Muji was founded in 1980 and is a Japanese retail company that sells a variety of products in the household consumer items category such as furniture, clothing and food products. Muji’s minimalistic themed approach to product design also incorporate the spirit of the company which is ‘Less is More.’ The same theme bleeds into their marketing strategy as well. Here are 5 reasons why Muji’s marketing strategy works.
Less Is More: The Motto That Drives Muji’s Operations
Today’s consumerist market is full of brands competing for a consumer’s attention with bright ads that just scream to get your attention. However, Muji, which means ‘no brand quality goods’ upon translation, is popular because of it’s minimalistic aesthetic.
Main emphasis is on the product itself, rather than having unnecessary decoration in the form of attention seeking marketing campaigns.
Brand Quality And Affordability
While the brand does not spend much on expensive marketing campaigns, they do believe in producing goods that are cheap and of good quality. One of Muji’s marketing slogans was “Lower-priced for a reason”.
The brand’s philosophy also comes into view when we notice that they emphasize on recycling, avoiding production of waste through production and packaging. Thus by promoting reusable goods in an increasingly use-and-throw consumerist world, Muji is setting itself miles apart from its competitors, which is a great marketing strategy.
Individualisation And Personalization Through Commonality
While Muji doesn’t extensively go into creating bold designs with attention seeking details and text to accommodate for the increasing demands of consumers to have personalised products, they do allow for individualisation through commonality.
This means to say that Muji stores allow customers to customise products such as notebooks and giftbags using free stamp stations in every store, going as far as to accept custom orders to embroider designs onto fabric tote bags.
Use Of Digital Technology In A Way That Is Unique
While most brands today look to digitalise their businesses by developing sites and apps that directly accept orders and encourage online shopping, Muji developed an app that digitalised its business but in a different way.
Muji’s ‘Muji Passport’ app shows consumers what products are available in the store, and builds a close relationship with consumers. Collection of data from the app including data regarding trends in purchases and activity is used to further realise Muji’s goals and accordingly affix availability of various products in their store.
Marketing Of Philosophy Over Products
Muji advertises and markets its philosophy rather than its products. Emphasis on its focus of minimalistic aesthetic product design as well spreading of information regarding its philosophy through in-store events and lectures drives this marketing strategy forward for Muji.
Muji’s websites also host a series of 10-second videos that showcase its products and their usability in the user’s life in a straight-forward way without any frills added to it.
Muji’s philosophy of ‘Less is More’ is the winning game changer of their marketing strategy, thus driving more and more consumers to its stores.