Deanna Elstrom: Japan Consumer Insights Specialist

Deanna Elstrom is a veteran brand marketer, brand strategist, and consumer insights specialist. She started her own consulting business, Somi Insights, three years ago where she combines her love of branding with a fascination of how culture influences human behavior. The Japanese consumer is a key area of Deanna's expertise where she led two major agencies before starting Somi Insights.  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

Japan Adventures via Camper Van = Dream Drive: https://www.dreamdrive.life

• Use the code word "ZEN" to receive discounts