In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are joined by John Gearing. John is the founder of JBG Consulting & Advisory and a fashion and sportswear executive with extensive experience in retail since 1996. He guides and optimizes retail businesses in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, providing strategic insights to private enterprises and investors from Bangalore, Hangzhou, and Edinburgh. In our conversation with John, we gain valuable insights on how to succeed in the APAC region. We discuss the importance of adapting brands to be relevant locally and investing in direct-to-consumer channels. We talk about the Indian market and why it's significant for businesses to partner with the right people and understand the right model. We also touch on the e-commerce landscape in India and China, and the competitive nature of businesses in those countries. We conclude our discussion by exploring the exciting future of India. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Challenges and Opportunities in building retail capabilities in Asia●      Importance of strategic framework and local market control●      Lessons learned in brand building and market adaptation●      Wrangler and Li brands' success in China and Asia●      The changing market conditions over the past 18 years, starting with Japan's influence and shifting toward China's market growth and impact●      Shift in influence from Japan to South Korea in the fashion industry●      The rapid changes in logistics infrastructure and technology in the retail industry●      The challenges and opportunities of expanding businesses into the APAC region●      Factors to consider when developing a successful expansion strategy in the APAC region●      The potential of the Indian consumer market●      The e-commerce landscape in India, including the main platforms, the differences compared to the Chinese market.●      The competitive nature of business in countries like China and India

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are joined by Xiang Chen. He is the VP of Strategy and Insights at WPIC Marketing + Technologies, a company that provides market data solutions for brands looking to enter the Chinese market. Xiang is a bilingual individual with deep knowledge of Eastern and Western cultures. With a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, he began his career as a Project Planner at a leading Canadian telecom company, overseeing major network upgrades. Xiang later joined a Beijing-based tech startup as a Product Director, where he successfully established the IT team and managed diverse projects for esteemed clients worldwide. In our conversation with Xiang we gain valuable insights into the impact of his role at WPIC, as well as WPIC's incredible Discripto tool which provides valuable information about the Chinese market, and the importance of data-informed decisions in running a successful consumer business in China. We touch on the challenges of expanding into the Chinese market and the need for a tailored approach to branding and marketing in China and the value of having reliable data to navigate the challenges of expanding into the market. We conclude by talking about the upcoming 6.18 festival, a major shopping event in China that takes place on June 18th each year. We discuss the festival's significance for both brands and consumers and how it has emerged as a key opportunity for companies to boost sales and gain exposure in the Chinese market. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The features and benefits of Discripto's data analysis system●      The need for tuning in Discripto's data analysis system in response to changing digital landscape●      Rise of Douyin (TikTok) and how it has impacted businesses ●      WPIC services for brands entering or expanding into the Chinese market●      A shift towards data-informed decision-making, as brands realize the significance of data in gaining a competitive advantage●      The sophistication of both consumers and competitors in the world●      Contrasting E-commerce platforms in Western Countries and Southeast Asia●      The challenges of entering the Chinese market●      Strategic brand positioning and targeted messaging in the Chinese probiotics market●      Emerging trends in the Chinese consumer market and why cats are becoming increasingly popular in China

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are thrilled to feature Ryan Purkey on the show. Ryan is a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of diverse leadership experience. Beginning his career at an SEO startup, he has played a pivotal role in driving success for renowned clients such as Home Depot, Victoria's Secret, and Warner Bros. Notably, Ryan served as the Head of Digital at Tanner De Witt, a prominent Hong Kong law firm. During our conversation with Ryan, we talk about his experience driving digital transformation at Tanner De Witt during the pandemic. We discuss the unique considerations for professional services firms in digital marketing, the importance of building rapport with potential clients, and the challenges and opportunities for digital transformation in established industries. We also dig into why there is a need for these industries to modernize and adapt in order to stay competitive. We wrap up our conversation by grabbing our well-used crystal ball and look into the future of the digital marketing industry over the next five years. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The early days of the internet●      Digital transformation and considerations for legal firms ●      Implementing content marketing strategies for legal firms●      The importance of building rapport with potential clients in the Asia Pacific●      The dynamics of B2B relationships within the legal profession●      Stakeholder management in law firms●      The long-term impact of AI: A hype cycle with lasting effects●      Challenges in modernizing established industries●      The need for professional firms to improve conflict searches, adopt digital solutions, and embrace eDiscovery in the legal industry.●      Decentralization and diversification of digital marketing

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are joined by Alex Palmer. Alex is a highly accomplished marketing executive and currently serves as the Executive Vice President at WPIC Marketing + Technologies,. With extensive experience and a strategic mindset, he drives growth, fosters client relationships, and leads innovative marketing strategies, contributing to the company's success and its position as an industry leader helping brands successfully expand into Asia. In our conversation with Alex, we get valuable insights into his recent trip to WPIC's offices in Japan and China, as well as WPIC's latest initiative, the APAC E-commerce Accelerator Program. The program is designed to help brands expand into the Asia-Pacific region efficiently by taking care of the complexities of the supply chain, customs, financial reconciliations, and taxes. We also talk about the importance of having a reliable partner to manage operations in the region and highlight the significance of human relationship management skills in the future of business in Asia. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Golf retail in Japan●      Honma, “the Titleist of Japan” ●      Efficiency gains for brands in the APAC E-commerce Accelerator Program●      Implementing marketing strategies in the APAC region●      Scaling businesses in different markets: Strategies and considerations●      Managing business growth, decision-making, knowledge transfer, and outsourcing challenges●      The rise of tech-driven health and wellness products in a consumer-conscious market●      The importance of having the right partner in addressing regional consumer differences: education, adaptation, understanding, and bridging gaps for success●      Building successful teams through effective stakeholder management and collaboration at scale●      The importance of human relationship management and skill development 

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are excited to welcome to the program, Jacob Cooke, the Co-Founder and CEO of WPIC Marketing and Technologies. Jacob is usually based in Beijing where he oversees the China operations for WPIC Marketing and Technologies, however today he is joining us from Tokyo, where WPIC also has a significant and growing presence. We thought it would be perfect timing for him to join us and tell us what he sees in Japan and update us on the country's booming e-commerce landscape. We cover all the significant topics one would expect if looking to enter the Japanese market as a new entrant, including a high-level overview of e-commerce in Japan, emerging consumer trends and preferences; key regulations and legal requirements that foreign brands need to be aware of when entering the Japanese e-commerce market; the role of social media, influencer marketing and live-streaming; & Japan’s unique logistics and distribution systems landscape and some of the challenges it may present for foreign brands who are unfamiliar Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      WPIC's operational landscape in Japan●      Overview of the current e-commerce landscape in Japan●      The hottest sectors for cross-border e-commerce in Japan●      Key regulatory and legal requirements, with nutraceuticals as an example●      The role of social media, influencer marketing, and live streaming●      The unique logistics and distribution systems in Japan & how they impact e-commerce●      How WPIC is able to serve multiple APAC markets with a single source of inventory and ERP

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are joined by Kirsten Johnston, Founder and CEO of JWDK, a brand design firm specializing in cultural and place identity in China. An expert in place branding, Kirsten has consulted for some of the most influential properties in Mainland China. Based in Shanghai, Kirsten also serves as the Vice Chair of BritCham Shanghai.  In our conversation with Kirsten, we get to learn more about her work in place branding for some of China’s most notable landmarks. We discuss the importance of understanding human behavior and cultural identity in placemaking and place branding, and the need to adapt international models to fit local contexts. Kirsten also shares case studies of her work with Rockbund, a community space in Shanghai, as well as other projects across Mainland China. We finish our conversation by exploring what makes a great design and some of the mistakes made that result in what she considers poorly designed places. Enjoy!   Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Place branding.●      The evolution of design and branding. ●      Consumer trends and placemaking.●      Rapid urban development in China and its impact on town planning and real estate investment.●      The creation of "ghost malls" that remain empty in China.●      Xintiandi and al fresco dining in Shanghai.●      Elements that make places work in the physical sense: human scale, intimacy, and walkability.●      Chinese developments and walkability.●      Human behavior in public spaces, the safety zone., and how people maneuver within spaces.●      Shanghai’s Rockbund.●      The differences between engaging with Chinese companies and international companies.●      The change in workspace design due to the pandemic.

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are joined by Susan Heffernan on the show. Susan is a strategic advisor for brands in the health, wellness, beauty, and lifestyle sectors. She has a track record of growing profitable international businesses and helping them navigate the complexities of the China market. She is also the CEO of Soozar, a design-led production company specializing in designing, developing, manufacturing and supplying bespoke art pieces, props and visual display accessories.In our conversation with Susan, we gain valuable insight into her experience of operating a business in China as well as her current role as a strategic advisor for companies that want to enter the Chinese market. We dive deep into the nuances of conducting business in China, how IKEA's business model may have influenced the market, the process of sourcing materials for manufacturing, and the current trends in China's furniture and home decor industry. Susan also offers her predictions regarding the future of the health and wellness industry in the Asia Pacific region and the home and house space in China over the next three to five years. We conclude our conversation by exploring the effects of COVID-19, particularly on the furniture industry. Enjoy!Topics Discussed and Key Points:Susan’s background and experience in China, founding and operating a business The challenges IKEA faced in China and how it overcame themChallenges of sourcing raw materials in different regions of the world The importance of maintaining close connections with partners in ChinaChina’s  growing awareness of preventive medicineThe market’s increasing popularity of fitness activities.Platforms that consumers are paying attention to today in the health and wellness industryStunt marketing Advancement in packaging China's emerging role in organic skincare productionThe increasing popularity of Scandinavian slimline furniture Impact of COVID-19 on the home furnishings market

This episode of The Negotiation podcast features part 2 of our discussion with  Diego Dultzin Lacoste. Diego is the co-founder of OnTheList. OnTheList is an innovative online flash sales platform that offers Members-Only flash sales, allowing members to enjoy exclusive access to luxury brands at reduced prices. By transforming inventory into opportunity, OnTheList is revolutionizing the retail industry in Asia for both brands and consumers. In this episode, we continue our discussion with Diego, kicking off by discussing data in the luxury brand industry in Asia. We talk about how OnTheList uses customer data to optimize sales for luxury brands and the importance of pricing strategy in the market. We also touch on the use of AI in pricing strategies, and then shift the discussion to the booming luxury market in Asia, as well as the future of retail in Asia. We finish our conversation by diving into the impact of COVID-19 on the luxury industry in Asia. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Importance of pricing strategy and adjusting based on data analysis●      The potential for AI to automate price changes but why it can be difficult to replace the human element●      The importance of localization in each market segment ●      The future of retail in Asia ●      The booming luxury market in Asia ●      Why luxury brands are re-focusing their investments in Asia ●      Surviving and thriving through COVID

