John Woodward

Mar 30, 2017

West’s instability pivots to Asia

Systemic breakdown in established economies means there is more reason for Japanese brands to focus expansion efforts on Asia.

Nov 28, 2016

Marketing to Japan's insecure generation

Having grown up online, young Japanese see their smartphones as an extension of their physical being, and follow an intricate etiquette governing social interaction.

Jul 29, 2016

How MNCs can win the next five years in Japan

This month, our Globalist in Japan gives a personal view on how foreign companies can carve out a path to success in a market where many fail.

May 18, 2016

The Globalist in Japan: What is a brand worth?

The Globalist in Japan is a regular column discussing Japanese marketing from an international point of view. In this debut piece, John Woodward, chief strategy officer of McCann Worldgroup Japan, looks at the example of Sharp, which is now owned by Foxconn, to ask why companies don’t invest more in building their brands.

Aug 31, 2015

Japaneseness resurgent

Japanese consumers want to celebrate their own culture. International brands should look even more at localizing as the country’s prosperity rebounds.