Richard's Eye

Japan's Seasonal Factors
Seasonal income flow & impact on consumer spending
Arbitrage & Consumers
Law of "One Price" in consumer  product markets
Japan Viewed from the Outside
"Gai-jin,"  outsiders, views of Japan uncover new insights
Mobile phone usage habits -- Japan, China, U.S.
JMR study finds culturally influenced patterns
Richard May -- interview on iTV
Video clip -- marketing research
trends in Japan now
Software-as-a-Service
SaaS changes how you acquire software

more

Case Studies/Japanese Market

Japan FAME economic forecasting Contest

more

JMR in Print

1. Japan's Non-consuming Consumers
2. Economic Weather Chart of 47 Prefectures
3. JMR on Economics of Marketing

more




Share this

 

50 years of marketing


Both the JMR Group and the beginning of consumer marketing in Japan started in the late 1950's as Japan was entering its post-War recovery period. Take a brief tour through 50 years of consumer marketing events since that era in Japan. In four-year blocks we picked a few key events in three areas: (1) Japan hits and trends, (2) business milestones affecting marketing in Japan, and (3) JMR activities in consumer marketing. The year 2008 also marks the 50th year of business for the JMR Group and nearly 20 years for JMR Consumer Marketing Research Institute.

We’ve kept the list to a minimum but are counting on readers to suggest items, events, milestones they would like added to the events.

Send you comments here and we’ll update the list with the best comments.

For details click pictures

  1. Subaru 360 car / Daiwa prefab housing / the hula-hoop is hot / Keio Dept. & Odakyu Dept. stores open for business / construction of Tokyo Tower completed
  2. Japan Supermarket Association founded /B&W TV spreads through Japan / A.C. Nielsen introduces it machines in Japan to track home TV viewing /Japan Marketing Association, JMA (kyokai) setup
  3. Japan Marketing Research, core of the JMR Group, founded in Osaka / JMR undertakes first marketing research projects / JMR launches psychometric based research in 4 fields: overseas consumer; Japan consumers; psychographic marketing research; statistical analysis

  1. Shiseido introduces "MG5" after-shave for men / Vitalis hair oil popular / Ivy-League is "in" spawning VAN, JUN and others / Calbee's shrimp chips "Kapa-Ebi sen" snacks / 1964 Olympics in Tokyo/ the premier of Astro Boy anime series
  2. Media-mix concept gains traction / JMA develops "marketing maps," an aid to connecting location and marketing plans / marketing segmentation & marketing mix hot topics
  3. JMR's multi-stage approach method used in brand competition strategy

  1. China's cultural revolution / The Beatles visit Japan / UCC's canned coffee product / supermarket sales exceed those of dept. stores
  2. Life-cycle theory introduced in marketing / corporate image notion debuts / Japan Chain Store Assoc. kicks off / MIS mgmt. information systems the rage
  3. JMR makes practical use of the "sales campaign approach" / JMR creates the "pentagon" model of customer marketing

  1. "an-an" ladies magazine / Okinawa reverts to Japan / Osaka Expo '70
  2. advertising revenues first top 1 trillion yen / first McDonalds -- Ginza 1971 / Japan's 1st home center "Daito" opens
  3. JMR group company starts - now called Marketing Communications K.K.

  1. First post-war economic slow-down in 1974 / Calbee intros long-seller "Potato Chips" brand / Tokyu Hands, crafts and hobbies store, opens / "Pink Lady" singing duo top the charts
  2. 7-11 convenience store's first shop opens / multi-variant analysis method applied to marketing
  3. JMR group company JMR Science opened in Osaka

  1. Taito's "Space Invader" arcade games rule kids free time / Sony Walkman developed / La-La Port Funabashi, U.S. style shopping center opens
  2. Product development focus on consumers lifestyle needs / JMA's first "Understanding Sales & Marketing" handbook
  3. JMR introduces notion of "winning survivors marketing" approach

  1. "famicon" home game computer boom begins / Apple's MacIntosh arrives in Japan / NEC PC leads the desktop computer category / disco dance makes a comeback / JR East bullet train connecting the Tohoku region with the area on the Japan Sea side (Tohoku - Jyouetsu shinkansen)
  2. All 7-11 convenience stores equipment with POS systems / Tokyo Disneyland opens '83
  3. Another JMR related company opens - Hanbai Kaihatsu K.K. (sales development) / JMR Osaka name change to JMR Science K.K.

  1. Asahi "Super Dry" beer hit / GameBoy on every kids must-have list / Fuji Film's disposable camera "Sha-ruen" / "pocket bell" pagers in great demand with on-the-move businessmen / Comic Oishinbo ("The Gourmet") boom
  2. Alcoholic beverage sales laws relaxed / conjunct analysis of consumer response data spreads
  3. JMR discusses multiple touch points for consumer brands / JMR's database marketing / new JMR affiliate opens, Channel Management K.K. JMR at 30th anniversary ('88)

  1. Jpn. version of Windows 3.0 arrives / Juliana's disco opens / Wacoal's "Good Up" bra line starts / SUV cars hot
  2. Antimonopoly guidelines debut / customer service a hot topic / IR investor relations moves upstage
  3. JMR Japan Consumer Marketing Research Institute formed / JMR undertakes area marketing, corp. communications and luxury brand market research

  1. Y80 hamburger arrives / Nike Airmax hit / "Princess Mononoke" anime movie a hit / J-Pop (Japanese pop music) boom
  2. PL product liability laws / group studies on long-selling brands
  3. JMR starts internet marketing support / starts brand and relationship marketing analysis

  1. "Yen 100" shops sprout up across Japan / Apple's iMac arrives / Docomo's i-mode phones / dept. store basement "fresh and region food malls"
  2. Japan Privacy Mark system introduced / ESOMAR's internet search guidelines promulgated
  3. JMR Group's web site starts ('99) / JMR papers/themes on "deflation times marketing," e-commerce innovation

  1. Mobile phones with camera proliferate in Japan / interest in things Korean takes off / shochu (potato-based liquor) boom / Products with the Tokuho seal (products certified as healthy products) gain popularity / downloading music to cell phones boom
  2. Internet based marketing research takes off / Louis Vuitton's largest shop opens in Ginza
  3. JMR themes: marketing for the digital revolution, 2010 winning marketing style, marketing in the era of smaller population growth

  1. Nintendo's DSLite game machine / Shiseido's Tsubaki shampoo gains big following
  2. Seven & i Holdings consolidates convenience stores, GMS and other stores under one entity
  3. JMR eye-tracking solutions introduced to Japan / JMR themes: WoM marketing, ECHO marketing, soft vs. hard power in marketing and politics
© Copyright JMR Japan Consumer Marketing Research Institute 2010