plucks his eyebrows or what he is looking for in a beer?" he told
MEDIA.
The 'dreaming' technique's strong point, Mr Murphy said, laid in taking
the respondents to a "nice and relaxing" venue over a weekend, which
would induce them to express their thoughts and dreams through
discussions and drawings.
The results were consistent across the region. They revealed that Asian
youth's love affair with all things American was waning and that they
have joined their Hong Kong counterparts and were looking towards Japan
for their fashion and lifestyle cues.
This is true also of Australian youths, who have been typically
perceived as being more Western than Asian.
Mr Murphy said: "The United States was seen to be about democracy,
freedom and lifestyle. But it ended up giving them fast food, and a lot
of respondents now view the US as being the symbolic home of capitalism,
polluting the world."
He noted, therefore, that it was now critical how American brands go
about doing business in the region.
He cited Starbucks, Amazon and Borders as American brands which were
moving in the right direction.
"Starbucks has a democratic feel to it. You can order a cappucino and
sit there all day. It's creates a sense of community. At the other end
of the spectrum, you have fast food outlets where once you have finished
your meal, cleaners come and clear the table, suggesting very strongly
that it is time to leave," he said.
Another trend identified was that Asian youth generally perceive
Japanese products as "cool" and "for them".
This could be seen at the superficial level: consumer electronics
products like mobile phones and CD players; and cute toys such as Hello
Kitty and Pokemon.
However, Mr Murphy said that it went deeper than what consumers could
see at the shop shelves.
"Japanese companies have the ability to re-interpret Western products
and make them palatable for Asians.
"You can see this in fashion and cosmetics items which they can make
more flattering to Asians and re-export them. In this sense, Japanese
companies are becoming the 'Big Brother' in Asia."
The change in focus from the West, and the US in particular, to Japan is
underlined by the fact that some non-Japanese companies have launched
brands with a Japanese feel to them.
Mr Murphy said that Japan's World War II image as an aggressor and
instigator of atrocities was still remembered. But he added that the
country has been helping other Asian nations to build their economy
through donations and low-interest loans over the past few decades.
"Because of this, perceptions have changed, especially among the
young.
So Japan is seen now as being sympathic to Asian causes," Mr Murphy
said.
Despite the fascination with Japan, Mr Murphy also said that Asian
youths weren't going to make the mistake of previous young generations
and simply say 'yes' to all things Japanese.
"Because we are now living in this global village, they are taking
information from around the world and melding this to create their own
style through mixing and matching. They might take a cue from Japan but
go off on their own tangent to suit their own lifestyle tastes and
needs."