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are thrilled to be joined by Diego Dultzin, co-founder of OnTheList. OnTheList is an innovative online flash sales platform that offers members-only flash sales, allowing its members to enjoy exclusive access to luxury brands at reduced prices. By transforming inventory into opportunity, OnTheList is revolutionizing the retail industry in Asia for both brands and consumers. In part one of our conversation with Diego, we discuss how he and his partner have built  OnTheList, and how they view the future of retail in Asia. We also discuss topics such as building partnerships with well-known brands, finding and retaining good talent in the retail industry, and the importance of understanding the specificities of each market in Asia. Don't miss out on this insightful conversation with Diego. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The launch of  OnTheList ●      Helping brands unload excess inventory sustainably●      Building a diverse team in Asia●      Approaches to partnership building●      The difficulties of hiring, particularly in Asia●      Sustainability in Asia https://www.onthelist.asia/https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegodultzin/

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are joined by  Jerome Spitzer, co-founder of French Creations, a prominent F&B group headquartered in Hong Kong. Jerome has now established a new venture named Boheme Restaurant Group (BRG), which focuses on the restaurant industry. In our discussion with Jerome, we learn about his experiences in the restaurant industry in Asia and Europe. We also talk about the challenges of customer acquisition and his growth strategies in Hong Kong's competitive market, as well as the importance of adapting to different types of clientele. Jerome also shares his experiences designing and operating restaurants in Hong Kong and France, as well as  the impact of COVID-19 on the industry.  Enjoy!Topics Discussed and Key Points:The origin of the name “Boheme”The difference between expatriate and local clientele in ChinaHow Jerome met Olivier and opened their first restaurantThe reason for the success of Pastis restaurant Customer acquisition Adapting to changing customer expectationsJerome’s growth strategy for his companyThe importance of speed of business in Asia and how it differs from the standard approach in North America and EuropeHow Jerome and his partner managed to open 18 restaurants in 15 years Challenges of opening a restaurant in France compared to Hong KongBusiness operational efficiencies The efficiency and pragmatism of government officials and laws in Hong Kong, including the process of obtaining licenses.Future expansion plans for BRG

This episode of The Negotiation podcast features part 2 of our in-depth discussion with Gordon Domlija, an advertising and media specialist with over 25 years of experience in communications and marketing. In Part 2 of our conversation with Gordon, we continue talking about marketing in different regions of Asia. We dive into the various strategies Chinese domestic companies use compared to that of international brands, highlighting the importance of understanding customer needs and adapting marketing strategies accordingly. Gordon shares his insights on the role of self-expression in Chinese marketing and how the shopping experience has changed over time. Last, we also discuss national pride's impact on consumer behavior and the challenges that Western brands may face when trying to compete in China. Gordon stresses the importance of localization and the need for brands to understand cultural differences in shaping consumer tastes. We conclude our conversation by exploring the potential of the metaverse in the advertising industry and how it may shape the future of marketing, especially in the APAC region. Enjoy!Gordon can be reached at [email protected] Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The importance of self-expression in marketing and how Chinese companies have capitalized on this trend●      The changing experience of shopping in brick-and-mortar stores and how Chinese companies have improved their retail spaces and customer experiences●      National pride and consumer behavior in China●       The importance of heritage and history in Western brands, and the shift towards valuing quality and exclusivity in China●      Effective localization of global products●      The challenges potentially faced by foreign brands in China and the importance of understanding customer needs and competition●      Gordon’s experience managing different APAC markets during COVID●      The importance of understanding local nuances and customer needs in order to succeed in different markets●      The population shift in Southeast Asia●      The development of the metaverse and its relevance in Asia●      Entertainment shopping 

This episode of The Negotiation podcast features part 1 of our BIG discussion with Gordon Domlija, an advertising and media specialist with over 25 years of experience in communications and marketing, and an expert in growing companies in China and Asia Pacific. Most recently, Gordon has launched Elucidate X as Co-Founder and Managing Partner.In Part 1 of our conversation with Gordon, we explore the dynamic world of marketing and advertising during China's rapid urbanization and opening up between the mid-2000s and today. We take a deep dive into the innovative marketing strategies that have emerged in China, the challenges of implementing some of these strategies, and some of the effective communication strategies that fit the market that may be different from the rest of the world.Our episode offers a comprehensive look at how both technology and China’s modernization have shaped marketing and advertising in the region and today’s best practices around connecting brands and customers. From social media platforms to cutting-edge marketing tools, we explore how brands can leverage the latest technologies in-market to drive business growth and stay ahead of the competition (which is a full-time job in and of itself). Tune in to gain valuable insights into the world of marketing and advertising in China and beyond, and discover the strategies that can help you achieve success in this rapidly evolving landscape. Enjoy!Gordon can be reached at [email protected] Discussed and Key Points:●      The rapid urbanization and economic growth that occurred in China in the early and mid-2000s.●      How investment from the Chinese government led to unprecedented urbanization and opportunity in China●      The marketing landscape in China in the year 2008 and how it evolved over the past 15 years●      The importance of staying ahead of trends and keeping up with technology in advertising and marketing - especially in China●      Gordon’s most memorable campaigns and experiences while working with innovative brands in China like Nike, Land Rover, and Meituan●      Adapting effective communication strategies to fit the market●      The complexity of consumer behavior and targeting in China●      Why China is still an incredibly responsive market ●      Role of technology and modernization in shaping marketing●      Best practices for connecting brands and customers●      Leveraging the latest technologies for business growth●      Unique consumer behavior in China●      Rapid responsiveness and monitoring of sales targets●      Need for good advice and contingency plans for the China market

Joanna Hutchins is an expert in brand growth and innovation, with extensive experience across various product sectors of the China market. Joanna also serves as an adjunct professor at Duke University's China campus, and she has authored a new book titled Chinafy: Why China is Leading in Innovation and How the Rest of the World Can Catch Up. The book is scheduled to be released in March / April 2023 and will be available in stores in the US, UK, and SE Asia, as well as online globally. UPDATE - Joanna's book is now available on Amazon Singapore!! https://www.amazon.sg/Chinafy-Joanna-Hutchins/dp/9815044508/ In our conversation with Joanna, we learn about the evolution of the Chinese market over the past two decades and how major international organizations like Unilever (where Joanna worked) have found success in the region. We also discuss Joanna's new book, Chinafy: Why China is Leading in Innovation and How the Rest of the World Can Catch Up, which offers a deep dive into China's role in global innovation over the past decade, and what the rest of the world can learn from the market. As an innovation expert, Joanna also highlights several emerging innovations expected to shape the Chinese market in the next five to ten years. We discuss the pace of innovation in China and the potential opportunities that exist for businesses to take advantage of this wave.  Our conversation offers a compelling look into the role of China in global innovation and how businesses can navigate the ever-changing landscape of the Chinese market. Enjoy!Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Joanna’s new book ●      Influences that have led to the growth of domestic Chinese brands  ●      The impact of China’s melamine milk scare on the branding landscape in the country●      The era of multinational consumer brands in China and their dominance●      The Unilever corporate master brand and how it was significant in marketing products in China●      The early days of the internet and e-commerce in China●      The role of e-commerce in addressing logistics and transportation challenges in second and third-tier cities in China●      The intersection of design and business growth, and the importance of design in the China Market●      Brand collaborations in China and why they make sense there, better than anywhere else●      How China is an effective sandbox for brands to flex their design muscles●      China's innovation and influence on the West●      BYD: a Chinese firm that has expanded its business from producing rechargeable batteries to selling electric cars and buses●      Social commerce in China and the rise of Tik Tok as a marketing tool ●      The potential that exists in reverse innovation●      The velocity of innovation in China●      The future potential of China’s consumer brands ●      How technology can disrupt consumer segments 

In this episode of The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with Gil Chavez, a seasoned specialist in global marketing and communications. With a career spanning over three decades, Gil has honed his expertise in marketing, particularly in the Asian region. In addition to his vast experience, he is also a top-rated professor, having taught over 100 courses in a 24-year teaching career. In this episode, we continue to dive into some of the cultural differences between the West and the East. We explore various negotiating tips for Japan and how that process can vary from that of the USA and Canada, including the ceremonial aspects of negotiation and effective communication. We conclude our conversation with Gil by discussing famous business leaders and how they are perceived in Japan. Enjoy listening! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The difference between a CEO’s humility and arrogance ●      Negotiations and building relationships in Japan●      Reverse negotiations in Japan●      Ceremonial aspects of the art of negotiation and communication in Japan ●      The potential lack of self-awareness among executives when moving up the ladder ●      Diverse approaches to managing both oneself and others that can aid in progressing from a young executive to a senior executive

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are thrilled to be joined by Joseph Cooke. Joseph is the Co-Founder and President of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, and he recently returned from his first trip to China in 38 months, having spent a week and a half there. As one of the first North American business people to visit China since the initial COVID lockdowns in 2019, we thought it would be a great opportunity to bring him back on the show to share his insights on the current situation in China. Today, Joseph provides insights into the changes in China he’s seen over the 3 years since he last visited. Our discussion focuses on China's economy and markets, examining how the country is expected to evolve in the future.  We discuss sectors in China that have undergone significant transformations before concluding with a discussion on major upcoming marketing, sales, and shopping events in the country. If you plan to expand your business into this lucrative market or even travel to China in the coming year, don't miss out on this episode. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Joseph’s life in China pre-COVID●      Arriving in China and going through the airport●      Domestic travel in China●      Rebuilding connections ●      China’s economy and where it is heading●      China’s welcoming of foreigners post-COVID●      Sectors in China that have seen a drastic metamorphosis●      Changes in the Chinese market over the previous few years●      Habits in China impacted by COVID ●      Micro breakdowns of specific sub-sectors ●      Queens Day and 618- the major holidays in H1 in China

