Otaku & The Me Her Effect Feb 12 2006
In his book Purple Cow, marketing guru Seth Godin mentions how the Japanese otaku culture makes for a prime target in the post "As Seen On TV" marketing age. After living here in Tokyo for almost five years now, the level of otaku-ness still astounds me; be it the breadth and depth of niche magazines (and the speed at which they're brought to market) or the reverence with which otakus practice their chosen art.
As Tom Cruise's character, Captain Nathan Algren says of the Japanese in The Last Samurai:
"March 9. 1877. I have never known such a disciplined people. From the moment they wake, they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue."
And be it collecting Gundam robots, customizing racing bikes or dressing up as anime characters, today's Japanese otaku are as devoted as ever.
But there's another marketing lesson to be learned from Japan, and it is called: Me Her. It should perhaps be typed miihaa for that added touch of Eastern mystery, but the fact is it means just precisely me, and her.
What's Me Her?
Alright, so it's nothing new - it's the whole "the grass is always greener on the other side" routine. But combined with the awesome purchasing power of the Japanese OL (office lady), when a girl confesses to being a bit Me Her, she means she's serious on keeping up with the Jones' in a big way. In short, Me wants to be like Her. And I should know because I'm married to one, and when Me Her strikes, it's a sure fire dent to the wallet.
So whilst targeting your otaku innovators and early adopters, see if you can't hit a few who seem likely to be more Her than Me, and if my experience is anything to go by, that'll bring on the rest of the Mes by the dozen.