Testimonial

Hello! I'm Nishino, the sales manager at Orinas.

This time, we interviewed Mr. Obikane from the Advertising Department of Chifure Cosmetics Co., Ltd., who supports us with everything from Instagram and Twitter operations to product photography. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to meet in person, so we asked him to answer questions via a questionnaire, and we have also added our own comments about the project and its background.

Chifure is a comprehensive manufacturer that develops, manufactures, and sells cosmetics. It's a brand that anyone who wears makeup has likely come across at least once. Founded in 1947, Chifure has a long history and has been supported by customers of all ages for its valued concept of “good quality at affordable prices.”

The Impetus for Starting the Instagram Initiative Was the Challenge of Communicating with F1 Users

Nishino: Your first collaboration with us was Instagram management, but what challenges did Chifure face in the digital marketing field prior to that?

Obikane: Our challenge was the lack of online communication, such as on the web and social media, with our target demographic of people in their 20s and 30s.

Nishino: What was the trigger that made you decide to focus on the above issues?

Obikane: Our attitude towards our products (“good quality, affordable prices, proactive information disclosure, and environmental conservation”) was becoming more widely recognized in general, but it was still less well-known among people in their 20s, so we felt we needed to change our communication. Specifically, we thought it was important to narrow the gap between potential users and the brand and increase the number of fans.

Our collaboration with Orinas began about three years ago. At the time, the company was managed by the predecessor of Mr. Obikane, who we interviewed this time. Chifure has a long history and is well-known as a “long-established brand,” with its core customer base consisting of women in their 40s. Chifure wanted to expand its customer base to women in their 20s and 30s while still cherishing its core customers. We proposed the use of Instagram, a social networking site popular with women in their 20s and 30s, as it was just around the time that corporate use of Instagram was becoming more active.

Chifure Instagram

Although Instagram was started from scratch, it has now become a highly influential Instagram account, with 103,000 followers (as of December 2020) and 64,000 posts under the hashtag “Chifure” (as of December 2020). Furthermore, with approximately 70% of followers being women between the ages of 20 and 34, the company has been able to reach out to the younger demographic, which was its original goal.

We Appreciate the Comprehensive Service and Support Provided During Operations

Nishino: Is there a reason why you chose our company out of all the digital marketing companies available?

Obikane: We chose Orinas because they offer everything from operational support to creative production, and the support they provide is so comprehensive that we couldn't find a company that could match their conditions. We also felt that by working in cooperation with your company, we would be able to accumulate know-how within the company.

Nishino: Please tell us frankly about the effects you have felt and your impressions after actually working on this project.

Obikane: By utilizing social media, we were able to build new communication between users and the brand and connect with more customers. This allowed us to disseminate information to potential users, mainly those who gather information on social media, who would have been difficult to reach using traditional communication methods, and we were able to gain new fans.

It also allowed us to understand the trends and products that meet users' needs, and when we read their opinions and positive feedback about our products, it made us feel closer to our customers and made us very happy!

Thank you for your wonderful reply, Mr. Obikane! We've been supporting Chifure's Instagram efforts, working with them on everything from planning and strategy to operation and analysis, and proposing new initiatives. For the first year or so, we focused on building a base for Instagram, steadily increasing the number of followers. We've analyzed user trends and what products and creatives are well-received, and focused on making our customers happier.

After about a year, while continuing the trend analysis that we had been conducting up until then, we also increased the number of spot measures, such as measures to expand the number of followers and tie-up measures aimed at deepening the fan base of the followers we had acquired.

We also focused on Stories in our daily operations and implemented measures in line with Instagram's feature updates, trends, and user reactions.

From Planning and Operation to Analysis of Social Media According to Your Purpose

Nishino: Is there anything that you appreciate about our company? If so, please tell us.

Obikane: They provide a wide range of support, from operational support to creative production, while keeping costs in mind. They are easy to talk to and provide friendly suggestions and support, and they are able to thoroughly implement the PDCA cycle through monthly regular meetings and daily communication.

This year (2020), we have assisted not only with Instagram but also with the launch and operation of Twitter. Twitter was launched with the aim of increasing user-generated content and strengthening communication with fans, and in addition to introducing products, posts are made to engage users.

Nishino: What do you expect from our company in the future?

Obikane: We hope that our attitude, efforts, and thoughts towards our products will resonate with our users and be conveyed as their voices. To achieve this, we would like to work together to implement measures that are unique to Chifure, which will make users want to respond without thinking. We look forward to your support, utilizing information on media and user trends, as well as your know-how. In the future, we would also like to ask for quarterly reviews so that we can make the PDCA cycle even more effective!

Finally

Thank you very much for your help despite your busy schedule.

At Chifure, we provide support across Instagram and Twitter, but what users want on social media changes depending on the company, medium, and time of year. It's important to properly identify what users are currently expecting and implement measures accordingly. We hope to continue proposing measures that are in line with the latest trends, so we appreciate your continued support!

That's all from Nishino.