Japan in, US out: surprise findings of Elixir survey

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."

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