The Japanese business-to-business (B2B) communications industry is on the rise. Japan has a unique culture that affects companies’ tactics, targets, messages, awareness-building strategies, and lead acquisition processes. In recent years, the landscape of B2B communications in Japan has undergone a rapid evolution from being physical, on-site trade media and events, to a more online media and online content focused. As a result, B2B has also shifted from impersonal, generic messaging, to hyper-personalized content that takes into consideration the very unique business landscape of Japan. This also raises opportunities for global brands to make the most of it.
While the market constantly shifts and innovates towards a new, post-pandemic normal, global brands are finding B2B increasingly affected by the shift towards digital. This shift is something that global companies in Japan must take advantage of in order to thrive now and in the future. This industry-wide transformation poses exciting opportunities for global companies to leverage their access to technology, scale, and efficient service delivery. But this move towards digital also has its own unique challenges. Localization, for example, is a crucial determining factor for brands. Done well, a localized email campaign effectively converts. On the other hand, a poorly executed campaign may spell a dip in reputation, or worse. The Japanese consumer, more than any other, is sensitive to his or her own unique culture. This is why global brands in Japan may need a little help when it comes to B2B.
We specialize in making B2B work for global businesses in Japan. When I founded our company in 2009, the B2B landscape was very different from what it is today. And yet we continue to adapt and thrive. One thing that we are proud of in KKBC is our capacity to drive best-practices, filter out the noise, and adapt to the constantly changing landscape of our industry. And this quality continues to this day, as we now face one of the biggest shifts in the business landscape worldwide.
KKBC is also at the forefront of pushing for better standards and best practices for the B2B industry. Our team consists of multinational members and local experts – a healthy mix of localized knowledge and global perspectives. We consistently encourage our media partners to provide more transparent and efficient servicing for our brands. For example: we advocate for the adoption of third-party ad serving (3PAS) among our media partners to maximize transparency and efficiency. We have also been leading the introduction of GDPR compliance among our media partners. KKBC continues to drive and encourage positive change to help not only the brands within our portfolio, but also the B2B industry as a whole.
We’re here to help in these challenging times. While opportunities continue to grow in the B2B landscape in Japan, global companies need local expertise to seize them. KKBC partners with global brands in Japan to maximize their investments in the market, especially in an environment that is so dramatically different and unique. In order to ride this huge wave of opportunities, global brands need careful planning, knowledgeable guidance, and perfect execution to secure a win. This is what we have to offer.
At KKBC, we imagine a world of brands that inspire.
Scott Owen Kuberski
Managing Director of KKBC