This episode of The Negotiation features part one of our conversation with Gil Chavez, a seasoned specialist in global marketing and communication. With a career spanning over three decades, Gil has honed his expertise in marketing, particularly in the Asian region. Alongside his vast experience, he is also a top-rated professor, having taught over 100 courses in his 24-year teaching career. In this episode of the podcast, we dive deep into the corporate communications differences between Japan and the US, starting off with the financial services sector. We then discuss social media marketing in Japan, including the rise of TikTok in promoting major brands and how the principles of success in the space have evolved over time. We also discuss how broader corporate communications differ between Japanese and North American audiences, as well as CEO advice for B2B versus B2C communication. Additionally, we touch on international brands that have found success in social media marketing in Japan and the different approaches for media training that Gil uses in Japan versus the West. Gil also highlights some of the skills that have contributed to his success in his work, and best practices for succeeding in the Japan region. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Gil’s experience with IBM's Asia Pacific team●      Corporate communications in Japan●      CEO media training in Japan●      Stories about Toyota's first significant losses back in the ‘90s and Akio Toyoda's takeover●      The financial services sector in Japan and the US and the differences in corporate communications in that space●      Social media marketing in Japan and the principles for success●      How TikTok has taken Twitter's position as the leading platform in Japan for promoting major brands●      The role celebrities and influencers play in social media marketing ●      Why Japan is all about quality

In this episode of The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with  Morgan Keldsen, a renowned international business development and retail expert. With a career spanning over two decades, Morgan has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Stüssy, Nike, Converse, and Vans. Today, he offers his expertise to organizations in the athletic and fashion lifestyle space, helping them navigate the complex business landscape of the Asia-Pacific region. For brands without existing relationships in the Asian market, the episode provides tactics and strategies to help them enter the market successfully. This episode starts off by taking a deep dive into the history and growth of Stüssy, a popular streetwear brand that Morgan worked with, helping them in APAC. We explore how the company transformed from a wholesale-focused business to a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model by tightening its distribution. The conversation also touches on the significance of choosing the right collaboration partner in Asia and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the fashion and lifestyle industry, which, among other things, exposed companies who suffered from poor relationships - especially in Asia, where so much of the world’s supply chain is managed. We then hear from Morgan about his experiences navigating the pandemic while working at Vans. Finally, we discuss the potential of the metaverse as a marketing tool in Asia and the future of consumer behavior in the APAC region. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Introduction to Stüssy and its origins as a skate brand●      How Stüssy focussed on tightening the brand's distribution and moving away from wholesale to a DTC-forward brand●      Tactics and strategies for brands entering the Asia market without existing relationships●      How important it is for brands to allow consumers to feel your personality or soul●      Brands Collaborations in Asia and why they resonate in the region●      The Covid-19 pandemic and how it exposed companies that had poor relationships ●      Market Authenticity●      The future direction of consumers in Asia.●      APAC region: macroeconomic and geopolitical evolutions that are affecting the relationships between different markets●      The metaverse as a marketing tactic

This episode of The Negotiation features part one of a two-part series with Morgan Keldsen, renowned international business development, and retail expert. With a career spanning over two decades, Morgan has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Nike, Converse, and Vans. Today, he offers his expertise to organizations in the athletic and fashion lifestyle space, helping them navigate the complex business landscape of the Asia-Pacific region.In this episode, we learn about Morgan's background, how he got into China and began working with Nike, and what makes the brand so iconic around the world. Morgan also shares his insights on the challenges he faced while working with the Jordan brand and how he navigated them. Additionally, we dive into the importance of localization in product design, marketing, and merchandising, and how it differs between different consumer markets in Asia. Whether you are a seasoned business professional or just starting out, you can’t afford to miss this enlightening conversation with Morgan Keldsen. So, sit back, relax, and get ready for part 1 of The Negotiation with Morgan Keldsen. Enjoy!Topics Discussed and Key Points:What makes Nike an iconic brand Morgan's work and achievements with the Nike brand in AsiaConsumer market nuances in AsiaWhy it's important to find ways to appeal to local consumersThe different ways to find business success in the athletic and fashion industryLocalization of product design, marketing, and merchandising Consumer offline shopping in Japan versus that of  Vietnam and SingaporeThe effects of DTC on the merchandising of productsThe challenges of launching the Converse brand in AsiaNotable Quotes“As I was getting ready to go to college, Mom said, " you know, French is nice, but you're gonna have to get a job. You should think about the future, and Asia is the future.”“My whole goal was to see if there was a way to work for a big American company to help crack the China market. And as you all know, looking back at China in 1991, it was a very different landscape than where we are now.”“The thing that I'll always say about Nike, that I'll always have the utmost respect for the brand is the focus on innovation in all regards. So obviously the product - but when you look at the marketing and retail and digital, they really are world-class.”“Being in Asia in the late nineties, early 2000s, those were the earliest days of Nike sportswear really coming to birth and we were allowed and took advantage of making a lot of great collaborations with Japanese streetwear artists, creatives. We did all the initial Chinese New Year products for China as we were first coming out.”“The time I was managing the Jordan brand, I was also managing Nike basketball. So, I was in a bit of a hybrid role at that time. The Jordan brand was still a relatively small part of the business globally, unlike today.”“We were blessed with so many resources, but at the same time, there's a lot of attention and pressure. So, it's a challenge in that way, but it's more managing the opportunity than scratching out and trying to create something from nothing.”“I think when you look at North Asia, if you look at Japan, China, Korea, there's a real synergy between the markets as far as influence goes, whether it's music or art that does influence, this space for products.”

This episode of The Negotiation features part 2 of our conversation with Igor Duc. Igor is the Founder & CEO of Native Union, a consumer electronics accessories company that combines the finest hand-picked materials, thoughtful design, and considerate details to create products with personality, empowering the modern lifestyle.Today's episode continues our conversation with Igor, as we talk more about omnichannel retail and marketplaces, premium branding and pricing, and the future of retail and commerce. We finish the chat by discussing environmental sustainability.Topics Discussed and Key Points:Omni-channel and marketplaces Why Hong Kong's retail industry is still relevant todayPremium branding and pricing Insights and nuances of the consumer electronics accessory spaceThe future of retail and commerce around the world The purpose of retail today Why modern retail must be thoughtful and design-orientedEnvironmental sustainability Notable Quotes“It's much more difficult to sell a premium product and experience when your product is not well displayed.”“We are not very good and we absolutely have to adapt our game online. But I believe, that we could do it, we could completely sell the craftsmanship, the attention to detail online.”“It's probably more difficult to be selling premium than a luxury in Asia and to be selling premium than [mass market].”“People say, oh, I created a brand. I don't think you create a brand. I think you create products and you become a brand”“If the right people see you in the right places, that will make you a cool brand. So you must be careful not to be in the wrong places and be good enough to interest the right places”“If your consumers care for brands that do high-quality crafted products, I think these consumers could be all over the world..”

This episode of The Negotiation features part 1 of our conversation with Igor Duc. Igor is the Founder & CEO of Native Union, a consumer electronics accessories company that combines the finest hand-picked materials, thoughtful design, and considerate details to create products with personality, empowering the modern lifestyle. In today’s episode, we caught up with Igor to learn more about why he chose to base his business in Hong Kong, the impetus behind Native Union, and his goal to enhance the way we live with technology. We also explore the consciousness of consumers today, how it has developed over the years, brand legitimacy, and other engaging topics. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●       Why Igor created a brand in Hong Kong●      The story of Native Union's conception●      Dealing with counterfeit products●      Why Native Union almost died ●      How to deal with trademark and copyright infringement issues for new brands entering Asia and the APAC region ●      The consciousness of consumers today Notable Quotes“I could qualify myself as a creative person but without creative talent. And fortunately, since I started my professional career, I've always tried to surround myself with talented, creative people."“Hong Kong can offer probably even more vibrant outdoor experiences than the very interesting city centre. I loved Hong Kong so much that I decided to craft a life project around relocating here.”“It's very unconventional to create a brand in Hong Kong. I don't think you can name any brand that you know that was born in Hong Kong."“At CES< there is a world of technology, but it is a world of utilitarian technology, kind of boring technology. We came up with something fun, and colourful, and it had never been seen before. .”“I think people should think about and spend on what they use intensively every day. That's the smart thing to do.”“It's much better to buy a premium cable. It is maybe 30%, 40% more expensive than the cheap mass one. But that's going to last you five years,  instead of buying five cables every year.”

In this episode of The Negotiation, we feature Part 3 of our conversation with legendary APAC marketer and thought leader Dave McCaughan. Dave has spent the last three decades in the Asia Pacific, in senior management roles with McCann, one of the world’s biggest advertising agencies. He joined McCann in 1986 in his native Sydney, where he built the Strategic Planning function, and since 1995 has been based in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, leading regional strategy and communications campaign development for clients like Coca-Cola, MasterCard, Nestle, Cathay Pacific, Sunstar, Hitachi, Johnson & Johnson, and many others. In 2015 Dave launched BIBLIOSEXUAL, which works with brands to bring together his long-term passion for understanding the relationship between form and content. In this episode, we conclude our extensive discussion by talking about Dave's time at Coca-Cola, how he got ads approved in the Chinese market, and, specifically, the first-ever romantic kiss seen on Chinese television. We also talk about how brands should approach countries in Southeast Asia (which are all different from one another and see significant nuances inside each country).  We finish our conversation by diving deep into AI technology -- is it going to disrupt the marketing world? Discover more by tuning in. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      China's first-ever kiss ad●      Understanding local nuances - as evidenced by the controversy around Lionel Messi and the Emir of Qatar during the FIFA World Cup final ●      China's shifting demographics●      The cultural debates that go on in North America versus the rest of the world ●      Nestle’s Kit-Kat treats, and how they’ve managed to be so successful in Japan●      Is the world really homogenizing?●      How should businesses expand to Southeast Asia?●      Comedy as an underlying theme in marketing●      How shopping malls are magnets for what is happening around the world●      Cultural soft power, as evidenced by Japan and Korea●      Major  shopping events in Asia and why they resonate●      The expected impact of AI on marketing

