Success Story of Influencer Marketing in Japan with hotice

By utilizing influencer marketing, you can significantly increase the awareness of your products or services in Japan.
However, Japan has unique local rules and creative trends. Marketing without understanding these nuances can lead to failure. Therefore, collaborating with a local advertising agency is recommended.
Here, we introduce case studies to help you understand successful examples in Japan and avoid potential risks.
hotice Inc. has built strong relationships with over 25,000 influencers. Together, we have achieved numerous marketing successes.
In this article, we present 10 of those success stories. For influencer marketing in Japan, trust hotice Inc.

10 Success Stories of Influencer Marketing in Japan

Let us introduce 10 successful cases of influencer marketing in Japan. These examples feature Japanese influencers or collaborations with Japanese companies.

AB InBev – Instagram PR Campaign

In May 2024, we were tasked with casting influencers for AB InBev’s Corona Beer campaign on Instagram.
The main theme was “SUNSET MOMENT.”
Japanese influencers posted campaign content featuring Corona Beer against the backdrop of beautiful Japanese sunsets.
This significantly contributed to increasing brand awareness of Corona Beer.
It stands as a successful example of influencer marketing reaching a broad Japanese audience.

Clinique Laboratories – TikTok PR Campaign

Clinique Laboratories entrusted us with an influencer marketing campaign on TikTok.
We engaged young Japanese beauty influencers who posted scenes of themselves using the products, resonating with Japanese women.
Japan experiences significant dryness during seasonal transitions. By aligning the campaign with this timing, we achieved marketing success.

HITEJINRO – Instagram PR Campaign

Here’s a success story featuring a Korean company. HITEJINRO, famous for its soju brand Chamisul, collaborated with influencers to enter the Japanese market.
Japanese influencers posted multiple Reels showing them enjoying Chamisul, which further expanded its recognition in Japan.

Lacoste – Instagram PR Campaign

Lacoste, known for its iconic crocodile logo, aimed to promote new sneakers in Japan. To match the sneakers’ stylish vibe, we collaborated with videographers and posted influencer videos.
This campaign adopted the increasingly popular Reel format, focusing on dynamic, text-free videos, leading many Japanese users to take action and purchase the sneakers.

Shiseido – Social media PR Campaign

This case highlights a major influencer marketing effort by Shiseido, a leading Japanese cosmetics company.
To expand awareness in Taiwan, Thailand, and Korea, influencers from each country were invited to Japan. They visited Shiseido facilities and created videos, resulting in about 30 posts across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
This inbound marketing strategy led to increased duty-free store visits and boosted purchases in those countries.

Adobe – Instagram & TikTok PR Campaign

Adobe, the global leader in creative software like Photoshop and Illustrator, succeeded with a marketing strategy focused on authenticity.
Japanese influencers who frequently used Adobe tools shared the value of its services with their followers, highlighting the software’s essential role. This campaign led to an increase in downloads in Japan.

Yasashii Lifestyle Social media “GRAVITY” – Live Streaming Campaign

GRAVITY, a “gentle lifestyle Social media,” succeeded with a live streaming influencer campaign.
Four popular Japanese influencers hosted audio streams, engaging fans and promoting the app’s features. The live streams created buzz and showcased the app’s appeal to Japanese followers.

Turtle Beach Corporation – YouTube PR Campaign

Turtle Beach Corporation succeeded with an influencer marketing campaign on YouTube to promote gaming gadgets in Japan.
Japanese gaming influencers hosted live streams and videos, aligning the campaign with major sales events like Black Friday and Rakuten Super Sale. This led to a record-breaking CTR, marking a highly effective campaign.

LAF Entertainment – Event PR Campaign

This case involves not a product or service but an event: Craft Gyoza Fest, focused on Japan’s beloved gyoza.
Food influencers were invited to share the event’s charm, including the delicious gyoza and the venue’s atmosphere, on Instagram and TikTok. This increased event visibility and visitor numbers.

MIXI – TikTok PR Campaign

The final example features a unique influencer marketing campaign for the popular Japanese game Monster Strike.
hotice Inc. handled everything from planning to execution, including launching a TikTok account for the character “Ochimusha.” A video from this campaign garnered over 3.5 million views, contributing to the success of the XFLAG PARK 2022 event.
This demonstrates a versatile and successful Social media account management case.