Asia Pacific

Coca-Cola and the happiness economy

Published by Ceren Coskun - Istanbul on March 12, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Over the past 50 years, living standards, life expectancy and material wealth have increased—the only thing that hasn’t is happiness. Numbers from the World Database of Happiness confirm this. During a recession, happiness naturally performs even worse, with consumers experiencing status anxiety more deeply: “Why do others have more than me?”

That’s one of the reasons the happiness economy becomes more important. As a brand that has been leveraging the concept of happiness for years, Coca-Cola has turned out a slew of ads during the downturn that put a creative and inspiring spin on the idea. In one of the latest spots, a university’s Coke machine becomes a “happiness machine,” dispensing everything from sunflowers to pizzas along with a bounty of Cokes.

Seeking heroes, Japanese look to history

Published by Jordan Price - Tokyo on March 10, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

history-girls-4Among the Top 10 most popular words/phrases for 2009 in Japan, a list compiled by publisher Jiyu Kokuminsha, was Reki-jo—literally, “history girls.” Young Japanese women are suddenly taken with Japanese history, in particular warlords and famous samurai of the Warring States period (the mid-15th to early 17th centuries). And it doesn’t seem to be just a passing fad.

The history-focused Jidai Shobo bookstore in Tokyo, for example, had predominantly male customers when it opened in 2006, but a news report says that more than half are now women, and 90 percent are in their 20s and 30s. The history magazine Rekishi Kaido has seen its circulation jump to more than 120,000 from 70,000 five years ago, with female readership rising from 15 percent to 40 percent.

This trend seems to be driven in part by young women searching for models of masculinity http://item.rakuten.co.jp/keitai/408-638880/in reaction to the startling rise in asexual, unambitious “herbivore boys” (discussed in a previous post). But deeper than that, it also seems connected to a growing undercurrent of sentiment that the nation has lost its way. The recession has driven faith in government and business leadership to an all-time low and even given rise to more general questioning of various aspects of modern life, pushing many to look for better models from the past. The historical figures being idolized represent lives based on strong principles and convictions, and a greater vision—exactly what’s seen to be missing in political, social and business leadership and modern life.

What this means for brands in Japan is that there’s a void to be filled: a hunger for leadership, passion and vision. More than ever, brands must better define their core principles and values, and fully live by them, so that brands themselves can become respected role models.

Photo Credits: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/, http://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb

Anxiety rises in India after Pune blast

Published by Aparna Jain - Kolkata on March 8, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

In a post-recession environment, it’s not just the usual car, home and holiday that is worrying the upwardly mobile, urban Indian. It’s also the latest buzz word: terrorism. After the mid-February blast in Pune—a comparatively smaller city with a large student population—terrorism is suddenly back and very close to home. The bombing was a reminder that terrorism could happen on the flight my husband takes, the hotel I stay on a business trip and the bakery where my daughter hangs out. Violence, fear and terror have caught up with a social stratum that until now believed it was untouchable, and the general feeling is that no place is too safe—yet one cannot stop living life.

Reflecting this new unease are the status lines of many Facebookers after the blast:

“I can’t believe it, really … considering we used to travel down that road pretty much all the time.”

“I can’t believe anything like this could happen … not in Pune … I guess I was wrong …”

At a time when consumers are coping with the idea that they have little control over their safety, do brands have a role to play? It seems that brands can help by doing what they do best—helping to buoy spirits by offering optimism and empowering consumers to feel they are back in charge of their destiny. Financial products and health care brands especially have an opportunity to create an environment of security, concern and care that will resonate in today’s anxious times.

metal detector hotels india Pictures, Images and Photos

Le Meridien, India - Metal detectors outside major hotels, restaurants and malls are now common.

Photo Credit:emoticonphoto

Recall phenomenon hits India, investors and consumers (over)anxious

Published by Pragya Singh and Vishal Sharma on March 4, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 0 Comments Tags: , .

a-star1Leading Indian automaker Maruti Suzuki is the latest entrant in the “Recall Club,” joining distinguished names that include Toyota, Honda, Peugeot Citroen and, more recently, Hyundai. All these brands have recently recalled one or more models in various markets around the world. In India, Maruti Suzuki recalled 100,000 A-Star models, owing to a faulty fuel tank part. Its stock tumbled to a six-month low, and A-star owners are anxiously linking regular car issues like poor mileage and pickup to a possibility of fault with their cars, even if theirs isn’t part of the recall.

While recalls have generally been regarded as a sign of a responsible automaker, this time it’s a little different. Both investors and consumers seem to be overanxious, likely because caution and nervousness (even about short-term losses) is a lingering effect of the recession and also because of the frequency with which some big and highly trusted brands are joining the recall phenomenon.

Given the fragile state of consumer and investor confidence in today’s post-recession world order, brands will need to do worst-case-scenario planning even for actions that look logical and are in the consumer’s interest, and really step up communication efforts to make events like recalls more transparent so as to avoid stirring anxiety and speculation.

Photo Credit: http://www.marutisuzukiastar.com/

Will climate change anxiety lead to apathy?

Published by Mollie Hill - Sydney on March 1, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 0 Comments Tags: , .

newspaper-image5Climate change is a major source of anxiety for Australians, with many believing it will get worse in the near term, as detailed in this AnxietyIndex report. Anxiety arises when a danger cannot be identified or clearly perceived, and the barrage of opinions and conflicting information surrounding the climate change debate is a prime example—witness this recent front page of The Australian.

