Japanese marketing in 2016: A point of view

We launched Campaign Japan at an interesting point in Japan’s history: with the country looking forward to the Olympics, and with companies looking more seriously than ever at international expansion. This optimism has also led foreign companies to look at Japan with new energy, and in some cases enter the market for the first time.

Since launching, we have been fortunate to interview some very insightful people from a wide range of backgrounds who have helped us tell part of this story from the perspective of brands. It has been an eventful year with many challenges for the marketing industry, but also a lot that we should feel positive about.

It has always been our aim to support Japan’s marketing industry in a critical way and make the rest of the world aware of its most interesting features. We believe Japan can gain a lot by looking at itself in a more global context rather than in isolation. Wherever possible, this is what we will continue to try and do in our coverage. Thank you for reading so far, and we welcome your feedback. Please email [email protected] with any comments.

Here is our review of 2016.

• A look back at our most popular stories
• Our favourite pieces of work
• The brand ideas that stood out for their intelligence and foresight
• Some of the year’s most important launches and deals
• Lessons we should take away