This episode of The Negotiation features part 2 of our conversation with  Dave McCaughan. Dave McCaughan is a Marketing Thought Leader and Storyteller. He has spent the last three decades in Asia Pacific leading strategy planning and in senior management roles with McCann, one of the world’s most successful advertising agencies. He joined McCann in 1986 in his native Sydney, where he built the Strategic Planning function, and since 1995 has been based in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Tokyo leading regional strategy and communications campaign development for clients like Coca-Cola, MasterCard, Nestle, Cathay Pacific, Sunstar, Hitachi, Johnson & Johnson, and many others. In 2015 Dave launched BIBLIOSEXUAL, which works with brands to bring together his long-term passion for understanding the relationship between form and content. In this episode, we continue the discussion by talking about Japanese consumer trends, youth marketing, and how it has changed over the years, product placement and decision fatigue. Dave then shares his thoughts on how brands should pay attention to older consumers in Japan (a category with growing influence and purchasing power). Finally, we do a deep-dive into the topic of toilets, and how Dave got involved with them.  Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Japan’s changing population demographics●      Manga mongers ●      Youth Marketing●      Mobile gaming as an impactful medium●      The K-Pop revolution in Asia●      The attention economy●      The silver population and how consumer brands need to engage them●      Cost of customer acquisition versus the lifetime value●      Why the future globally is all about aging populations Notable Quotes“If you watched Western movies made in the eighties, American Hollywood movies, there was a big thing that Japan was about to overtake the world. Right? It was going to buy out everything.”"The more people got used to Korea as a cool place, the more they're going to feel good about buying Korean brands.”“Statistics say that for people under 30, the number one medium that they engage in every day is mobile games - as in the amount of time they put into it. And it's usually somewhere between 3 to 4 hours a day.”“Sometimes we think of gaming as entertainment. We don't think of it as media. In the same way that we might think of television as media, right? But mobile gaming is a medium.”“The truth is that if you want to get people's attention, young, young people, particularly in Asia, the thing they're paying attention to is this the screen on their mobile phone.”“When you look at the numbers and you find out in nearly every category - yes, it might be an advantage to have a repertoire of, you know, five or six flavors. But the truth is that two flavors will always sell 80, 85, 90% of all your product.”“We're finding out that people seem to be fatigued because they're bored. Right? It's not necessarily that they are really fed up with something or that they don't like [it] - they want something else.”“The single most powerful medium in the world to get your brand success is word of mouth. It is people who like your product or your service, talking to other people about why they like it and getting them to try it.”“Very soon we're going to get to the point where 25% of the world's population is over 60.”“Other institutions have sort of shown that people in their sixties are as adaptable and probably have adapted to more new technologies [over their lives] than people under 30. Because for people under 30, there has been no major new technology for 25 years.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The Coke vs. Pepsi challenge ●      How great brands figure out what matters to people and play to that●      Why storytelling is fundamental when you are in business●      The reason Dave chose the name BIBLIOSEXUAL for his company●      Why it is important for a marketer to understand the mediums that matter to consumers ●      The potential future homogenization of the Asia Pacific region●      Japanese advertising and what flawed perceptions exist among international companies ●      Why cultural context is so important for Japanese consumers●      Cultural stereotyping and country stereotypingTimestamps [03:09] Introduction to  Dave and what he does, as well as where he is located[04:43] Dave’s background[13:59] Why “BIBLIOSEXUAL”[22:52] Dave's description of the Japanese consumer[24:48] The reason behind Japan's usage of celebrities in advertising[25:53] The misconception behind Japanese consumers' transference of identity[29:32] Do we have to present a brand as technologically advanced when we go to Japan?  Notable Quotes“My one belief is that a marketer's main role is to understand what matters to people. It's not about understanding how they use your product. It's what matters to those people.”“The term BIBLIOSEXUAL is something I've been playing around with for 20 years using in different presentations.”“When you're in business in general, when you're in the marketing business, you know, storytelling is fundamental. And so, you want to have a chance to tell a story.”“There are different mediums. Everybody has particular mediums that - for reasons we just can't figure out -  we are totally biased towards, we fall in love with, or we think ‘that's much, much better’. Right? And if you're a marketer, it's really important to understand which mediums really matter irrationally in many ways to people.”“When I lived in Japan, we did projects where we did very successful campaigns and the only thing we changed was a single line on the back of the pack.”“Japanese ads are more likely to use celebrities in ads than anywhere else in the world. It's the number one [celebrity] market in the world. And so, typically, you're twice as likely to use a celebrity ad in Japan as you are in the United States.”“[Visual] context in Japanese culture is most important. So, if you can't see the background, you can't understand the person, you can't understand why they're saying it or how they're saying something.”

This episode is our Year In Review: 2022 Greatest Hits Part 2! We've put together some of our favourite clips and moments for you to enjoy over the holidays, and look forward to seeing you again in 2023 for some of our best guests to date!The 2022 guests featured in this episode are:#1 - Louis Houdart, E150 & E151, October 5th & 12th 2022Episodes 150 and 151, released on October 5th and 12th, brought us Louis Houdart, Founder of Creative Capital. Louis is an entrepreneur, a business and investment coach, a board member and an advisor to many start-up companies. The Creative Capital China team has worked with European companies in China and helped launch little-known brands into major Western markets. By establishing pre-eminent international brand awareness and strong brand relationships, Creative Capital is one of the only firms in China focusing on widening awareness of Chinese companies beyond their home market. In this clip from episode 2, I ask Louis if he would agree or disagree, and why, with the statement that Chinese brands have met some headwinds in their attempts to be successful in Western markets, and here’s what he had to say.#2 - Jacob Cooke, E155, November 9th 2022On November 9th we brought back Jacob Cooke for our 155th episode. Jake is the Co-Founder & CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, a leading e-commerce and technology consultancy that drives growth for global brands in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Having lived in Beijing since 2003, Jacob is a regular contributor to international media on e-commerce, retail, and technology trends in China. He’s a member of the MIT Sloan School of Management and holds an Advanced Certificate in Engineering from MIT’s Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Although we brought him in to discuss the impending Singles Day shopping bonanza at the time, I was really intrigued to discuss what Douyin is doing in the market lately so that’s the clip I’ve chosen and here’s what he had to say.#3 - Karen Raghavan, E129, February 8th 2022On February 8th of 2022, we released episode 129 with Karen Raghavan, a Brand and Business Development Consultant and Growth Advisor to both heritage beauty brands and startups. She is also the Vice President of Brand Development at the natural ingredient company Purissima. Karen is a member of Chief, a private network built to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there. I asked Karen for some tactics she’s seeing used that are driving growth in China in the beauty space that Western brands should take notice of.#4 - Jeff Daggett, E142 & E143, July 27th / August 3rd 2022Released on July 27th and August 3rd, were episodes 142 and 143 with Jeff Daggett, Founder and CEO of Aisonne, a brand and retail development & management company offering brand, retail, hospitality, and licensing management services and representation in Japan and the United States. Since 2002, Aisonne has assisted a number of big-name retail brands such as Apple, Columbia Sportswear, Nordstrom, Shinjuku Takano, and NBC Universal. Jeff’s background includes over three decades of experience at leading global companies in the Asia-Pacific, specifically in investment banking, real estate, retail operations, merchandising, marketing, and general management. He also spent 6 years at Disney as VP of Consumer Products, which is why I just had to ask him, given the massive catalogue of IP and products, how difficult it was to manage the trademark and brand IP, or was that a naive question and it didn’t require managing at all?#5 - Akio Tanaka, E148 & E149, September 21st and 28th 2022On September 21st and 28th, we released episodes 148 and 149 with Akio Tanaka, Co-Founder and Partner at Headline VC. Headline VC is a technology-focused venture capital firm that sees the world’s future through the lens of exponential technologies. The aim of Headline is to identify, fund, and partner with companies who are building these new products and services—and to make them more accessible to mainstream consumers. Akio Tanaka is one of the most influential investors in Japan and has been known to be passionately committed to the local ecosystem. With that in mind, we asked him for his opinion of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Japan, and to compare it to those of its neighbouring countries. #6 - Bill Tung, E137 & E138, June 22/29 2022Our last clip celebrating an amazing 2022 for the podcast, comes from episode 137 released on June 22nd, featuring Bill Tung, Managing Partner at Peaks Consulting, a global brand, retail, and management consultancy. Since its founding in 2015, Peaks Consulting has built an internationally recognized consultancy based on trust and relationships before business. Peaks currently serve consumers in 20 countries and counting. Bill has also served as the VP of Europe and Asia-Pacific at Rockport, VP of International Sales a Columbia Sportswear, Executive VP of International Sales at New Balance, Managing Director of Fanatics Inc, and Asia-Pacific General Manager at Clarks. This final clip is when I asked Bill, given his 13 years at Columbia Sportswear, how the outdoor equipment and apparel market has changed and evolved in APAC.We hope you enjoyed Part 2 of our 2022 Year In Review, and we look forward to seeing you all again next year. Again, from all of us here at The Negotiation and WPIC Marketing + Technologies, we wish all of you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. 

This episode is our Year In Review: 2022 Greatest Hits Part 1! We've put together some of our favourite clips and moments for you to enjoy over the holidays, and look forward to seeing you again in 2023 for some of our best guests to date! The 2022 guests featured in this episode are:#1 Patrick Deloy, E146 & E147, September 7th & 14th, 2022Our first feature comes from episodes 146 and 147 on September 7th and 14th with Patrick Deloy, Managing Director at Merkle, an award-winning e-commerce solutions provider which supports medium to large B2C and B2B companies with the planning, development, localization and long-term support of multi-country e-commerce website deployments in the APAC region. I had asked Patrick ‘what is the omni-channel retail ecosystem and environment today in the APAC region?#2Liam Mather, E134, March 15, 2022Our second clip features Liam Mather, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at WPIC Marketing + Technologies. Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, Liam helps guide WPIC's public and government affairs, strategic communications, media engagement, corporate branding, and sales enablement. Liam previously worked in BCW's Corporate and Public Affairs practice in Beijing, where he helped clients manage reputations, respond to crises, and navigate policy issues. This was from episode 134 released on March 15th, and for those who didn’t get to hear the full episode, it’s quite unique as we had the opportunity to talk to Liam about his time covering the Winter Olympics from within the Olympic bubble. Specifically, Liam was able to cover the hockey event, so we asked him about the state of hockey in China, specifically women’s hockey, and here’s what he had to say.#3William Bao Bean, E152 & E153, October 19th & 26th, 2022Up next is a clip from episode 152 on October 19th, the first of two episodes with an old friend of mine and an old friend of the podcast, William Bao Bean. William is a General Partner at SOSV and Managing Director of Orbit Startups. Orbit Startups helps companies scale breakthrough technologies across emerging and frontier markets to the regions with the most aggressive growth. William is a senior advisor at SOSV who has been a pioneer in the tech and telecommunications space in Asia. During his time with SoftBank China & India Holdings, he led investments in companies such as Yodo1, DemystData, Lekan, and Massive Impact. He was also an equity research analyst at Deutsche Bank covering the Internet and Telecom Equipment sector in Asia for 11 years before joining Innov8 Ventures as Managing Director where he is focused on supporting China investments. He is definitely one of the foremost experts on early-stage startups and investing in Asia Pacific, and in this particular clip I asked him ‘what are the strengths and differences of the teams you invest in and work with within Asia versus outside Asia?’#4Zarina Kanji, E133, March 7th, 2022On March 7th we released episode 133 with Zarina Kanji. Based in London, Zarina is the Head of Business Development for Health & Wellness and Food & Beverage Brands at Alibaba. She previously served as VP of Global Fashion Brand Partnerships at Lazada in Singapore. Zarina spoke with us about Tmall’s upcoming International Women’s Day—a key event tied to the company’s Super Brand Day—on March 8, 2022. It has proven in previous years to be the third-largest shopping festival in the nation, behind 11.11 and 6.18, and is a unique opportunity for brands to engage with women across China. So, for this clip, we chose her response to my question ‘Can you tell us a little bit about what the Gen Z female consumers really care about in China right now, and how does that differ from their elder counterparts?’#5Alvin Wang Graylin, E125, January 12th, 2022On January 12th we were blessed to be able to interview Alvin Wang Graylin, China President at HTC. For anyone unfamiliar, HTC is an award-winning developer of smart mobile, connected technology, and virtual reality products. Alvin is also the Vice President of the Industry of Virtual Reality Alliance (IVRA) and the President of the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance. He has almost three decades of business management experience in the tech industry, including 20 years in Greater China beginning with a Senior Management position at Intel in 1993. Prior to HTC, Alvin was a serial entrepreneur, having founded four venture-backed startups in the mobile and internet spaces, covering mobile social, "ad tech", search, AI, big data and digital media. I asked Alvin to tell us about some of the coolest & most innovative examples of VR that are heading our way in 2022 and beyond.#6Charles Lavoie, E154 & E156, November 2nd & 16th, 2022Our last clip for Part 1 of our Year in Review is from our conversation with Charles Lavoie on November 16th, episode number 156. Charles is the VP of Creative & Head of Creative Labs at WPIC Marketing & Technologies. A creative strategy & data analytics leader, Charles has incredibly strong cross-cultural backgrounds in international growth, go-to-market strategy, growth marketing, data analytics, creative planning, storytelling, sales, e-commerce, design and retail in the APAC region with projects focused in China, Hong Kong, Japan & Singapore. I asked Charles a very nuanced question at one point, probably one of the most granular questions I’ve asked anyone about brand entry into the APAC region, specifically “if a brand wants to take a multi-market strategy, how do you advise them, especially if they are also trying to stay ahead of an aggressive market competitor who might be going after the same regions for expansion themselves and may not have time to take a step by step approach?’

