THE CHALLENGE /

A health & fitness brand looking to launch a drink product in Japan. Aware that this is already a crowded space, they needed to understand emerging cultural narratives of health & fitness to find a distinctive, ownable opportunity space for their brand, with specific guidance for product innovation in Japan.

THE SOLUTION /

Starting with category immersion: real-life, in-situ cultural fieldwork in Tokyo & Osaka to experience first-hand the gyms & fitness studios, the cafés & restaurants, the health stores, drug stores & conbini where the culture of health & fitness lives. Followed by cultural analysis to chart how that culture has changed over time - from where we’ve come from, to where we are today, and crucially, where we’re headed tomorrow. Finally, a semiotic deep-dive into health & fitness, analysing places & products from the category immersion & more, to break down how all that cultural change is showing up specifically in visuals, verbals & product features.

THE RESULT /

Opportunity mapping revealed white space for the health & fitness client, white space that felt true to the brand, distinctive vs. competitors, and importantly represented a cultural opportunity & a way for the brand to get ahead of cultural change in Japanese health & fitness. And with specific guidance for unlocking that opportunity: the product features to innovate against, and visual & verbal cues to land their message with local, cultural resonance.