Ep 03: Marketing, Storytelling & Tom Cruise in Japan with Dex van Hunen

The Business Karaoke Podcast exists to lead unconventional business conversations in Japan. In this episode Dex van Hunen, marketing lead for IWC Japan, shares his insights about marketing in Japan and the psyche of the Japanese customer, particularly in the segment of luxury goods. Dex is the definition of a modern global marketer; he harmonizes a deep empathy for the Japanese customer, fluency in technology and a handful of  languages, seven to be exact!

If you're into marketing and into Japan, you'll love this episode. I've created a minute by minute breakdown of our conversation in the description box so you can maximize your time.

1:30 Dex's Japan Story and how languages
5:29 Reflections on living in Japan in 2004 and 2020
6:54 The "Gaijin" Card
9:12 Benefits as Tokyo as city for global professionals 
11:05 Characteristics of the Japanese customer
13:55 What makes an effective marketing story in Japan?
16:05 Strategies for new brands to effectively tell their story in Japan
18:18 Adapting your global strategy when launching in Japan
21:13 Legacy marketing in Japan and how traditional is still very much alive
24:32 Navigating a slow pace environment as a fast mover
26:00 Breaking down barriers by leveraging the Japanese love for Tom Cruise
28:25 Proof that Japanese customers are developing a taste for innovative marketing
29:19 Cultivating trusted parters from scratch and brand leverage in Japan
31:30 "The Match" for successful storytelling in Japan
33:20 How to market your way out of a scandal in Japan
37:29 A product over brand focus as step 1 post scandal.
38:26 Why the Japanese customer and the love for the next best food spot
42:03 2 year projection on how luxury brands can remain revenant
45:55 Lessons from the past and marketing luxury goods in a world of TikTok and geo-targeting
50:10 Motivation behind passion for marketing in Japan.

A big thank you to you and to Dex for his insights on marketing in Japan.

Connect with Dex on LinkedIn or Instagram.