This episode of The Negotiation features part 2 of our conversation with Arnault Castel. Arnault is the founder of Kapok, a retail experience that focuses on designers and brands whose work provides quality craftsmanship and creativity in design. Arnault has developed an extensive knowledge and understanding of the Asian consumer goods and retail environment since 1996 when he moved to Hong Kong from France. In 2001, he joined the team in charge of the development of the Lomography brand in Asia as the head of Southeast Asian operations. Arnault was also the co-owner and director of Working Unit Limited founded in 2005, the exclusive distributor for the Moleskine brand in Southeast Asia.In part two of our conversation, Arnault discusses how Kapok works with brands in his store, which brands are doing well resonating with consumers in Asia, whether or not it’s important to have a brick-and-mortar presence in today’s D2C environment, and more. He also discusses some of the risks he’s taken that have paid off (and the ones that haven’t), his experience as the managing director of Lomography Asia-Pacific, and what business principles he learnt while there. We close out the conversation by diving deep into the future of commerce and retail in Asia. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:Creative control in a retail environment Market localization and why it is importantWhy the Japanese market is so special and distinct from the rest of the worldWhy Kapok failed in Singapore and Taiwan, and the lessons learnedWhat makes  Hong Kong so special for KapokWhat Arnault did while at Lomography Asia-Pacific Why certain geographies and markets do not work for Kapok The future of commerce and retail in AsiaChanges he is seeing at the intersection of commerce and creativity in Asia Timestamps [00:57] How Arnault works with brands in their stores, how he promotes their brands,, and what creative control he has[06:44] Arnault's market risks, which didn’t always work[13:00] Arnault's experience as the MD of Lomography Asia-Pacific and the business principles he learned[26:05] Fashion and lifestyle brands that are doing well in Asia today[29:25] Are customers shifting from brick-and-mortar to digital?[34:00] How will the intersection of commerce and creativity change in the coming years?Notable Quotes[00:01:32] “When a brand is inside Kapok, we have to respect the brand. But they are also in our environment, you know.”[00:02:18] “We need to localize because people need to feel that a particular model is someone that is like me, that looks like me, that has the same job as me, and the same height as me.” [00:03:38] “Japan is special. Japan is not like the rest of the world. And that can be limiting because what might work in the rest of the world doesn’t work in Japan.” [00:07:14] “When I tried to bring Kapok outside of Hong Kong, you know, in Singapore or In Taiwan, it didn't work out, you know, because multi-brand retail is very, very detail oriented, you know? You receive new products, so you need training on the products and the brand.”[00:09:51] “Sometimes you like something, and you realize you like something only when you don't have it anymore. So, when we closed in Singapore, people said:, ``Oh, we're so sad, Kapok closed. I loved the shop.”[00:15:48] “I was not this natural born entrepreneur, but you arrive here and everyone is doing it.”[00:16:14]” I would never have opened up and done all this entrepreneurialism if it's not in Hong Kong, because this is a place where people take a lot of risks.”[00:21:22] “In order to succeed, I need to do things in a different, different way. If 50 people tell me ‘you have to do it this way, then I have to find the 51st way.” [00:35:27] “Over time, the marketing set of skills is going to be distributed to everyone, and you cannot defend yourself anymore by how well you play the digital marketing game. So, it's going to go back to how good your product is, how happy it makes your customer, and how strong is your brand story.”

This episode of The Negotiation features part 1 of our conversation with Arnault Castel. Arnault is the founder of Kapok, a retail experience that focuses on designers and brands whose work provides quality craftsmanship and creativity in design. Arnault has developed an extensive knowledge and understanding of the Asian consumer goods and retail environment since 1996 when he moved to Hong Kong from France. In 2001, he joined the team in charge of the development of the Lomography brand in Asia as the head of Southeast Asian operations. Arnault was also the co-owner and director of Working Unit Limited founded in 2005, the exclusive distributor for the Moleskine brand in Southeast Asia.In today’s episode, Arnault tells us what brought him to Hong Kong, what made him start Kapok, his curated ecosystem and why customers keep coming back. We also talk about price positioning in the market, how distribution and merchandising happen and the importance of having an entertaining shopping experience for customers. Tune in for more! Topics Discussed and Key Points:What brought Arnault to Hong Kong The Kapok identity and customer baseWhy do customers return to Kapok?Arnault’s curated ecosystemPrice positioningGeography and culture's impact on Kapok's identityWhy the shopping experience for customers has to be entertainingWhy it's necessary to have both online and offline stores as a brandOnline shopping's introduction in 2006 and its effects on Arnault's businessesCharacteristics of successful brands in Asia Timestamps [00:07] Who is Arnault Castel?[01:22] How Arnault ended up in Hong Kong[04:09] A little bit about Kapok and what it does[04:44] What makes someone a Kapok customer?[06:10] The reasons behind repeat purchases of Kapok’s products[10:03] What criteria does Arnault use to select the products and brands for his carefully curated ecosystem?[12:49] What does it mean to Arnault to “not be Kapok”?[19:41] How have geography and culture shaped Kapok's identity?[22:53] Kapok’s customer loyalty in the APAC region[29:05] What is the origin of the name Kapok?[33:01] Major evolutions in the APAC region's retail market since 2006[41:07] What are some of the characteristics that cause a brand to succeed in Asia?  

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we continue our conversation with Charles Lavoie. We talk about creativity and the role it plays in APAC marketing. Charles is the VP of Creative & Head of Creative Labs at WPIC Marketing + Technologies. Among other topics, we discuss the growth of digital commerce, evolutions in that space, why it might be necessary to create cartoon characters for brands, gamification and the digitalization of the shopping experience in Asia. Charles also gives insights into brand localization and how best to activate a multi-market strategy. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:The growth of digital commerceCasework example with Xero shoes and the notion of barefoot running Why it might be necessary to create cartoon characters for brands, which can personify hero productsGamification and digitalization of the shopping experienceThe different layers of brand localizationHow to activate a multi-market strategyNotable Quotes[00:00:11] “Where social commerce hasn't actually taken off, e-commerce has still had massive growth.”[00:00:43] “People are appreciating the convenience of online shopping for pretty much all categories. But unlike China, there may still be a little bit of apprehension [regarding fully shifting to digital commerce].”[00:01:50] “Technologies are getting more and more sophisticated. We've seen a really cool integration of augmented reality that is being tested.”[00:07:32] “Everyone is busy in Asia and everyone's working lots. And basically, the thing that you can’t buy is time. But a product like Vitamix can help you buy time.”[00:13:09] “[A mascot] is not going to make or break your brand, but it's definitely an addition you have to have a really, well, I do at least, a really strict schedule of what your day looks like, how your prospecting business, what your timeline looks like to have a mascot that can go online or offline, can stick to the minds of consumers, and thoroughly represent your brand.” [00:21:09] “You can't teach customers to buy in a different way than what they’re used to. It is too time-consuming to teach a customer to buy in a new marketplace that they're not used to.”

In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome Jacob Cooke to the show. As the CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, Jacob is the perfect guest to discuss what’s going on in Asia right now, and how brands can take advantage of the growth opportunities. In this conversation, we dive deep into the current state of China's consumers, and what Jacob is seeing from his vantage point as we are in the midst of the 11/11 Singles’ Day shopping festival. We also discuss Douyin's evolution as a platform for commerce, how it compares to other Chinese platforms like Tmall, evolutions in the Japanese online ecosystems, and so much more! Let’s dive in!Topics Discussed and Key Points:Jacob’s currently sitting in quarantine in Shanghai, after travelling throughout North America. What does that look like today?.The world of creativity in Asia.The changes in consumer behavior over the past few yearsThis year's 11/11 Singles’ Day shopping festival and what to expectThe Chinese consumer class in 2023.Austin Li's return to Taobao Live.The impact of Douyin on commerce in Asia and the difference between satisfying existing demand versus stimulating new demandEvolutions in the Japanese online ecosystems.

In this episode of The Negotiation, we welcome back Charles Lavoie to talk about creativity and its role in APAC marketing. Charles is the VP of Creative & Head of Creative Labs at WPIC Marketing & Technologies.  Over the course of the conversation, Charles shares insights on how technology is transforming the creative space in APAC and illuminates why it is critical for brands to lean into creative marketing if they hope to drive growth in the region. He talks about how brands and marketers can harness the significant evolutions in digital platforms and digital commerce in Asia today to improve their creativity, marketing and, ultimately, sales performance. In particular, he gives pointers that help brands learn how to leverage social media and social commerce on platforms like Douyin for product discovery, brand affinity and awareness, and conversions.  Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:Charle’s background. The importance of creativity in APAC for all brands.The democratization of content creation.How technology is transforming the creative environment in the APAC region.Social commerce strategy and best practices.The adoption of e-commerce live streams globally.Gamification of the purchasing experience.Between traditional and social commerce, which is stronger?Consumer product discovery shifts.

