Reflecting the cultural history and differences in Japan’s gaming and live-streaming sectors

What was the brief?

Brands sometimes perceive the advertising of gaming and streaming platforms as risky, and only relevant to gamers. Sign Salad was commissioned by a leading global gaming and live-streaming platform to challenge this view, to showcase the platform as a being a strong, leading partner for advertisers.

As part of a multi-disciplinary approach, Sign Salad explored the current cultural influences and drivers of this sector, and Tokyoesque was asked to provide insights on the Japanese market.

How we approached things

• Underlining how Japan’s gaming culture intersects with its rich anime culture
• Exemplifying how games are now seen to have certain health benefits in Japan, such as encouraging elderly patients
• Underscoring the popularity of game live streams with the younger generation
• Always bringing discussions back to one, simple question – what would a Japanese person think or feel?

Methodology

We employed a combination of existing cultural knowledge and additional desk research.

Results

Tokyoesque added value to this project through:

• Hands-on experience: Our bilingual, multi-cultural team was well placed to perceive even the subtlest of cultural differences between the UK and Japan.
• Ad-hoc support: Our team was always available to further provide clarification when necessary.