Japanese meat products manufacturer, Ito Ham, is trying to corner the market on the whole 'high school girl' image. They are actually trying to apply for the trademark rights. Their plans? A 'high school girl' line of meat pies, gyoza dumplings, pizza, and curry. I don't get it and maybe that's the point.
Implications - Sometimes, all the incentive that consumers need to pick up and purchase a product is the feeling that the company is thinking specifically of them. Targeting niche markets will allow brands to let their desired buyers know that they care and build a sense of loyalty that will have unique customers returning over and over again.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Niche Marketing
- Ito Ham's plan to target a specific niche market (high school girls) with their meat products presents opportunities for disruptive marketing and product innovation.
- Trademarking Trends
- The attempt by Ito Ham to trademark the 'high school girl' image for their meat products reveals a trend towards companies seeking exclusive rights to unique, attention-grabbing branding.
- Unconventional Product Development
- The introduction of meat pies, gyoza dumplings, pizza, and curry under a 'high school girl' line of products shows a trend towards unconventional and unexpected product developments in the food industry.
Where This Applies
- Food Manufacturing
- Ito Ham's attempt to break into the market with unique and unconventional meat products geared towards a specific niche market (high school girls) presents opportunities for disruptive innovation within the food manufacturing industry.
- Branding and Marketing
- The attempt by Ito Ham to trademark the 'high school girl' image for their meat products presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in branding and marketing within the food industry.
- Consumer Goods
- The introduction of a 'high school girl' line of meat products presents opportunities for disruptive innovation within the consumer goods industry, particularly in the realm of unconventional product development and marketing strategies.
