Mobile Finds Girls’ Taste

ABSTRACT

This paper describes one case pertaining to Knorr’s mobile-based new product development projects in Japan. Knorr Foods, a subsidiary of Ajinomoto Inc., has tried to involve younger female consumers in the development of a new Soup Pasta, announcing the project at a popular fashion event, the Tokyo Girls Collection (TGC), whose star models became official project members. Knorr created a mobile campaign site, on which star model members maintain their blogs and report their participation in the product development process. The discussion threads serve as input for the idea generation and screening. Through this project, Knorr developed a new Soup Pasta that embodies the key attributes identified in the mobile blogs. The new product was introduced at the following year’s TGC venue, during which sampling took place through catering trailers.

Keywords:

• Blogging
• Events and experiences
• Mobile-based campaign
• New product development

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The author thanks D2 Communications Inc. and Knorr Foods Co. Ltd. for their willingness to share project information.

Additional information

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shintaro Okazaki (Ph.D., Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) is an associate professor in the Department of Finance and Marketing Research, College of Economics and Business Administration, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. He has published in various leading advertising and marketing journals, including Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, International Journal of Advertising, Journal of International Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Journal of World Business, European Journal of Marketing, Psychology & Marketing, International Marketing Review, Information & Management, and Internet Research, among others. His primary research interests lie in international marketing communications, with an emphasis on new technology. He was named the Best Academic of the Year in 2008 by the Mobile Marketing Association.