In recent years, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with countries such as China, India and Japan leading the way. They have been developing businesses quickly by deploying new technologies and building massive startup ecosystems. As a result, VCs in this region is witnessing huge opportunities for growing companies. The number of startups in APAC is increasing rapidly, presenting massive opportunities for consumers, businesses, and capital allocators. This episode of The Negotiation is part 2 of our conversation with William Bao Bean. William is a General Partner at SOSV and Managing Director of Orbit Startups. Orbit Startups helps companies scale breakthrough technologies across emerging and frontier markets- the regions with the strongest growth potential. William is a senior advisor at SOSV and has been a pioneer in the tech and telecommunications space in Asia. During his time with SoftBank China & India Holdings, he led investments in companies such as Yodo1, DemystData, Lekan, and Massive Impact. In this insightful episode, William shares his insights on what is happening in the APAC region. He talks about the current, turbulent waters in the private, crypto and public markets, and discusses why it is essential to identify a startup's unfair advantage in today’s landscape. He also discusses his view of M&A activity in Asia over the coming years and explains why there is a flood of capital coming to the region. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:Turbulent waters in the APAC region for the private, crypto, and public markets as we head into 2022Identifying a startup's unfair advantage and why it mattersM&A activity in Asia over the next few yearsWhy is there a flood of capital coming to Southeast Asia?Maintaining a "startup attitude" is important when entering new markets.How technology has been used in the USA, specifically artificial intelligence, to bring about major changesHow there are fewer barriers to starting a business in China thanks to technologyDemographic changes in China and Southeast Asia and the opportunity for start-ups in the region.

Over the past decade, businesses have witnessed an incredible evolution in how people communicate. Along with this shift came innovations and technologies that changed the way we interact with one another, not least in business. Where communication was once centered around traditional means such as face-to-face meetings or phone calls, it is now increasingly driven by technology such as email, text messages and video conferencing. This has given rise to new social practices, enabling us to carry out some tasks faster. In fact, many businesses would struggle without modern technology for core functions such as recruiting new staff and managing customer enquiries.This episode of The Negotiation is a return to the show for William Bao Bean. William is a General Partner at SOSV and Managing Director of Orbit Startups. Orbit Startups helps companies scale breakthrough technologies across emerging and frontier markets to the regions with the most aggressive growth. William is a senior advisor at SOSV who has been a pioneer in the tech and telecommunications space in Asia. During his time with SoftBank China & India Holdings, he led investments in companies such as Yodo1, DemystData, Lekan, and Massive Impact. He was also an equity research analyst at Deutsche Bank covering the Internet and Telecom Equipment sector in Asia for 11 years before joining Innov8 Ventures as Managing Director where he focused on supporting China investments.William discusses his work as a venture investor, what he did during the pandemic (and how COVID impacted his activities), and what defines successful startups in Asia. He also unravels some of the brilliance during accelerator programs, describes why founder characteristics may predict success, and what distinguishes teams he works with from those outside Asia in their approach to building a startup or portfolio company. Enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:A brief description of Orbit startups' activities.Consumer internet became widely used during the COVID period.The discipline of designing and running experimentsHow to drive engagement and value over a screen or through the power of voice.William's startup activities and how COVID must have affected them.Some of the brilliance that happens during accelerator programs.What you need to do a startup revolution in the USA.Communication is vital for international startupsThe culture of experimenting in Asia is pretty strong. Japan as a market is generally focused on Japan. Potentially predictive factors for startup success in Asia.

The recent unprecedented growth of Chinese brands, most of them being start-ups, has become one of the hottest topics in business and marketing. The growth of Chinese brands is starkly contrasting when compared with other global categories such as western brands in China. There is no doubt that China is one of the most exciting markets in the world. The sheer size and number of people living there make it very difficult for a foreign company to enter. For domestic brands, it's even harder to compete with their sophisticated and vast technological and geographical advantages. But all this is changing fast and we are seeing more Chinese companies making inroads into other countries and regions. One of the biggest trends we are seeing at the moment is how they are transforming themselves from traditional Chinese brands into global players by leveraging their knowledge, technology and scale to penetrate new markets like the west. This episode of The Negotiation is the second part of our conversation with Louis Houdart, Founder of Creative Capital. He is also an entrepreneur, business and investment coach, board member, and advisor to many start-up companies. The Creative Capital China team has worked with European companies in China as well as pushing little-known brands in Western markets. By establishing pre-eminent international brand awareness and strong brand relationships, Creative Capital is one of the only firms in China that focuses on widening awareness of Chinese companies beyond their home market. In today's episode, Louis shares insights on how the world is truly changing from a geographical and category angle when it comes to Chinese brands, especially in the West. He highlights why better-positioned product categories are necessary for Chinese brands to succeed in the west. The podcast also explores brand loyalty, The relationship between the success of Western brands in China and Chinese brands' increasing competency over the whole product life cycle is also explored in detail. Why are Chinese brands successful in places where it is least expected in the world like Indonesia? Louis also discusses the startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem in China, among other topics. Enjoy!Topics Discussed and Key Points:How the world is truly changing from a geographical and category angle when it comes to Chinese brands, especially in the West.Chinese brand perception.Louis’ updated viewpoint on brand loyalty.What lessons should the West take away from the East and China?Why better-positioned product categories are necessary for Chinese brands to succeed in the west.The relationship between the success of Western brands in China and Chinese brands' increasing competency over the whole product lifecycle.Why Chinese brands are successful in places where it is least expected in the world like Indonesia.Chinese startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem.Chinese entrepreneurs make sacrifices that the West is renowned to indulge in and enjoy.Why are Chinese consumers so demanding and what drives them to be so?

The truth is there’s a lot more to China than just Alibaba. Getting your business in China can be a challenge. It is not like other countries where you can open up a shop around the corner, with time and patience. In order to enter the China market, you need to get your branding right. The Chinese market has been very competitive and difficult for giants like Apple, Google and Samsung to penetrate. Many brands are getting it wrong because their marketing strategies are not focused on the Chinese customer. Getting your branding right before entering a new market can make all the difference.This episode of The Negotiation is part 1 with Louis Houdart, Founder of CREATIVE CAPITAL, Entrepreneur, Business and Investment Coach, Board Member and Advisor to many start-up companies. The Creative Capital China team has worked with European companies in China and pushed little-known brands into Western markets. By establishing pre-eminent international brand awareness and strong brand relationships, Creative Capital is one of the only firms in China that focuses on widening awareness of Chinese companies beyond their home market. In this thought-provoking and engaging episode, Louis Houdart shares his story about how he founded Creative Capital, what Chinese culture means to him, and how he got rid of "The Secret Garden." Also covered are the importance of strong concepts, branding in China, why Creative Capital is relevant and why we should care when it comes to brands being successful and much more!Please enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:Secret Garden and how Louis got rid of it.How Creative Capital was founded and what they do. Why Louis found the wedding business to be both amazing and nightmarish.Why Creative Capital was relevant in China.The significance of a brand's concept strength.The meaning of creativity in China and Europe, as well as the nuances surrounding it.The lazy economy and what it entails.Glamping and the rise of Frisbee.Notable Quotes“So, we were in 2006 in Shanghai and China was changing both in terms of the way consumers were consuming and also in the way brands were developing in China and saw a market opportunity in the retail of flowers.”“In terms of a top line, it was an interesting business. In terms of the operation, it was a total nightmare for me for many different reasons..”“In France, it's very easy to get bank financing as a small entrepreneur in China, I mean, you are definitely on your own.”“The steward of Creative Capital is very much of course linked to a history of secret Garden; I think it's also very much linked to the way China intrapreneurship has been developing. So being a very fluid thing, I had this beautiful little secret gallery business. It was very painful to operate but still an interesting small business.”“China is not a place where you come with a small amount of money when you want to play on the Commerce part.”“Most of the branding agencies in Europe in the US are not really there to create brands, they are there to fine-tune an existing concept, which often is fairly good.”“If you try to be perfect, the market is already gone and your competitors have taken your spot. So, we were trying to be maybe not 100% Perfect, but being like 85% or 90% fair but in a very, very, very quick period of time. So, the concept would have taken two years in Europe, we are delivering them in four to five months.”“In the past, I've seen so much creativity in China in solving problems, turning the wrong puzzles and resulting in solving them. I think there's definitely a lot of creativity, so much creativity in China going on.”

The APAC region is witnessing the most exciting innovation of recent times. Technology platforms and disruptive business models are entering industries traditionally dominated by incumbents. Traditional business practices are being challenged and disruptors are leading the way. In the coming years, the digital economy in APAC will continue to expand at a faster rate than in any other region. The adoption by private institutions of technology and innovation is no longer an option for every entrepreneur, but an opportunity for every entrepreneur. The capacity for startups to address market failures and create new value is growing exponentially. This episode of The Negotiation is part 2 with Akio Tanaka, Co-Founder and Partner at Headline VC. Headline VC is a technology-focused venture capital firm that sees the world’s future through the lens of exponential technologies. The aim of Headline is to identify, fund, and partner with companies who are building these new products and services—and to make them more accessible to mainstream consumers. Akio has over 20 years of technology experience. He served as the Senior Director & CTO at Macromedia Japan; in 2005, he spent less than a year as the Vice-president and technology advisor to the CEO at Macromedia Inc.; since June 2008 he has been the Co-founder and Managing Partner at Infinity Venture Partners. Akio Tanaka is one of the most influential investors in Japan and has been known to be passionately committed to the local ecosystem. Incredible insight into the investing landscape in Asia with Akio Tanaka. He gives us his thoughts on the investment landscape and what drives success, discusses the characteristics he looks for when evaluating founders and startups, shares unique insights into the failure of startups there and how they address it and talks about private and public markets, Blockchain gaming and cryptocurrency - one of the biggest opportunities we've seen in years. You don't want to miss this episode! Let’s delve in! Topics Discussed and Key Points:How investment in internet/software eliminates the physical limitations of traditional businesses. Why business guarantees were detrimental to the growth of the start-up culture in Japan.The emergence of female founders in Japan.The structure of investment deals in Asia.Why it’s better to have multiple co-founders with significant equity stakes on the cap table.Headline’s increased investment in blockchain gaming.How traditional gaming concepts are becoming applicable to modern blockchain technology.What is going to make crypto a mass phenomenon instead of a playground for a minority of Internet users?Institutional barriers to expansion in Asia compared to Europe.