The article reports the alarming predictions for Australia’s iconic beaches made by Climate Change Minister Penny Wong. But it also reports that beach locals aren’t so sure—they haven’t noticed coastline changes—and that an environmental scientist feels Senator Wong’s comments are an attempt to panic the public.

Regardless of what is fact and what is farce, in a world where climate change is headlined with “threat,” “danger” and “risk”—as well as “false,” “conspiracy” and “hoodwinked”—I’d be anxious if we weren’t reported to be anxious! Which is why the biggest risk is that anxiety escalates to the point where people decide “It is all too hard” and so become apathetic. As one beach local told The Australian: “It’s like the stock market—no one really knows.”

For brands that want to engage consumers with a climate change message, a positive, empowering approach will go further than fear-based or shock tactics.

Photo Credit: The Australian

Media conglomerates in India and Pakistan promote peace

Published by Rasika Fernandes - New Delhi on February 26, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

love-pakistan-print-adThe two biggest media conglomerates in India and Pakistan have joined forces in a novel initiative: to campaign for peace between the two countries. Indians are anxious about terrorism in general and Pakistani terrorists in particular, according to JWT AnxietyIndex research conducted last May—not surprising, given that the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai were carried out by Muslim terrorists based in Pakistan. Aman Ki Asha (Hope for Peace)—touted in a TV spot and this print ad—will see the The Times of India Group and the Jang Group honestly explore issues such as terrorism and the Kashmir dispute that have resulted in hostilities and mistrust between the two countries; the initiative will also promote cross-cultural exchange.

In India, trust in media has been declining—Edelman’s Trust Barometer Survey recently confirmed this—and so the promise of honest communication is a positive step toward changing negative perceptions of the media, which is known for sensationalism. All the better if the two brands can make some genuine progress in bringing about more goodwill.


Photo Credit: The Times of India Group Print Ad

Bollywood tackles Indian anxiety

Published by Pragya Singh and Vishal Sharma on February 12, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

My Name Is Khan is a big Bollywood production that’s trying to leverage Indians’ anxiety and religious sentiments to get attention and ticket sales. The movie, which comes out today, features Indian megastar Shah Rukh Khan as Rizwan Khan, a Muslim with Asperger syndrome. Some of the challenges he faces are related to his being Muslim, especially post-9/11, when Khan is living in the U.S. In fact, one of the lines heavily used in the movie’s promotion is “I am Rizwan Khan, and I’m not a terrorist.”


Islam and terrorism is a subject that dominates the news as well as the hearts of every Indian. And most of us believe that the entire community cannot be damned by a few evil men who are trying to destroy humanity. So seeing the film’s protagonist being discriminated against is something we can’t stand—we want to see him succeed in his fight to get justice. The movie is a great example of leveraging our emotions on this sensitive issue.

The entrepreneurial upside of anxiety

Published by Shaziya Khan - Mumbai on February 11, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

stay-hungry-stay-foolishStay Hungry Stay Foolish is a recent book published in India about business school graduates who followed their hearts and dove into entrepreneurial ventures (the phrase was popularized in a Stanford commencement speech Steve Jobs made several years ago, quoting an issue of The Whole Earth Catalog from the 1970s). Some of these entrepreneurs left a cushioned corporate career, some were fulfilling a childhood dream, a few were redefining retirement as a second inning.

The stories are diverse and rich. And while the endings are happy, there are many anxious moments along the way. But it was also anxiety that helped push these people along. This is also a prevalent theme in “layoff lit,” a trend we recently posted about.

Photo Credit: www.stayhungrybook.com

Toyota recall likely to boost consumer anxiety about brands

Published by Gino Borromeo - Singapore on February 3, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

toyota-logoThe global recall of Toyota vehicles over a gas pedal problem is a case that will be interesting to watch over the coming weeks. How will consumers respond to a deeply trusted brand with a long history of success like Toyota suddenly failing on the public stage? Whether we like it or not, the rhythm of our lives is deeply linked to the brands we patronize. And if a brand as trusted as Toyota can fail its customers, who knows what’s next? It’s enough to make people anxious about brands. Especially given that faith in corporate institutions is already weak, with huge, seemingly solid financial brands having collapsed (e.g., Lehman Brothers) or come close (e.g., Merrill Lynch).

Some Americans have already taken action on their own through www.toyotarecall.org, an unofficial portal for all things on the recall. Toyota, your move.

Photo Credit: diongillard

New genre of ‘layoff lit’ finds the upside to the downside

Published by Mollie Hill - Sydney on January 25, 2010 in Asia Pacific. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

bag-lady-papers-coverA growing number of people are finally finding the time to “write that book” after losing their jobs during the recession—enter what has been coined “layoff lit.” The New York Times’ Motoko Rich recently wrote about current layoff lit titles such as Slow Love: How I Got Kicked Off the Fast Track, Put My Pajamas on for a Year & Found Happiness, from former House & Garden editor Dominique Browning, and The Bag Lady Papers: The Priceless Experience of Losing It All, by former Self magazine editor Alexandra Penney.

The theme here seems to be finding the silver lining of starting over. As Matt Buchanan points out in The Sydney Morning Herald, George Clooney’s character in Up in the Air follows a similar narrative, reminding a distraught man he’s laying off about his love of cooking—“his sacking is an opportunity to reset his priorities, to choose to do what he loves to do—to cook again.”

The idea that there’s an upside to the downturn is certainly appealing, and brands such as Allstate are doing well to tap into it.

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com