‘When EU food meets Japanese food – it is the perfect match!’ – EU promotion campaign in Japan  

This campaign highlights the common values between the EU and Japan when it comes to food and beverages - food safety, quality, authenticity and sustainability - , by showing how easy it can be to match EU products with Japanese cuisine and culture. Japan is a key market for the EU agri-food sector, with the EU already holding a good position as supplier of high-quality products and market leader in some food and beverage categories. The identification of EU products as diverse, authentic and good quality as well as the westernisation of the Japanese diet and trends like fusion cuisine can help consolidating the EU-27’s position.

Objectives:

• To increase awareness and knowledge of the excellence of EU agricultural products for consumers and businesses;
• To reinforce and popularise the image of “EU brand”;
• To educate Japanese target audiences about ways to incorporate EU food and beverage ingredients in their diet and cuisine;
• To increase the demand for EU products based on the perception of their image and excellence;
• To increase their market share on the market of Japan.

Strategy and activites:

The campaign aims to reach consumers, professionals in the food and beverage industry and multipliers (media, influencers, bloggers). The strategic approach of the campaign is based on:

• Building on success and previous actions already implemented in Japan;
• Encouraging community and networking building;
• Taking an educational approach;
• Encouraging partnerships, foster ambassadors and spokespersons;

It features a mix of digital, physical and hybrid activities, such as: key-opinion leaders partnerships, public relations, various types of events for consumers such as outdoor EU food markets, cooking classes, supermarkets in-store and online promotions, matchmaking events, specialised seminars for professionals and ongoing advertising and communication via various channels: social media, outdoor, digital media.