Case Study : Japan & Cherry Blossom

Hi hello konnichiwa 

We’re taking a trip to Japan today!

Japan is so… Japan. Like, it is authentic.

Anime.
Manga.
Those insane Japanese toilets you must have seen online!

Japan has some very unique things on offer.

One of the biggest ones is Sakura season.

Aka March-April when Japan looks like this:

It’s not just a pretty thing, it makes Japan very rich.

60-Million-tourists-3-Billion-dollars rich!

But we aren’t talking about tourism.

We’re talking about brands!

Cherry Blossom time or Sakura season is a time for many, many creative strategies by brands to make the most of the moment.

So stop your gloomy Tuesday vibe, and let’s go look at the business behind some pretty, pink flowers 

First up, Cherry Blossom time is not just a season in Japan, it’s a part of culture  

Families and friends gather outside to watch cherry blossoms together. This tradition is called ‘Hanami’. Picnic vibes. It’s legit like a festival. Like this:

Whenever a “collective” moment or experience happens, it’s an opportunity for brands.

For branding. For advertising. For sales.

Japan is no different.

Sakura time is a once-in-a-year opportunity, and brands make the most of it.

#1: Coca-Cola

During Sakura time, Coke becomes more Japanese than any other local brand!

Pink bottles, adorned with flowers, the works.

In fact, here’s the craziest thing: Coke actually changes the shape of its bottle!

It makes the bottles slimmer specifically so it becomes easier to hold and take pictures against the surrounding cherry blossoms to upload them on social media

How insane is that?

Coke’s bottle is its most identifiable brand asset. But even Coke knows when a moment is too good to be missed.

#2: Starbucks

Starbucks has cracked the cherry blossom code.

Seasonal flavours? Yes

Season merch? Yes
Is everything ‘grammable? Obv yes

But here’s the best bit: Even store layouts are changed so you can snap your cute Starbucks cup against a cute cherry blossom tree! 

#3: Jack Daniels

Jack Daniels’ positioning is masculine.
Whiskey’s positioning is cold-weather drink.

But not during cherry blossom time! 

JD took inspo from all the pink flowers to create ‘Black Blossom’

A special Sakura-themed whiskey box.

This little innovation flipped the perception. Whiskey is now a part of the spring hanami tradition where people eat and drink while watching springtime flowers! 

(Sigh. Why am I then looking at my laptop during springtime?)

#4: KitKat

Sakura themed Kitkats are so engrained in Japanese culture, that they are a standard thing to give students as good luck before exams!

Like, India’s dahi / ghee shakkar vibes.

#5: Local brands know the local demand

Tokyo-based brands offer some season-specific services that just make perfect sense

• A brand has made a business of running Sakura errands
  They’ll save you a good viewing spot at popular parks.
  They’ll set up the place for you.
  They’ll get you food and drinks.

• Some brands have opened glamping spots
  Parks are too basic, some people want a posher experience
  Fine dining, champagne, the works 
  
• Some brands take care of the introverts!
  Aka the indoor hanami experience 
  No crowded parks with people
  Indoor spots with fake grass and images of cherry blossoms projected on walls, so everyone can enjoy the season… their way

A lil story about Cherry Blossom season

It’s not just about the flowers; the business of predicting when cherry blossoms will happen is in itself HUGE.

It’s not just huge, its also very unusual.

The national weather-body equivalent in Japan pretty much stopped forecasting because it was simply too stressful if you got it wrong! 

So private companies do it now.

Oh and one of the main ones is the Japan Meteorological Corp.

They have just one man working in this department.

Dude collects temperature readings 365 days a year to get next year’s prediction right!