While Japanese newspapers report that Tokyo has the lowest amount of public support out of the four candidate cities (Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janiero being the others), one could certainly think differently when just walking around.  Everywhere we went we saw flags, banners and subway advertisements touting the city’s campaign slogan: “Uniting Our Worlds”.   Every staff member of our hotel staff wore an Olympic bid pin.  They even had baskets filled with pins at the reception and concierge desk for guests to take.  (Family beware, you’ll be getting one with your Christmas gifts this year!) 

Maybe the Japanese are very good at hiding their true emotions to visitors, especially ones from the other front-running city, but I couldn’t help but feel the pride Tokyoans had for their city and the possibility of hosting this international sporting competition.  Sure, I’d love for Chicago to win the bid, but if Tokyo gets the nod I think a second trip to Japan may be in order.

-Lauren McCabe

 The innovative nature of AsahiKasei was further enhanced during the presentation we received from Makoto Yamazaki, general manager of corporate communications. Asahi’s credo explains that the 1.5 trillion Yen company focuses its business on advances that “will contribute to human life and human livelihood,” coinciding with the basic tenants of IMC: consumers and their needs. The corporation focuses on aligning all touch points (PR, investor relations, internal communications, website, etc.) and saw a need for a more consistent internal and external view of the corporation.  Yamazaki took us through their new branding strategy, from surveys to implementation and future challenges the company will face.

 The “Yesterday it was impossible” campaign was launched to create a cohesive view of Asahi as the provider of answers and solutions to global problems, such as clean water and energy conservation. With multiple business lines, it was decided to brand the company as one company, with each line having the ability to make marketing decisions for their best interest.

While AsahiKasei will continue to face challenges from globalizing the brand, Yamazaki is optimistic that the company can become a global partner for a better world.

 -Liz Cancian

On the very last night of our stay in Mumbai, literally less than an hour till we boarded our tourist bus back to the airport, I got to pay my respects at a small Ganesh ceremony down the road from our hotel.  Being Hindu and having a deeper connection and belief in Ganesh, I could not have been more satisfied and humbled in those five minutes at the ceremony.  I was rushed to the front by the ladies singing in prayer and got to receive my blessings and gave a donation.  The best part about it all was how happy my mother was when I told her what I did.

-Radhika Vij

-Radhika Vij

Companies like Nike, Visa and Gatorade spend millions of dollars each year to get their brands associated with professional sports leagues like the NBA, MLB and NFL.  The same is true for the time-honored Japanese athletic tradition of sumo wrestling.

We were fortunate enough to be in Tokyo at the same time as the 2009 Grand Sumo Tournament and made sure we took advantage.  Throughout the day sumo wrestlers come to the ring to out-weigh and out-manuever their opponent in what seems like a 20-second challenge.  As the day goes on, the level of competition gets greater and the sponsorships become more pronounced.  Evenutually, the top-ranked wrestlers, or yokazunas, face each other in front of fans seated in the sold-out arena and those watching tv at home.  This means great exposure for the brands showcased on banners paraded around the ring, or dohyo.

We’re not exactly sure how much a company like McDonald’s paid to sponsor the day’s final match between two yokazuna-ranked wrestlers.  But if the number of banners displayed are any indication of the sport’s advertising value, it is definitely sumo-sized!

-Lauren McCabe

In the land of lightning fast trains and mobile-mania, it is not the amazing infrastructure or new-age technology which amazes the Tokyo visitor … it is the toilet.  The Japanese have created a commode that is built to accommodate even the most ornery of stomachs all the way to the sumo-style diners.  They have replaced the porcelain thrown with an electric appliance that heats the seat, hums to conceal embarrassing noises, washes its user with warm water, offers multiple flush types and then cleans itself all at the push of a button.  The entire appliance shifts a usually dreaded experience into an elegant affair. The only question remaining is: will you spray or bidet?

-Jason Methner

Medill IMC Global Traveler Kate Floyd gets in with the early morning action at Tokyo's famous Tsukiji Fish Market.

Medill IMC Global Travelers Liz Cancian and Carly Owen point out a subway advertisement for Asahi Kasei, one of our company visits.

Target was my saving grace in prepping me for the global trip. Even though I started my shopping spree with a list, I managed to pick up a couple of things that weren’t on my list, thanks to the enticing deals at the end of the aisles. Who can pass up a good deal in a strategic location? Shoppers like me who make impulse purchases off displays are the lifeblood of many manufacturers in the U.S. And, it makes all the sense in the world that beautiful displays stimulate sales.

The opposite is true in India, where mom and pop shops make up nearly 90% of their retail formats. As someone who spent a decade in consumer packaged goods sales and marketing, I know how challenging success in mom and pops can be. Keeping track of shipments and ensuring that retailers are buying their products from you and not the guy who has a version of your product on discount is enough to keep any sales and marketing person up at night. Marico, an Indian fast moving consumer goods company with leading beauty and wellness products, has mastered the supply chain and customer relationships with mom and pops. I was most impressed by their relationship with their distribution partners to ensure its customers were never without their leading Parachute and Saffola products, making Marico the big daddy of the mom and pops in my book.

-Natasha Lindor