Why it took Japan 20 years to drink coffee

Summary

This video tells the story of how Japan transformed from a tea-drinking nation to one of the world's top coffee consumers, thanks to a groundbreaking marketing campaign by Nestlé and the innovative strategies of French psychoanalyst Kloter Rappaye. By targeting children with coffee-flavored candies, Nestlé created an emotional bond with the coffee flavor, which later translated into a massive coffee market. The video also highlights Rappaye's other successful projects, such as revamping the design of Chrysler's PT Cruiser based on emotional responses.

Takeaways

• 🇯🇵 Japan was not traditionally a coffee-drinking nation 60 years ago, with tea being the preferred beverage.
• 📈 Today, Japan is among the top 10 coffee consumers globally, largely due to a successful marketing campaign.
• 🧐 Kloter Rapi Rapaye, a French psychoanalyst, played a pivotal role in transforming Japan's coffee culture through emotional marketing strategies.
• 🎬 The 1952 film 'The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice' highlighted the deep-rooted tea culture in Japan, making it a challenging market for coffee.
• 💡 Nestlé initially struggled to popularize coffee in Japan despite high-quality products and competitive pricing.
• 🔍 Rapaye's research revealed that Japanese consumers lacked emotional connections to coffee, as most had never tasted it.
• 🍬 Nestlé's strategy shift involved introducing coffee-flavored candies to children, creating an early emotional bond with the flavor.
• 🍫 The popularity of these candies, possibly including early versions of KitKat bars, paved the way for Nestlé to re-enter the market with coffee products.
• ☕ By 2014, Nestlé successfully established a coffee market in Japan, with instant Barista products catering to the needs of working adults.
• 🌐 Nestlé's long-term commitment to the Japanese market led to them becoming the market leader in coffee.
• 🚗 Rapaye's success with Nestlé was not an isolated incident; he also helped Chrysler redesign the PT Cruiser to evoke a sense of safety and security.

Q & A

Why was coffee not popular in Japan 60 years ago?

Coffee was not popular in Japan 60 years ago because the country was primarily a tea-drinking nation, with no significant coffee culture at the time.

Who is credited with changing Japan's coffee consumption habits?

Kloter Rapi Rapaye is credited with changing Japan's coffee consumption habits through a highly successful marketing campaign.

What was the role of Kloter Rapi Rapaye in Nestle's marketing strategy for Japan?

Kloter Rapi Rapaye, a French psychoanalyst, was invited by Nestle to understand the emotional bonds of Japanese people with products. He conducted experiments to pinpoint why certain products were more favorable and advised Nestle on a long-term strategy focusing on coffee-flavored candies for children.

What was the initial strategy of Nestle to introduce coffee to Japan post-World War II?

Nestle initially introduced coffee to Japan post-World War II with the hope of exploiting the new market. However, despite advertisements and promotions, coffee did not become mainstream.

Why did Nestle's initial attempts to popularize coffee in Japan fail?

Nestle's initial attempts failed because coffee was not part of the Japanese culture and the emotional connection with the product was missing among the Japanese public.

How did Nestle's strategy evolve after Rapaye's advice?

After Rapaye's advice, Nestle shifted its strategy to target children with coffee-flavored candies, aiming to create an emotional bond and imprint of happiness associated with the coffee flavor from an early age.

What was the impact of Nestle's coffee-flavored candies on the Japanese market?

Nestle's coffee-flavored candies became extremely popular among Japanese youth and parents, which eventually led to a curiosity and acceptance of coffee as they grew older.

How did Nestle reintroduce coffee to the Japanese market after the success of coffee-flavored candies?

After 10 years, when many of the candy customers were of working age and already consumers of caffeine, Nestle re-entered the market with new coffee offerings like instant Barista, which was perfect for making a quick cup of coffee.

What was the significance of the introduction of coffee-flavored KitKats in Japan?

The introduction of coffee-flavored KitKats in Japan signified that consumers were well acquainted with the coffee flavor, and it added another product to the coffee empire that Nestle had helped establish in a tea-drinking nation.

What other successful project involving Kloter Rapi Rapaye is mentioned in the script?

Another successful project involving Kloter Rapi Rapaye mentioned in the script is with Chrysler and their design for the PT Cruiser, where Rapaye's archetype research helped in understanding the emotional response to the car's design.

How did Rapaye's research contribute to the design of the PT Cruiser?

Rapaye's research contributed to the PT Cruiser's design by identifying the emotional response of safety and security. As a result, the car's fenders were made more bulbous, the hatchback window smaller, and the windshield more upright to give it a truck-like look, resonating with people on an unconscious level.