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From the Olympics Toward Tomorrow
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Selling to the World from "Nagano"
- Major enterprises find value in local advertising
A diplomat in charge of the Commerce Section of the Norwegian Embassy began visiting Hakuba Village during the summer of 1996, stating, "we would like to build a reception house near that Hakuba Ski Jump." He on numerous occasions unofficially conveyed those plans to local villagers and enterprises around the end of last year.
The Embassy officially states, "That is for the time being still under discussion. No more than that can be said." But those involved say that the design will be that of a traditional Norwegian log house. During the Games it will be used for hosting Olympic supporters and athletes from Norway, and after they are finished is likely to be jointly run by both Norway and the village. It would be a foothold for Norwegian industrial and travel PR work in the area.
It has become ordinary for countries sending large groups of athletes to Olympic events to build similar facilities. However, Norway's situation is blurred by the dye of industrial strategy.
The manufacture and sale of Norwegian wooden homes is one of the country's most important export industries. Thanks to government deregulation in Japan imported housing is seeing a boom. However, most of these products are currently being brought in from North America. Interested parties explain, "Norway would like to appeal to the Japanese market with some of its own products."
Olympic Worldwide Partner VISA International and the Gondou Arcade team up in a marketing campaign with banners on display. The Olympics are drawing ever closer. Is the name "Nagano" likely to become better known in the meantime?
There are expected to be 1.2 million visitors to Nagano during the Games. Approximately 1 billion people will be watching the Olympics by television. Athletic competition and communicating the image of "Nagano" through all of Japan and the world could be taken for granted. The power to send out such images is far beyond the reach of our regional community's imagination.
Even within Nagano City the corporate value of banners loudly displaying "NAGANO" is bringing a certain fever. Kodak, Coca-Cola, IBM, Visa... Outdoor advertising by these Olympic-sponsor multinational corporations continue to make advances into this rural city.
An employee of a local advertising agency scouts for new ad space on top of buildings even while driving down the middle of very congested Japanese roads. "Isn't there someplace good?" His eyes instinctively move to open space that might be used for advertising. Recently he found an area formerly used by a company that went bankrupt last year, was able to acquire it and sign a contract for its lease with an Olympic sponsor.
This employee says, "Many enterprises until recently had been showing interest in using that space for advertising. But due to the Olympics (and Olympic demand) coming ever closer we were able to promote it and secure a contract for its lease."
Olympic Worldwide Partner Visa International has tied-up with the Gondou Arcade in Nagano City for an extensive credit card marketing campaign. Large banners displaying the name "VISA" line the street.
Visa until now had organized promotional campaigns through its affiliated credit card companies. Nagano is the first area in Japan to have direct VISA card distribution. Visa remarks, "Through our experiences in Nagano we hope to make a model for selling credit cards at other regional shopping districts."
Influential companies and overseas industry are beginning to recognize the name value of "Nagano." However, it seems that the local economy still does not know how to positively exercise its power to publicize to the world.
Toshio Sakurada, Chairman of the Prefecture Management Association makes reference to Meiji/early Showa-era (1868-1935) Nagano. At that time Nagano was a worldwide producer of silk. There was a direct connection between Nagano and silk prices in New York. He says, "On certain levels businessmen of that period had a more global outlook than we see today."
Sakurada expresses the following to regional economic groups. "The name "Nagano" points to not only the city but entire Prefecture as well. Business advertising expenditure from outside is enormous. We would like to see the area play a more active role in using Olympic opportunities to extend their reach to the world."
No part of the article, photographs, or illustrations presented here may be printed or used without permission.
Copyright 1999 The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun