Deanna Elstrom: Japan Consumer Insights Specialist

Deanna Elstrom is a veteran brand marketer, brand strategist, and consumer insights specialist. She has recently launched her own company called Somi Insights, where she combines her love of branding with a fascination of how culture influences human behavior. Japanese consumers is a key area of Deanna's expertise as she led two major agencies during the past seven years in Japan.  We discuss the the Japanese name "Somi" which she coined, we learn the big difference between "insights" and "findings", great examples of how culture influences behavior in Japan, a cultural analysis into why Japan is ranked #58 on the Global Happiness Index, and stories of her first experience in Japan as a teenager and how this  crafted her Japan journey. Other topics we cover:

• The meaning of "Somi", a made-up Japanese word
• Japan and the dilemma of happiness
• The difference Somi Insights brings to the Japan market
• Findings vs. Insights explanation with examples
• Omotenashi and Sustainability balance
• She questions my Japan kitchenware market "insights"  
• Interesting Japan beauty market discoveries 
• Her favorite untranslatable Japanese word = Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu
• The Japanese and Western interpretation of what "home" is
• "The researcher is the consumer voice, keep the consumer voice as a superpower"  

Somi Insights home page: http://somiinsights.com
Deanna Elstrom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-elstrom

Great Sleep Starts Here = gugu Sleep Company: https://gugu.jp
Japan Adventures via Camper Van = Dream Drive: https://www.dreamdrive.life

• Use the code word "ZEN" to receive discounts