Impact of U.S. Holidays and Events on Business

 

Overview

U.S. holidays and events have garnered attention in the context of Japanese companies' strategies for business in the U.S. market. The influence of American holidays and events on marketing effectiveness, and the differences between Japan and the U.S., have become topics of discussion.

Why has this become a focus?

Recent trends suggest that the following points have sparked interest:

  • The expansion of e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce in the U.S. market means that missing key sale periods can result in significant opportunity loss.

  • The introduction of AI tools like ChatGPT has advanced personalized marketing strategies, making it easier to strategically utilize holiday data.

  • More Japanese companies are adopting "U.S.-calendar-based business strategies" (e.g., local strategies by Uniqlo, Muji, etc.).

Are there commonalities between Japan and the U.S.?

  1. Increased consumer activity

    • Sales and campaigns centered around holidays and events lead to a temporary surge in sales.

    • Example: Japan’s “Year-end/New Year sales,” U.S. “Black Friday.”

  2. Strengthened corporate advertising and promotions

    • During this period, companies tend to focus their advertising on TV, social media, and email ads.

    • Common appeals include “seasonal” and “limited-time products.”

  3. Busy season for retail and logistics

    • Both e-commerce and physical stores experience a surge in business, leading to an increase in logistics volume. Handling the busy season becomes necessary.

What are the differences?

Item🇯🇵 Japan🇺🇸 U.S.
1. Religious Influence of EventsRelatively secular, with a focus on family and seasonal events (e.g., Obon, Golden Week)Many events are based on Christian cultural traditions (e.g., Christmas, Easter)
2. Fixed Timing of SalesSales are mainly tied to seasonal events such as year-end/New Year, Golden Week, and summer holidaysSales are linked to historical and cultural holidays like Thanksgiving and Independence Day
3. Diversity in PromotionsMany uniform sales, with more conservative buying behaviorsData-driven individual targeting, with personalized advertising being mainstream

🎯 Summary

  • Both countries share the view that holidays present business opportunities.

  • However, the U.S. focuses more on emotion-driven marketing that leverages cultural, religious, and historical backgrounds, with a strong emphasis on digital tools.

  • In Japan, purchases tend to follow seasonal and event-based cycles, and business strategies are often planned based on stable, year-round events.

Speaking of events, in Japan, the government and institutions like schools also mark the change of the fiscal year. In that sense, there may have been an increase in demand due to the beginning of the new school year.

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