Sunday, September 25, 2011

[MUJI]-[Developing a Global Vision]

Go Green Globally MUJI

[Developing a Global Vision]

           
MUJI's "enough" and "simple" concept become a minimal lifestyle or trend. They try to extend the environmental idea throughout the world by introducing the company. 

After 2000, MUJI tend to build up their network globally with more international stores and websites. In Japan currently, there are more than 342 Muji stores, some of which are distributed through general licensed stores and Seiyu. Muji is also present in 98 international outlets spanning 16 countries including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Turkey, U.S., Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, China and Thailand. Aside from retail stores, Muji opened online stores since August 2000, for the UK, US, Europe and Japan markets. The wide distribution channels, through numerous retail outlets and the online platforms, make it accessible and convenient for customers to encounter the Muji experience. 


Due to the technology, Muji opens the online shops and there is Muji global website. Also, they establish the company on FaceBook which fosters larger community from different countries. They publish Muji book for different language versions. On the FaceBook, they provide people certain knowledge about Muji such as the laboratory which introducing their products and the sense of life. As well, they have update event and news post on FaceBook.

Monday, September 19, 2011

[Go green MUJI]-[Marketing Environment]



Go Green MUJI

-When “nothing” tends to become something, Muji evokes the minimal and eco-friendly fashion in the world.

[Marketing Environment]

When Muji proclaims its image, philosophy, and lifestyle, it is very acceptable to the society because they use mild quality essential products to maintain a simple but certain level lifestyle.  Muji seeks to attract people who are satisfied with the bare necessity rather than those who pursue brands for the sake of vanity and desires. The other segment consists of people who support Muji’s environmental friendly stance. Also, Muji targets the consumers who are thrifty and looking for frill-less products.
 
At the beginning, Muji provided merely 40 kinds of goods. Nowadays, Muji becomes a life trend, and costumers can find products from food to apparel to home equipment in the store. As well, they introduce the concept and develop the business throughout the world becoming a global trend.
On the surface, Muji’s fervent concentration on quality may be seen as embracing the product concept: whereby the business focuses on continuous improvement and refining on its product performance.


Delving deeper, Muji excels because it practices market orientation: the coordination of the whole organization to determine and satisfy what people need in their life and delivering it better than competitors.


Muji now exaggerates through the internet and technology such as ipad.

Advertising:

Monday, September 12, 2011

[Go Green MUJI]-[Ethics+ Social Responsibility]


Go green MUJI

-“Nothing”: nothing is about the brand, nothing is flamboyant, and nothing is harmful


[Ethics+ Social Responsibility]

            To concern about people, society, and environment is Muji’s core aesthete. Muji considers what people want and how the environment should be. Muji is sensitive to the environment. It aspires to live in compatibility and sensitivity with the earth.

Muji goes to the extent of recycling or reselling the unsold products in the same condition, using natural fiber material, and including very minimal and informational manuals, with minimal packaging.



 Muji products are developed with functional, simple, of superior quality, and at reasonable prices – as reflected in their astute product designs and packaging. Through stringent selection of the materials, Muji emphasizes recycling and reusability of its products in the production process to minimize impact on the environment.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

[Go Green MUJI]-[ Marketing planning + Strategy for Competitive Advantage]



Go Green MUJI

-“Mujirushi Ryōhin (無印良品)”, which means “no-label, quality goods”
-"Simple, Functional, and Affordable"
-philosophy instead of branding

[ Marketing planning + Strategy for Competitive Advantage]

The corporate mission of Muji is “Lower priced for a reason” – to introduce simple but high quality products at affordable prices and this is reflected throughout the company’s beliefs, operation, marketing and business model.
According to Mangum (2007), there are four key components to Muji’s philosophywhich are:
  • Reasonable price;
  • Simple, moderate, and functional design;
  • Basic, understated colours;
  • Essential parts for people to design their lifestyles at their discretion.


            Most brands products try to eliminate self-expressive benefits; however, Muji has totally opposite strategy. Muji tends to create simple lifestyle.


            Since the Muji have been created, the products are made by natural and inexpensive material providing to common family. Muji tends to establish the long-term relationship with customers; Muji tries to create the intimation with customers. For Muji, they understand what thoughts they have in mind will become their brand image. Muji creates a space which benefits customers, company itself, and the environment. This is Blue Ocean Strategy: by constructing a “no-brand” brand that defies conventional marketing, it serves to make the competition irrelevant.

This is the story of MUJI. The anti-brand that has achieved a level of branding
unachievable by established branding methods and systems. A brand
successfully collapsed the idea of branding and left nothing in its place.
MUJI is the brand that has made nothing into something by embracing nothingness--
making that nothingness its unique characteristic.

            Besides, Muji also has Differentiation Strategy: it is selling its uniquely designed products which are valued and perceived to be superior by customers at premium prices.
With a mission to popularize quality of goods without screaming of any designer tags, Muji has merchandise of good quality at affordable prices. They avoid fashioning trends for their products so that they are presented as “everyday” and “basic” and thus stay universally relevant to fit customers’ lifestyles.

It is ironic that MUJI, which connotes “no-brand”, becomes identifiable as an international brand of its own. Hence it is curious whether this was a “reverse psychology” form of strategic marketing, or it was authentic marketing, or was it simply the riding on the trend of sustainability/ environmental conservation. The purpose of this report is to uncover what makes Muji so successful worldwide despite its counterintuitive strategies.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

[Green fashion-MUJI]-[History]

Go Green – Muji  
 -"lower priced for a reason"
[History/Phylosophy/Mission]
Fashion is not only catwalk or high end brands but also a lifestyle. By selling the goods, Muji mainly promotes and sells their brand philosophy. The philosophy of Muji leads out different kind of fashion-environmentalism and minimalism.

            Muji started in 1980, the lifestyle brand which has burgeoned from 40 products to about 7,000 today, was initially a house brand for food and household products sold in Japan's Seiyu department stores. Originally, Muji provided simple and affordable packages of food for the common household, and nowadays, it brings this concept into a bigger society even throughout internationally. Their theory of lifestyle is recognizable from the packaging of the products.

            Muji means “no brand quality goods.” The core principle is environmentally friendly, a streamlined manufacturing process, and simplicity of packaging; the products are made with natural and low-priced materials. The essence of Muji is more on their philosophy than the brand.  

            Gradually, Muji extends their eco-friendly idea into the society. They produce more and more diverse products to show the ambition of their mission; they want to merge this environmentalism idea into lifestyle and fashion in the world.