Entrepreneurship in Japan fits the definition of the word ‘entrepreneur’. Japanese culture is one that can be described as ‘wabi-Sabi’, which literally means "frugal, simple, and expressed in a refined way’. Entrepreneurship is a newly emerging culture in Japan. The gap between the traditional business and the new generation of start-up companies is widening. A small number of entrepreneurs in Japan have gained attention and investment by large enterprises through focusing on innovation, expansion and improvement in the quality of business operations. Japan, not unlike China, has a very unique startup ecosystem, due to its somewhat homogenous society and unique ways of doing business, something not easily understood upon market entry. Today on The Negotiation, we have Akio Tanaka, Co-Founder and Partner at Headline VC. Headline VC is a technology-focused venture capital firm that sees the world’s future through the lens of exponential technologies. The aim of Headline is to identify, fund, and partner with companies who are building these new products and services—and to make them more accessible to mainstream consumers. Akio has over 20 years of technology experience. He served as the Senior Director & CTO at Macromedia Japan; in 2005, he spent less than a year as the Vice-president and technology advisor to the CEO at Macromedia Inc.; since June 2008 he has been the Co-founder and Managing Partner at Infinity Venture Partners. Akio Tanaka is one of the most influential investors in Japan and has been known to be passionately committed to the local ecosystem. Akio Tanaka talks about his own professional backyard and walks us through his investment methodology with some examples of the companies he likes to invest in and why. He also talks about his own startup background and the acquisition by Adobe, along with some insights on the Japanese entrepreneurial ecosystem, and some conversational dabbling into personal-interest verticals like ski equipment-on-demand services and self-storage in Japan, among other exciting topics. Enjoy! Please enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points:How Adobe was created.Why geeks can create far bigger companies than salespeople.Who performs better, technical founders or non-technical founders?The story of  Freee the Cloud-based accounting company and why it was created.Why an entrepreneurial society in Japan was started.Headline VC and their early-stage investments.The beginning of the entrepreneurial culture in Japan.Lessons learned from Groupon in Japan.

The future of omnichannel retail in Asia is inspiring. With the barriers to omnichannel integration falling, consumers are more comfortable switching channels and purchasing goods online, while retailers are evolving beyond physical retail stores to become full-service providers of products, services and experiences. Today on The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with Patrick Deloy, who is a Managing Director at Merkle, an award-winning e-commerce solutions provider which supports medium to large B2C and B2B companies with the planning, development, localization and long-term support of multi-country e-commerce website deployments in the APAC region.  Patrick’s insights on the future of omnichannel retail in Asia and beyond are a must-listen for all retailers, e-commerce businesses and product owners. He shares his thoughts from the perspective of both a storeowner and an e-commerce entrepreneur trying to figure out how online and offline retail will coexist in the future. Please enjoy! Topics Discussed and Key Points: The merging of omnichannel retail consumers in Asia and the metaverse.Prominent trends following COVID's emergence.How curbside pickup became popular.Why there's still plenty of room for growth in omnichannel retail in Asia.The fractured ecosystem across APAC.The concept of total commerceThe partner ecosystem and why it is criticalWhy customer experience is everything and how to enable superior customer experience.The future of offline retail and what customers expect from offline retail.Notable Quotes“A lot of people, you know, had an interest in the metaverse, even though they did not know what it really was.”“South Korea itself is not, you know, a huge country, but it's one of the largest, you know, crypto markets.”“The response, obviously, to the emergence of COVID in countries across APAC has been very varied.”“There’s still a big pool of, you know, consumers that have not, you know, done a lot of, you know, online commerce transactions, yet, you know, have not ordered a lot on DTC channels online.”“Consumers will more and more expect that whatever they do offline is reflected online, whatever they do online is recognized offline.”“Asian markets have become so important for most international brands that they know, you know, they can't screw it up, right, they have to get it right.”“There has to be a layer of, you know, centralization, and, you know, enough room for localization as well.”“Well for us Customer Experience is everything, really, the way we look at it, really only a superior customer experience will make consumers real and loyal advocates for the brand. So only, you know, superior customer experience can help brands as well to outgrow their competition.”

APAC has been a hotbed of e-commerce innovation for some time, with companies like Alibaba, Amazon, and Tencent leading the way. But where does this leave traditional retailers? And what's next for the omnichannel retail ecosystem and environment? In today's episode of  The Negotiation Podcast, we are joined by Patrick Deloy. Patrick is  Managing Director at Merkle, an award-winning e-commerce solutions provider which supports medium to large B2C and B2B companies with the planning, development, localization and long-term support of multi-country e-commerce website deployments in the APAC region. Patrick talks about his journey from a DTC entrepreneur to becoming one of the top experts in APAC. He talks about what he does, where he is physically located, and how he entered into e-commerce and became the DTC expert he is today. Patrick also shares some insight on what omnichannel ecosystems are and the environment today in the APAC region!Here are key things to listen out for: Patrick's entrepreneurial journey into eCommerce.About the Dentsu group.How the whole eCommerce landscape and consumer expectations are evolving across all the markets in APAC.The development of omnichannel retail over the past few years in the APAC region.Companies with the highest eCommerce growth and what has held these companies back when it came to omnichannel retail.How COVID propagated consumer habitual change.

