The 2017 Edelman Earned Brand, a study conducted among 14,000 consumers in 14 countries, explores the rise of belief-driven buyers, who will buy a brand, switch from it, avoid it and— at the extreme — boycott it based on a brand’s stance on a controversial issue.

1. 2017 EDELMAN EARNED BRAND STUDY: JAPAN
BEYOND NO
BRAND’S LAND
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

2. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DO TOGETHER TODAY
2
Sources: Meaningful Brands study by Havas

3. WELL, CONSUMERS DON’T
REALLY CARE MUCH
ABOUT BRANDS.
3

4. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
MORE AND MORE PRODUCTS ARE
EQUALLY GOOD
4

5. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
THEY EVEN START TO LOOK THE SAME
5

6. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
AND WHEN IN DOUBT, PEOPLE LISTEN TO
STRANGERS
6

7. BRANDS CAN NO LONGER BUY
THEMSELVES INTO
PEOPLES HEARTS AND MINDS
7

8. BUT WE ALL KNOW ATTENTION IS
THE SCARCEST RESOURCE
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
8

9. 9
NO
BRAND’S
LAND
Brands that ignore this new normal
will find themselves trapped in

10. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
2017 EDELMAN EARNED BRAND STUDY
10
14,000
RESPONDENTS
1,000 per country,
nationally representative
of age, gender, and region
based on most recent
country census data.
14
COUNTRIES
Online survey in Australia,
Brazil, Canada, China,
France, Germany, India,
Japan, Mexico, The
Netherlands, Singapore,
UAE, U.K., and the U.S.
SURVEY
TIMING
March 31 –
April 24, 2017
THE EDELMAN BRAND
RELATIONSHIP INDEX
Measures the strength
of the relationship consumers
have with the favorite brand
they buy across 7
dimensions. Measures
relationships across 18 brand
categories.
SOCIAL
LISTENING
We listened to consumer
conversations on social
media to understand the
societal issues that matter
most to consumers in
those countries to help inform
our analysis.
Unless otherwise specified, all data is from the 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study.
Full explanations of the Edelman Brand Relationship Index and other analyses performed, along with detailed sample and margin of error information, can be found in the Technical Appendix.
METHODOLOGY
GLOBAL SURVEY
2ND YEAR

11. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
THE BRAND’S RELATIONSHIP WITH CONSUMERS
A relationship fostered based on values
Value-led Values/Belief-led
A relationship sustained through value
Indifferent
 I may buy/use your
product, but don't
really put much
thought into it
Interested
 I know a little
about you, beyond
your product
 I am making an
educated choice
Involved
 Given a choice,
I would pick your
brand
 I appreciate what
you stand for
Invested
 We share
common values
 We both see
the world in a
similar way
Committed
 We do things
together
 We do things for
each other
 We share a past
and future
(FIVE STAGES)
11

12. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D
GLOBALLY, SHARED
BELIEFS ARE THE MOST
POWERFUL DRIVER OF
COMMITMENT
12
From Involved to Committed,
brand attributes that increase the most
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study.
Q13. Still thinking of your favorite brand in this category, what is it about this brand that makes it special to you? Using a nine-point scale that goes from not at all important to extremely important, please indicate how
important each of the following was in building the special relationship you have with this brand. (Top 4 Box, Important.) 14-country global total.
See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how the five relationship stages and the Edelman Brand Relationship Index were built.
37
Edelman
Brand Relationship Index
2017 Global Average
STRENGTH OF THE CONSUMER-BRAND RELATIONSHIP
WE SHARE VIEWS ON
CONTROVERSIAL SOCIETAL
AND POLITICAL ISSUES
PART OF MY SOCIAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE
HELPS ME EXPRESS SOMETHING
IMPORTANT ABOUT MYSELF

13. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
IN JAPAN, PERSONAL EXPRESSION
IS STILL A POWERFUL DRIVER OF
COMMITMENT … BUT WHAT IS
IMPORTANT ISN’T QUITE THE SAME
AS BEFORE
13
From Involved to Committed,
brand attributes that increase the most
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study.
Q13. Still thinking of your favorite brand in this category, what is it about this brand that makes it special to you? Using a nine-point scale that goes from not at all important to extremely important, please indicate how
important each of the following was in building the special relationship you have with this brand. (Top 4 Box, Important.) Japan.
See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how the five relationship stages and the Edelman Brand Relationship Index were built.
32
Edelman
Brand Relationship Index
2017 Japan Average
STRENGTH OF THE CONSUMER-BRAND RELATIONSHIP
HELPS ME EXPRESS SOMETHING
IMPORTANT ABOUT MYSELF
PEOPLE ADMIRE AND RESPECT ME WHEN I
USE YOUR BRAND
HAVE A CHARISMATIC LEADER I CAN
ADMIRE / LOCALLY-HEADQUARTERED
BRAND

14. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 14
CONSUMERS
WANT TO
KNOW:
ARE YOU WITH ME?

15. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
MANY IN JAPAN WANT MORE FROM BRANDS
15
Sources:
12017 Edelman Trust Barometer. Q672-675, 678-680, 688-690. 28-country global total and Japan. For details on how the “system failing” measure was calculated, please refer to the Technical Appendix.
22017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q17. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. (Top 4 Box, Agree.) 14-country global total and Japan.
42%
2017 EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER 2017 EDELMAN EARNED BRAND
31%“The system is
failing me.”1
Believe brands can do
more to solve social
ills than government.2
SINCE I DO NOT TRUST INSTITUTIONS
TO STAND UP FOR ME…
…I EXPECT BRANDS TO
STAND WITH ME.
53%
Global
51%
Global

16. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
NEARLY 4 IN 10 SAY
THEY ARE BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
16
DO YOU CHOOSE, SWITCH, AVOID OR BOYCOTT A BRAND BASED ON ITS STAND ON
CONTROVERSIAL SOCIETAL ISSUES?
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Belief-driven buying segments. Japan.
See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
61% SPECTATORS
Rarely buy on belief or punish
brands for taking a stand.
11% LEADERS
Have strongly-held, passionate
beliefs. The brands they buy are
one important way they express
those beliefs.
28% JOINERS
Depending on the issue and the
brand, they will change their
buying behavior based on the
brand’s stand.
39% BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS

17. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
23%
31% 28% 28%
8%
11%
10% 11%31%
42%
38% 39%
Gen Z
(18-22)
Millennials
(23-37)
Gen X
(38-51)
Boomers
(52-71)
Leaders
Joiners
17
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Belief-driven buying segments. Japan, by generation.
See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
India 75%
China 73%
UAE 67%
U.S. 66%
Mexico 63%
BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS ARE ACROSS ALL AGE
GROUPS
MILLENNIALS MOST LIKELY TO BUY
BASED ON SHARED BELIEFS IN

18. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
27% 27%
31%
8% 11%
16%35%
38%
47%
Low Income Middle Income High Income
Leaders
Joiners
18
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Belief-driven buying segments. Japan, by income.
See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
Low Income = bottom 25%; Middle Income = middle 50%; High Income = top 25%
China 70%
UAE 69%
Mexico 67%
India 62%
U.S. 62%
BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS ARE HIGHER-INCOME
PERCENT IN EACH INCOME GROUP WHO ARE BUYING BASED ON SHARED BELIEFS
HIGH-INCOME CONSUMERS MOST LIKELY
TO BUY BASED ON SHARED BELIEFS IN

19. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
WITH BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS,
SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION
19
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study.
Q17. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. (Top 4 Box, Agree.) 14-country global total and Japan, by belief-driven buyers.
See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
OF BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Will not buy a brand because it stayed silent
on an issue it had an obligation to address53%
65%
Global

20. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
A BRAND’S STAND NOW MATTERS MORE
20
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study.
NET: [Q60. How many products are you currently boycotting/not buying, that you might otherwise buy, solely because you do not like their position on a social or political issue? Q62. How many products are you
currently buying, that you would not otherwise buy, solely because you like their position on a social or political issue? (Net of 1 or more from Q60 and Q62)] NET: [Q61. Is that number higher or lower than three years
ago? Q63. Is this number higher or lower than three years ago? (Net of “Higher today” from Q61 and Q63)] 14-country global total and Japan.
43%
Are buying or boycotting brands
based on the brand’s position on a
social or political issue.
17%
Are buying or boycotting more than
three years ago.
57%
Global
30%
Global

21. YOU HAVE
TO ANSWER
THEIR CALL.
21
To move beyond No Brand’s Land,

22. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 22
IF YOU
SHARE THEIR
BELIEFS,
THEY WILL REWARD YOU

23. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
GET IT RIGHT, AND WIN NEW BUYERS
23
OF BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Bought a brand for the first time because of
its position on a controversial issue
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study.
Q17. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. (Top 4 Box, Agree.) Japan, by belief-driven buyers.
See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
9x
49% BRANDS GAIN
more than
from Spectators

24. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
SPEAK UP, AND THEY WILL BUY LOYALLY
24
OF BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Buy only that brand
Buy more often
Buy first
Stay loyal
when a brand supports their position on an issue vs. staying silent
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q54. Now consider two brands. You like their products and services both equally, but one brand agrees with and supports (with time, money and considerable resources)
your position on the issue you mentioned above. The second brand is silent on this issue. It has given you no indication of where its stands. For each of the behaviors listed below, please indicate how much more
likely you would be take this action on behalf of the brand that supports your position versus the one that you like equally well but is silent on the issue. (Top 2 Box, Much more and extremely more likely.) (Average of
4 items.) Question asked of half the sample. Japan, by belief-driven buyers. See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
BRANDS GAIN
2x more than
from Spectators
35%

25. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 25
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q54. Now consider two brands. You like their products and services both equally, but one brand agrees with and supports (with time, money and considerable resources)
your position on the issue you mentioned above. The second brand is silent on this issue. It has given you no indication of where its stands. For each of the behaviors listed below, please indicate how much more
likely you would be take this action on behalf of the brand that supports your position versus the one that you like equally well but is silent on the issue. (Top 2 Box, much more and extremely more likely.) (Average of
4 items.), question asked of half the sample. Japan, by belief-driven buyers. See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
2x
29% BRANDS GAIN
SPEAK UP, AND THEY WILL SPEAK FOR YOU
OF BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Advocate for the brand
Defend it against critics
Criticize competitors
when a brand supports their position on an
issue vs. staying silent
more than
from Spectators

26. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 26
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q53. We are going to present you with a series of choices and ask you to tell us the one you would make in each situation. Each choice entails you deciding among three
brands of a product you really need. The first brand (1) agrees with and supports with time, money and considerable resources your position on the issue described above. The second (2) is silent on this issue. It has
given you no indication of where it stands. The third brand (3) disagrees with you on this issue and supports with time, money and considerable resources those on the other side. Assume everything about the brands
is the same or equal except for the specific difference mentioned in each question. For each set of choices please indicate which of the three brands you would mostly likely choose to buy. (Percent who selected
Brand 1 in cost scenario 2.) Question asked of half the sample. Japan, by belief-driven buyers. See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
2x more than
from Spectators
20% BRANDS GAIN
SPEAK UP, AND THEY WILL PAY A PREMIUM
OF BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Will pay a 25% premium
for a brand that supports their position on an issue

27. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 27
DO YOU WANT
TO STAY IN
NO BRAND’S
LAND?
OR WILL YOU
ANSWER THE CALL?

28. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
DON’T
CO-OPT
CULTURE.
FIND YOUR PURPOSE.

30. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
Bringing Water to Life
30

31. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 31

32. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
TALK LESS.
ACT MORE.

34. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
STRONG
RELATIONSHIPS
REQUIRE A
TRUSTED
CORPORATE
BRAND
COMMIT AND LIVE YOUR BELIEFS
34
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q51. If a brand is really serious about taking a stand on a controversial societal or political issue, where and how do you expect to see evidence of that stand? On a scale,
where one means not at all important and nine means extremely important, how important is it that the brand’s position on an issue be demonstrated in the following ways? (Top 4 Box, Importance), question asked of
half the sample. Q43. Do you know the name of the company that owns or makes this brand (Yes) Q44. Please indicate how much you trust the parent company that owns or makes the brand to do what is right,
using a nine-point scale, where one means that you “do not trust them at all” and nine means that you “trust them a great deal” to do what is right. (Top 4 Box, Trust.) Japan, by belief-driven buyers. See Technical
Appendix for a full explanation of how the five relationship stages and belief-driven buying were built and measured.
LINK
Percent of belief-driven buyers who
know and trust the corporate brand
COMMIT
Belief-driven buyers expect
brands to contribute:
1
Time
Commitment
Money
1
2
3
LIVE
Belief-driven buyers say your brand’s
beliefs should be evident in your:
1 Day-to-day business activities
Web site
Advertising
Sourcing
1
2
3
4
15
55
74 71 71
INVOLVED INVESTED COMMITTED
STRENGTH OF CONSUMER-BRAND RELATIONSHIP
INTERESTEDINDIFFERENT

35. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 35

36. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 36
INVITE THEM TO JOIN.DON’T JUST
START A
CONVERSATION.

37. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
INVITE PEOPLE TO ACT ON BELIEF, AND DRIVE
CONVERSATIONS THAT EARN CUSTOMERS
37
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q131-79. One last question about your favorite brand. Below is a list of people. In general, if you heard information about this brand from each of these people, how
credible would the information be--extremely credible, very credible, somewhat credible, or not credible at all? “Peer sources” is a net of 134, 48, 70, 76; “Company sources” is a net of 131, 72, 135;
“Celebrity/Influencers sources” is a net of 747, 78, 71 (Top 2 Box, Very/Extremely Credible) Q58. How do you usually learn about where a brand stands on controversial societal and political issues? From among the
potential sources of information listed below, select the top three that you rely upon most when it comes to finding out about a brand’s position. Question asked of half the sample. Japan, by belief-driven buyers. See
Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
PEER-DRIVEN CONVERSATIONS ARE MORE CREDIBLE
THAN CELEBRITIES AND COMPANY SOURCES
Percent of belief-driven buyers who say each information source about
brands is very/extremely credible
PEOPLE RELY ON CONVERSATIONS AND THE MEDIA TO
LEARN ABOUT A BRAND’S BELIEFS
Where belief-driven buyers learn about where a brand stands on
controversial issues
79
65 62 53
Peer
sources
Expert
sources
Company
sources
Celebrities/
influencers
1 Conversations with friends and family
Your brand's advertising
Newspapers, magazines, TV
Third-party reviews/ratings
1
2
3
4

38. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N 38
http://unitedpeople.jp

39. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
GOING BEYOND NO BRAND’S LAND
39
CO-OPTING CULTURE
PUTTING OUT A POINT
OF VIEW
JUST STARTING
CONVERSATIONS
FROM
FIND YOUR PURPOSE
ACTING MORE THAN YOU TALK
INVITING THEM TO JOIN
TO

40. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D J A P A N
40
REI | #OPT OUTSIDE

41. BEYOND
NO BRAND’S
LAND
41