Seasons change in Japan in two ways, according to nature and according to marketing. This last week started the season for Beaujolais Nouveau, the freshly harvested wine that has become an annual worldwide phenomenon. Marketing and traditional values, the two major forces on Japanese consumer behavior, cleverly collaborate to make Beaujolais Nouveau an annual harvest ritual that bridges European culture and traditional Japanese values. Sales-wise, you can hardly do better than that!
A few readers of The Japan Times may even be suffering the aftereffects of this year's new vintage as they read this, since Japan leads the world in total imports. Last year, Japan imported 11 million bottles, far out-swigging Germany and the United States with only 3 million bottles each. Japan also outdoes other wine-drinking countries with the spectacle surrounding the uncorking. By French law, the first tasting is not allowed until one minute past midnight on the third Thursday of November. Because of time zones, Japan goes first in the world, making the country appear very European, at least for a few minutes mid-November.
This year's imports are expected to be down slightly due to the euro-yen exchange rate, but even still, the marketing of this fresh, young wine must be counted as an amazing success. The marketing strategy of events (last year a resort offered baths in the wine), tasting parties and pink, flowery labels all increase sales. This year, as a kind of reward for being such great consumers, the Beaujolais vintners produced a special rose version just for Japan. Nearly 400,000 bottles of this even lighter and sweeter rose wine will be on sale around the country. This entire strategy is sure to become a classic case study in MBA programs around the world!