Beauty
March 18, 2015
Part 8: An Inside Look at the "Otokokaoru." Project (1)
The Hit "Fragrant" Gum
The "Otoko Kaoru." Project: Unveiling Its Secrets - Part 1
March 19, 2007. It was etched into "fragrance" history as the day a legendary gum was revived (at least in my personal history, Nakano's version). Kanebo Foods' gum, "Otoko Kaoru.," returned to the market, powered up. The original "Otoko Kaoru." had been discontinued on July 28, 2006, due to unexpectedly high sales that outstripped production.
In an era where many lament that products aren't selling, who were the people behind developing such a hit? What stories lay hidden in the background of its development and its success? While the mechanism of "fragrant gum" itself is intriguing, I wanted to delve into the secrets of the project's success, so I visited Kanebo Foods Co., Ltd. to hear their story. I spoke with Erika Nishi, a chief in the Development Group of the Confectionery Business Unit.
text by Kaori Nakanophoto by Rin Tatsuno
Standing out on the gum shelf: "Black and Red." Suggested retail price: 150 yen (158 yen including tax)
Forecasting Demand from "Customer Feedback"
Kaori NakanoI believe there are quite a few men who, while not using perfume, are actually concerned about their own scent. I thought that "Otoko Kaoru." gum would be of particular interest to such men. From a business model perspective, it's also very fascinating, so I'd be delighted if you could share your insights from various angles. Thank you for having me.
Erika NishiThank you for coming.
NakanoThe original "Otoko Kaoru." was so popular that it had to be temporarily discontinued, far exceeding your expectations, I hear...
NishiYes, we couldn't keep up with supply. It's a bit embarrassing to admit.
NakanoBut that's incredible! Especially when so many companies are struggling to sell products. Were the actual purchasers primarily men?
NishiYes, it was 9 to 1, men.
NakanoMen buying gum with the concept of "body fragrance" – did you have confidence in its success from the start?
NishiWe already had a product called "Fuwarinka" that made you smell nice when you ate it. It was visually geared towards women. However, we received quite a few inquiries at our Customer Service Center asking, "I heard there's a fragrant gum?" and surprisingly, many of them were from men.
NakanoSo the inquiries were about the "fragrant" function itself, not the product name?
Erika Nishi, Kanebo Foods
NishiExactly. The idea of "fragrance" resonated with men. That's when we felt there was a demand from men. However, the company wanted to continue developing "Fuwarinka." So, we thought, why not create a gum with the same function as "Fuwarinka" but specifically for men, and make it something men could easily purchase? In other words, "Fuwarinka" came first, and we got the hint from the response to it, then added the element of targeting men.
NakanoI see... And then it was so successful that you had to halt sales after two months. It seems carefully listening to customer feedback paid off.
Packaging That Cuts Through the Gum Aisle
NakanoHow does the revamped version, released in March, differ from the original?
NishiThe original was pellet gum, but we changed it to stick gum. Stick gum allows for enhanced fragrance components, but more importantly, it allowed us to create a separate line from the pellet gum "Fuwarinka." Not having the lines overlap is quite significant for the company.
NakanoAnd this packaging is beautiful! Black base with a red rose. And when you open it... oh my, inside the black wrapper, two red wrappers are mixed in with a subtle allure (laughs).
NishiIt's like a happy accident, isn't it? With stick gum, you can play around with the wrappers like this. It wouldn't have been possible with pellet gum. We also played around with the outer packaging; there's a 1 in 7 chance of finding a rose-shaped heart. The rest are round roses.
NakanoIt reminds me of the packaging for Taku Sato's Cool Mint Gum, where occasionally a penguin with its arm raised is mixed in.
Editor MakotoThe fact that it's not a 1 in 100 chance, but 1 in 7, is great. It feels like a win.
NishiWhether people notice it or not, I don't know (laughs).
NakanoIf you do notice it, you'll definitely want to brag about it to others, right? Like, "Do you know about this?" Does the name also have a story behind it?
NishiIt's not so much a story... but "Otoko Kaoru." sounds cool, doesn't it? It suggests a fragrance with a certain atmosphere.
NakanoIt feels like a man's hidden desires also waft through as a spice.
NishiAh, that was something we "secretly added" (laughs).
NakanoStill, black with red. It even has the feel of high-end chocolate. A color completely unlike anything else in the gum aisle.
NishiI imagine it was difficult to introduce a black base into an aisle dominated by fruit and mint colors. But when you can't afford a large advertising budget, you have to think about how to make an impact on the gum shelves in convenience stores and supermarkets. Presence is key. It needs to say something just by being there.
Nakano"Cut through the gum aisle"!? That's a phrase I've never heard before (laughs). Industry jargon is quite refreshing. By the way, between pellet and stick gum, which sells better?
NishiPellet gum has higher demand. For stick gum, there's a tendency to think, "Cool and Green are enough" (laughs). Also, stick gum is more common for fruit flavors. Stick gum is better at expressing a juicy sensation. For the revamped stick version of "Otoko Kaoru.," we maximized the advantages of stick gum, such as longer-lasting flavor and the ease of incorporating capsules.
NakanoLike fruit gum, I feel stick gum is also more common for products targeting children.
NishiYes, buyers tell us that if it's targeting adults, they prefer pellet gum.
NakanoAmidst all this, the revamped stick version was also a great success. Congratulations. Did you anticipate such a positive response?
NishiThe buyers were also half-skeptical. Whether it would be a hit or not. Many buyers said, "I think it's okay personally, but I wonder about the company's reaction."
Nakano"I think it's okay, but what about the company?" That sounds like a very Japanese response (laughs).