On-the-Go Ear Cleaning Stations in Tokyo
Nigel Goodwin — March 24, 2006 — Unique
References: news.bbc
Get ready for a beauty salon with a twist: cleaning your ear canal, with full-color coverage on TV.
A small salon called Mimi Kurin (which means Ear Clean) recently opened near one of Tokyo's biggest train stations. A therapist will clean inside your ears with a special tool designed to do the job thoroughly but safely.
Now here's the bizarre part: the tool is equipped with a tiny camera, and you can watch what's happening inside your ears on a full-color television screen.
It doesn't sound pretty, but people are doing it. Maybe it's just such a novel idea that people are intrigued. Or maybe some people will race to try anything new.
Given a) the fact that it's new, and b) the salon's proximity to a busy Tokyo train station, it has become popular with Japanese businessmen looking to kill an hour before catching their next train or attending their next meeting.
Personally, I'll stick with the Q-Tips.
A small salon called Mimi Kurin (which means Ear Clean) recently opened near one of Tokyo's biggest train stations. A therapist will clean inside your ears with a special tool designed to do the job thoroughly but safely.
Now here's the bizarre part: the tool is equipped with a tiny camera, and you can watch what's happening inside your ears on a full-color television screen.
It doesn't sound pretty, but people are doing it. Maybe it's just such a novel idea that people are intrigued. Or maybe some people will race to try anything new.
Given a) the fact that it's new, and b) the salon's proximity to a busy Tokyo train station, it has become popular with Japanese businessmen looking to kill an hour before catching their next train or attending their next meeting.
Personally, I'll stick with the Q-Tips.
Trend Themes
1. On-the-go Ear Cleaning Stations - Opportunity for disruptive innovation lies in developing portable and convenient ear cleaning stations for busy individuals.
2. Ear Cleaning with Live Video Feedback - There is potential for disruptive innovation by creating ear cleaning tools that incorporate live video feedback for a more engaging and interactive experience.
3. Novelty-based Beauty Services - Disruptive innovation can be found in offering unique and unusual beauty services, such as ear cleaning with TV screen viewing, to attract novelty-seeking consumers.
Industry Implications
1. Beauty Salons - The beauty salon industry can explore disruptive innovation by incorporating unconventional services like on-the-go ear cleaning with live video feedback.
2. Medical Equipment Manufacturing - Manufacturers of medical equipment can seize disruptive innovation opportunities by developing innovative ear cleaning tools equipped with cameras and video display capabilities.
3. Entertainment Technology - The entertainment technology industry can capitalize on disruptive innovation by creating immersive and interactive experiences for consumers, such as live video feedback during ear cleaning procedures.
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