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Being a news anchor for CNN Japan●      How foreigners can partner with Japanese companies or government entities●      Managing influencer marketing for 3Minute●      Best practices for entering the Japanese market●      The future of marketing in Japan Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with Chuk Besher, Executive Producer at 3Minute, the digital media arm of GREE, a Japanese internet media company that provides mobile social networking and mobile technology services.A content marketing specialist, Chuk’s clients range from the luxury, hospitality, fashion, and pharmaceutical industries. He leads the production of a variety of branded content for these companies, from events to video storytelling to advertising.In 1997, courtesy of his father’s encouragement, Chuk had the opportunity to be a news anchor at CNN in Tokyo for its budding Japanese language broadcast section. He talks about his first-ever experience being in front of the camera and how he found success in his brief role by learning to connect to audiences via imagination.From 2006 to 2007, Chuk served as the Japan Director for The Asia Foundation, where he developed partnerships within both the public and private sectors to engage in dialogue regarding international affairs, ODA, national security, and Corporate Social Responsibility. He discusses the best approach to developing relationships with Japanese companies and government entities as a foreigner.Chuk breaks down his current role and the most memorable campaigns he has worked on so far as Executive Producer for 3Minute, a media and influencer marketing company focusing primarily on young female consumers in Japan.Finally, Chuk gives his best advice to those who are looking to enter the Japanese market in a post-COVID world. He says that cultural insight is foundational, as well as a commitment to patience since, as with other foreign markets, establishing roots in the country takes time. Key Quotes:“Whatever you are trying to communicate, it’s important to imagine how other people are seeing it and to put it in context around what is the best way to reach them. You have to make sure that the story isn’t meaningless, but that it resonates with them.” “Whether you’re partnering with a government agency or a corporate entity on a project because you need the funding or a venue, you have to think in terms of what the benefit is to them.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The type of advertising that resonates with Japanese consumers●      Marketing lessons learned after working at Grey Group from 1988-1991●      Ecommerce in mid-1990s Japan●      Brands that did in-store marketing well in the 1990s●      Producing media for Coca-Cola in Japan●      Working with the teams at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Chuk Besher, Executive Producer at 3Minute, the digital media arm of GREE, a Japanese internet media company that provides mobile social networking and mobile technology services.A content marketing specialist, Chuk’s clients range from the luxury, hospitality, fashion, and pharmaceutical industries. He leads the production of a variety of branded content for these companies, from events to video storytelling to advertising.Chuk speaks on the type of advertising which resonates with Japanese consumers, which he calls “advertising that is not advertising”. He says that consumers are sophisticated enough to turn away from traditional, in-your-face messaging. Good marketers craft stories around their products and services which not only inspire, entertain, or educate, but also allow consumers to relate to the brand itself.He shares lessons learned about brand localization after being recruited into Grey Group as a fresh grad in 1988. Chuk explains that if you have a local brand which you are bringing into a market like Japan, it is not simply a matter of translating the copy. Grey taught him that having local knowledge and insight was even more important in bringing success to a brand in a new market.Speaking on his 8+ years of experience as Director of Branded Media for Coca-Cola, Chuk explains that the brand’s immense success can be traced back to Coca-Cola’s commitment to omnipresence. In today’s market, however, it has now become important not just to be everywhere, but to be meaningful everywhere. This means having a symbiotic relationship between marketing and creative, and having the message, as well as the delivery of the message, be specific to the target audience.Finally, Chuk shares how he continued to use the approach of “advertising that is not advertising” during his involvement in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, along with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Key Quotes:“The type of advertising that resonates with Japanese consumers—and it’s not unique to Japanese consumers, per se—is advertising that is not advertising.” “Maintain brand integrity—do not lose sight of what the brand stands for. At the same time, make sure that it is meaningful and resonates with the local consumer.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Leading Disney in Japan●      Growing Baroque Japan Limited●      Common branding mistakes made in Japan by foreign companies●      How COVID-19 impacted the Japanese retail market●      Technology-related trends that will shape commerce in Japan over the next decade●      About Jeff’s olive oil manufacturer Green Valley Olive Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with Jeff Daggett, Founder and CEO of Aisonne, a brand and retail development & management company offering brand, retail, hospitality, and licensing management services and representation in Japan and the United States.Since 2002, Aisonne has assisted a number of big-name retail brands such as Apple, Columbia Sportswear, Nordstrom, Shinjuku Takano, and NBC Universal.Jeff’s background includes over three decades of experience at leading global companies in the Asia-Pacific, specifically in investment banking, real estate, retail operations, merchandising, marketing, and general management.This time, we focus much of our discussion on Jeff’s time as Disney Japan’s Vice President of Consumer Products from 2004 to 2011, followed by two years at Baroque Japan Limited from 2011 to 2013.Jeff then talks about the major mistakes that foreign brands make in the Japanese market, pulling lessons from his current role as the visionary behind Aisonne, which he founded two decades prior. To him, while localization is an obvious consideration, the common thread that spells success for any company looking to succeed is a focus on effectively telling the story of the brand.In fact, despite the aging population, Jeff believes that there is a lot of opportunity for foreign brands to establish a strong base in Japan as long as “you have a compelling product that’s attractively displayed and appropriately priced with a good story.” Key Quotes:“There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ corporate culture. Every corporate culture has evolved to be ‘right’ for that entity.” “Japan is a different place, but what Japan is really looking for is your authenticity.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Launching Gap in Japan in 1994●      Growing a retail brand in the pre-eCommerce economy of Japan●      Recruiting the first management team for Gap in Japan●      How Levis became an iconic global brand●      Building loyalty around an athletic brand in Japan●      Why Jeff’s involvement in Nike’s first campaign in Japan went global●      How Nike does retail differently from the rest●      Restructuring Sephora in Japan and reversing declining year-on-year comp store sales in under six months Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Jeff Daggett, Founder and CEO of Aisonne, a brand and retail development & management company offering brand, retail, hospitality, and licensing management services and representation in Japan and the United States.Since 2002, Aisonne has assisted a number of big-name retail brands such as Apple, Columbia Sportswear, Nordstrom, Shinjuku Takano, and NBC Universal.Jeff’s background includes over three decades of experience at leading global companies in the Asia-Pacific, specifically in investment banking, real estate, retail operations, merchandising, marketing, and general management.Listen in as Jeff reflects on his 30-year career in the retail business development world in Japan, beginning with an opportunity to launch Gap in Tokyo in the Summer of 1994. He speaks specifically about the challenges of localizing and growing an established foreign brand decades before the dramatic rise of eCommerce.Asked how differently such an experience would be if he were to launch in today’s market, Jeff refers to the quote: “There are no overstored markets, only under-merchandised ones.” In other words, successfully establishing a brand in any foreign market largely comes down to telling a compelling story⁠, particularly via visual merchandising, ⁠around one’s product.Jeff gives a few examples from his career to illustrate the power of “compelling merchandise, attractively presented”. He highlights his work on Nike’s first-ever campaign in Japan, which was so successful that elements of the campaign were adapted by other brands on a global scale. Key Quotes:“For anyone who works in retail, the store is company headquarters, and company headquarters is the back office.” “A lot of folks will tell you that you have to change what you do to succeed in Japan, and this is true. But you can’t lose the essence of what you are.” “There are no overstored markets, only under-merchandised ones.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      How Tod's Japan developed from 2001 to 2007●      The importance of brick and mortar retail in the early-to-mid-2000s●      The Japanese perception of European luxury brands in the late 1990s●      The footwear and leather goods market in Japan●      How the Japanese outdoor industry evolved throughout the 2010s●      How COVID influenced the move toward more online sales●      Building professional relationships in the Asia-Pacific●      Upcoming trends in Japan Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Massimo Lazzari, President and Representative Director at Columbia Sportswear Japan, where he has lived and worked for over 30 years.Massimo discusses the changes he has seen firsthand in the Japanese retail clothing market since his time as a sales manager for Ferragamo in 1995. Following his time there, he served as the Managing Director for Tod’s from 2001 to 2007, when the brand was only a startup.Massimo explains that foreign brands need to embrace consistency when establishing their companies in Japan. He talks about developing “the ability to build a tangible aura around the product”.He then speaks about his almost 12-year career at Columbia. He shares how he has seen the outdoor industry develop over that time, as well as how the pandemic accelerated the already ongoing trend of consumers moving away from offline and toward online commerce.Finally, Massimo explains why fighting for market share is considerably more vital in Japan relative to other countries, and what foreign companies need to keep in mind when establishing their brand among an aging population. Key Quotes:“The importance of the craftsmen who add value to their work is something that you can’t see in the product that you have in front of you in the store.” “The nature of the Japanese consumer when they go shopping is less transactional and more about the value that they get, not only from the product but what’s around it.” “COVID was more of a short-term trend that built upon an already existing long-term move from offline to online.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:·       Ricky’s experience working with the Japanese market.·       Adapting to the new normal.·       The benefits of working with local distributors.·       What it takes to have a successful omnichannel approach.·       How the approach to being successful in the Indonesian market has changed.·       How consumer behaviour has changed. Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with Ricky Samuel, E-Commerce Lead at Mindshare, a global media agency, where he helps clients in understanding their e-commerce-related challenges to drive success.Over the past 10 years, Ricky has served in roles at large corporations, including Bose, ASUS, and HP. In 2019, Ricky moved to Schneider Electric, and in 2021, he joined Mindshare Indonesia as E-Commerce Lead.Regarding his move to Schneider Electric, Ricky says “I want to understand the regional point of view.”Ricky also talks about Schneider’s E-Commerce partners, lessons from the Japanese market, adapting to the new normal of Covid, what it takes to have a successful omnichannel approach, changing consumer behaviour, and Ricky looks at the next 5 years. Key Quotes:“Price has now become less important.” “You don’t need to have the same product in each marketplace.” “Engagement to your customer is the key.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      How Bose approached omnichannel sales in Southeast Asia in the early 2010s●      Bose’s commitment to consistency across resellers●      How much control Microsoft had over ASUS’s local marketing strategy and pricing●      Localizing messaging and marketing for Indonesian consumers●      Driving preferential product placement on search platforms●      How customer feedback impacts HP’s product roadmap in Indonesia Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Ricky Samuel, E-Commerce Lead at Mindshare, a global media agency, where he helps clients in understanding their e-commerce-related challenges to drive success.Ricky speaks on the digital landscape in Southeast Asia as well as the development of broader digital transformation strategies for the region since his entry into the marketing world in the early 2010s.Ricky worked as Bose Indonesia’s Brand Marketing Manager from 2013 to 2015. Looking back at this experience, he offers some insight into the evolution of the company's omnichannel sales strategies during a time when digital commerce was rapidly gaining prominence. He talks about Bose’s focus on “customer excitement” to maximize the in-store experience, as well as Bose’s commitment to consistency in quality, service, and experience across their resellers.As the Product Marketing Lead for ASUS from 2015 to 2016, Ricky discusses the unique challenges of localizing the brand in Indonesia. He then does a deep dive into HP’s omnichannel operations during his time with the company from 2018 to 2019, emphasizing the importance of partnering with Key Opinion Leaders and top e-commerce platforms to drive brand equity. Key Quotes:“We need to ensure that experience and engagement is at the same level every time a new customer walks into our store.” “On the local level, showcasing and using the products is more powerful than communicating to the customer who we are. So, we had better engage with Key Opinion Leaders about our products for more powerful messaging.” “We need to understand the needs of the population itself. We need to understand their behavior: how they spend their money and how they use our products in their daily lives.

Topics Discussed and Key Points:·       Covid and its effects on Direct-to-Consumer.·       Online consumer strategies in APAC versus in North America.·       How to measure success in retail.·       How consumer feedback is applied·       The importance of a good D-to-C strategy.·       The future of D-to-C in the APAC region. Episode Summary:Today, I talk to Bill Tung, Managing Partner at Peaks Consulting, a global brand, retail, and management consultancy.Since its founding in 2015, Peaks Consulting has built an internationally recognized consultancy based on trust and relationships before business. Peaks currently serves consumers in 20 countries and counting.Bill has also served as the VP of Europe and Asia-Pacific at Rockport, VP of International Sales a Columbia Sportswear, Executive VP of International Sales at New Balance, Managing Director of Fanatics Inc, and Asia-Pacific General Manager of Clarks.Regarding Covid’s effect on Direct-to-Consumer, Bill says “brands learned that you could still conduct business without travel.” “Is that the right way to do things? No. That’s for established businesses.”Bill also talks about online consumer strategies, applying consumer feedback, the importance of having a good D-to-C strategy, and the future of D-to-C. Key Quotes:“Brands learned that you could still conduct business without travel.” “If shopping was an Olympic sport, Asians would win Gold, Silver, and Bronze year after year.” “It’s not good enough just to be on the site. It’s not good enough just to have inventory nearby. You need to do the proper marketing.” 

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Helping Rockport and The Body Shop grow across the APAC region in the 1990s and early 2000s●      Marketing to a demographic that you are not a part of●      Marketing outdoor apparel and equipment in APAC●      Localizing well-known Western brands in different APAC countries●      Common mistakes brands make when expanding in APAC●      Optimizing your organizational structure to thrive in foreign markets●      Preparing for complaints and returns in overseas markets Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Bill Tung, Managing Director at Peaks Consulting. Bill reflects on his time establishing Rockport and The Body Shop’s sales operations across the APAC region.It was from those experiences that Bill learned the value of knowing thy customer, becoming aware of your home country's biases, and ignoring consumer differences at your peril—especially important considerations for Western brands looking to successfully expand into Asian markets.Bill also discusses the unique challenges of growing Columbia—a sports and outdoor apparel brand—in China while he served as VP of International Sales from 2003 to 2016.Finally, Bill talks about the common mistakes that brands make when attempting to expand into foreign markets, and why it is so important to optimize a company’s organizational structure, which includes everything from operations, customer service, and marketing, to merchandising, HR, and finance.“These really need to be part and parcel of a global mindset,” says Bill. “Otherwise you’re just exporting.” Key Quotes:“When you fail to understand the consumers that you’re trying to sell to, that gets a lot of companies into trouble.” “Retail is detail.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      All about the highest-rated nationally syndicated show, Laowai Kandian●      What is Peking Opera●      The world of philanthropy in China●      Being a board member of the China Pacific Construction Group●      The eating and drinking culture of doing business in China Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with Elyse Ribbons, CEO and Founder at GeiLi Giving, which has built a WeChat app connecting charities to Chinese netizens through engaging challenges to encourage giving.She is also the Founder of Cheeky Monkey Theater and host of the nationally syndicated news-talk show Laowai Kandian, the success of which she goes into in today’s conversation.The show invites people of different nationalities to come together and speak candidly about difficult topics—a practice that Elyse notes may just be that elusive key to achieving world peace.“At the end of those conversations,” she says, “you can always find that human element. Even if you agree to disagree about little details, you can always agree on the important basics.”Elyse then describes her experience in the Peking opera scene, describing the art form as “the crystallization of so many Chinese values: aesthetic, artistic, moral”. She also speaks on an interesting connection between the classic 14th century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, and the culture of business in China.Finally, Elyse describes the world of philanthropy in China as well as the nature of business unique to the country, drawing from her own experience as a former board member of the China Pacific Construction Group. Key Quotes:“[Peking Opera] is the crystallization of so many Chinese values: aesthetic, artistic, moral.” “When you have a passion for something, you study it, you learn it, and you hold it much more dearly than people who just sort of passively have to accept it. They didn’t choose to learn Chinese; they had to. I choose, on a daily basis, to continue learning Chinese.”