In general, it is said that Japanese companies tend to overemphasize the "customers first philosophy” and lean too heavily on marketing data obtained from sources such as customer surveys. As long as one works within an organization, such data is important in convincing other departments to take a particular course of action. Sometimes, however, innovations and breakthroughs that lead to hit products are the result of ignoring the marketing data and instead “betraying” the customer, in a good sense.
At Nissin Food Products the brand manager collects and keeps track of a variety of data, but no matter how objective the data for a product may be, the company will not take such product idea if the manager cannot explain it well with his/her own intuition and words. And when the Board of Directors is discussing whether or not to release a new product and they do not have a solid feeling about what the director in charge explains to them, they will call the general manager, assistant general manager, section chief and finally the subsection chief-depending on the case-to hear what they have to say. Nissin puts a great deal of weight on such intuitive feelings and on personal experience in determining whether or not a product is likely to catch on or not. This is similar to Toyota’s principle of Genchi Genbutsu (thinking something through while actually viewing it on-site). Suntory also strictly adheres to this type of approach.
Moreover, some members say that through a strange sort of seemingly divine fate the seed of new innovation survives the pressure of the corporate structure and quietly germinates, eventually coming to full fruition.
Yamamoto: Yamamoto: (Speaking about his mega-hit product that won the grand prix of the Monde Selection awards) I originally developed The Premium Malt’s in 1989 as a celebratory beer to mark the completion of the microbrewery set up within the Suntory Musashino Brewery. It wasn’t originally intended for sale. Because it was a beer made at a pilot plant, I could simply focus on making a beer that I liked. If it were a commercial plant that I was working in, there’s no way I could have made the same beer. It is because at the time, Asahi Super Dry was a runaway hit, and the emphasis was on crisp flavor. It was doubtful whether consumers would purchase a beer that had a flavor profile that was totally opposite to that trend towards crispness at the time.
Naruse has said for some time that “People don’t make cars. Roads make cars. Climate and culture make cars. German cars are born from German roads; French cars from French roads; Italian cars from Italian roads; British cars from British roads. The culture and climate of each country makes these cars-or, more specifically, their roads do.” Similarly in the world of instant ramen, now a worldwide food product, the types of instant ramen consumed in each region reflect the cultures and climates of those regions. There is more or less a commonality in terms of noodles and ingredients among regions, but when it comes to the soup there is any number of variations. Each local manufacturer creates its own range of instant ramen flavors. So it is now at the point where consumers might even forget that instant ramen was born in Japan, thinking that it was created in their own country instead.
However, this is where Naruse would say that the key is to hold on to the product’s Japanese essence. That is, even if we respect other countries’ cultures and climates, we should not pander to them. It would only turn into an awkward imitation.
Automobiles have a flavor which is determined by their “ingredients.” There are convenient cars like the Vitz, fun cars, comforting cars, and any other number of types, having each with its own personality. Thus, says Naruse, it’s crucial that each car type has the “seasoning” best suited to it.
Naruse’s opinion drew a chorus of agreement from the other “taste-makers” at the table.
Koshimizu: Japan has its own distinctive style of drinking whiskey with water. Thus, blenders create whiskeys that do not have an excess of character but maintain a fine balance so that they are suited to consumption with food. Sometimes people will say that these whiskeys don’t have any character, but when I took a bottle of Yamazaki or Hakushu overseas and tried it there, I was surprised by how vividly the distinctive Japanese character came through. I think it’s the same thing as the idea that “roads make cars.” Japanese whiskey is a product that matured in Japanese culture and climate.
Yamamoto: The Premium Malt’s has become a big hit, but at first our sales staff was skeptical about it, going so far as to say: “This beer won’t sell.” The event that started to turn things around, of course, was when the beer won the grand prix of the Monde Selection awards. However, that alone was not the entire reason. As Mr. Naruse said about culture and climate, underlying every hit is the factor of “timing.” In other words, with the major success of Super Dry and the appearance of low-malt beer and so-called “third-beer” made from alternative ingredients, the chance of experiencing the flavor of beer was steadily decreasing. Thus, there was a strong sense of depletion among consumers regarding traditional beer flavor. The Premium Malt’s appeared, offering a balanced flavor and a vibrant hops aroma as its main characteristics, and it was evaluated highly not only in Japan but in beer-making centers such as Germany and the Czech Republic.
