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Muji in China

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无印良品的中国之路

无印良品最初在中国大陆的发展并非一帆风顺。1995年一家香港公司(J.B.I)在中国内地对25种服装和鞋类产品抢注了“MujirushiRy-ohin”和“Muji”两个商标,“MujirushiRy - ohin”即无印良品,而“Muji”为无印良品在海外市场用的商标,这使日本无印良品在中国不能合法地销售这25种商品。由于无印良品在其他国家和地区的服装销售额一般占其专卖店总销售的40%左右,商标权的问题使得无印良品在中国发展受到很大影响,自从2005年7月1日在上海开出在中国的第一家店以来,迟迟难有进展。直到2007年12月,无印良品在北京与这家香港公司进行的无印良品商标权诉讼最终获得胜诉,这才扫清了无印良品在中国内地开店的障碍。08年1月10日,无印良品上海正大广场店开业,面积达800平方米,销售的产品种类达到2400余种;2008年3月7日,无印良品北京首家专门店于北京西单大悦城开业,占地面积为372平方米。2008年6月20日,北京华贸的中国旗舰店开业。自此,无印良品进入了在中国市场的快速发展期。

显然,和许多国际一线品牌一样,无印良品进入中国大陆市场采取的是典型的辐射式布点策略,先占领京沪这两?中国南北市场制高点,在此基础上,形成对周边市场的强力辐射和影响。相信无印良品一旦在北京和上海站稳脚跟,下一步的目标将是对周边二线发达城市。
近年来,日本服装企业纷纷把中国市场列为重点开发目标,积极拓展中国市场。但目前总体情况来看,日系服装品牌在中国经营状况并不乐观,市场表现远不及一些欧美品牌。许多日本时装品牌在中国市场依然处于痛苦的市场培育期。

在解决了商标权的问题之后,无印良品在中国市场依然面临着一些问题,首当其冲的问题就是价格偏高。

为了有效降低制造成本,无印良品中畅销的编织品100%在中国生产、服装类70%产自中国,还有20%在日本生产,其余10%由亚洲及其他各国生产。在中国服装类的生产均采取OEM方式,既保持了经营的高度灵活性,又减少了投资成本。

无印良品在日本本土采取的是低价策略,可是到了中国市场后,却面临价格偏高的难题。虽然无印良品的许多原材料和加工都在中国,但是协议规定所有生产的东西必须全部出关,上海店的价格甚至比日本还高出25-30%。再考虑到中日两国的人均GDP的巨大差距,中国的消费者对价格的接受存在一定困难。通过对大众点评网(上海站)统计,前100位无印良品的顾客对该品牌的评价显示:对产品存在好感的顾客高达86%,而认为价格偏高或性价比偏低的顾客却也同时占60%,这一方面反应出产品在中国市场受到普遍欢迎,另一方面也反应出价格偏高。
此外,中国商业地产租赁成本的逐年攀升,对于无印良品这样的中低价经营的品牌来说,除非有效提高销量,否则高房租是绕不过去的一道坎,1998年无印良品退出香港市场的最大原因也正是因为租金过高,也成为制约无印良品拓展速度的瓶颈因素之一。高昂的经营成本和中低售价成了无印良品需要平衡的难题。

仿冒者的困扰。由于无印良品服装的设计、工艺和材质都相对简单,客观上为仿制提供了便利,淘宝网上的无印良品仿制品价格基本上是同款服装日本价格的一半左右,目前淘宝网上是销售情况异常火爆。看来,在现实的中国市场环境中,无印良品不仅要面对其他品牌的竞争,还必须面对大量的低价仿冒品的竞争。

更为重要的是,目前在中国市场,无印良品的顾客更多的是将其作为一个时尚的品牌来进行消费。很多选择简单生活的人,是为了寻求另一种身份的标识,未必真正领悟简单生活的涵义,仅仅是另一种从众心态。加之国内环保消费意识尚未完全成熟,禅的品牌理念在中国能否得大众消费群的真正认同尚有待观察。但无论如何,无印良品的品牌理念和运作模式依然非常值得国内品牌学习借鉴。

长期以来,中国服装品牌一直在奉行“模仿是最好的学习方式”的观念,去临摹西方或日本大牌,现实却是中国品牌“模仿能力”远高于创新能力。创新除了技术、设计层面之外,更重要的是观念的创新,因为观念创新常常是技术创新的源动力。中国品牌在亦步亦趋地模仿西方品牌“术”的同时,更应该学习的是品牌表象之后的营销之“道”和创新之“道”。
无印良品的两大“悖论” MUJI营销之道

2008年6月20日,面积超过800平米的无印良品(MUJI) 中国旗舰店在北京华贸隆重开业,跻身于华贸商圈1100多个国际品牌之列。这是无印良品在日本以外开设的最大规模店铺,这标志着无印良品进入了在中国市场的加速扩张期。

这是一个简单而又不简单的品牌。说它简单是因为它是一个提倡简单生活理念的品牌,所有的产品都追求返璞归真的设计,甚至连品牌LOGO都省略了。无印在日文中是没有花纹的意思,“Muji”(无印”)意即“No Brand”(无品牌),“无印良品"”的意思就是“无品牌标志的好产品”。说它不简单,是因为在World Brand Lab独家发布的“2007年度世界品牌500强排行榜”中,MUJI排名第400位,排名竟在中国国际航空、中国石化和中国国家电网之前!在上榜的28家服装服饰类品牌中,位列第20,排名高于乔治?阿玛尼、圣罗兰、纪梵希、Lee等中国消费者耳熟能详的世界名牌。

一、Muji品牌简介

无印良品是西友株式会社于1980年开发的私有品牌,最初向消费者提供经济实惠的日用品、食品和服装。1983年在东京流行发源地的“青山”开出第一家独立旗舰店后,受到了消费者支持与肯定,并于1990年加入良品计划株式会社,目前在日本国内共有325个销售网点,是日本最大的Life Style Store(生活形态提案店)。根据日本日经流通新闻针对自主性较强的29岁至32岁的消费族群进行品牌好感度调查结果显示:“无印良品”因为拥有可提供消费者购物的安心感、商品的流行感及合理的价格等特性,为品牌好感度调查的第一名,品牌好感度更高达51.1%。

随着人口的减少,日本国内服装日用品市场逐渐趋于饱和。该公司预测,日本国内市场的门店总量不能超过500家,目前在日本有325个销售网点已经接近饱和,海外市场的开拓成为公司新发展的必然选择,现在无印良品的海外店铺数已增至86家,并计划在2010年把海外销售额提高到400亿日元以上。无印良品开店的国家,清一色是成熟发达国家和地区,如日本、英国、法国、新加坡和香港、中国台湾。并且认为只有消费精致度足够高的地方,人们才有能力分辨品质的好坏,追求品牌更在意品质,像无印良品这种繁华盛世的素朴产品,才能获得青睐,MUJI对于消费社会成熟度有很高的要求。

该公司认为,在中国和泰国等亚洲国家,大众购买力迅速提高,人们对生活消费品的品质要求越来越高,高品质生活用品的市场正迅速扩大。因此,公司决定加快在亚洲增开新店的步伐,到2010年底之前,将亚洲店铺总数提高到40家以上。
从70年代开始,日本许多公司开始尝试建立自主品牌或不要品牌。西友集团也加入这个潮流,在吸取了别人的经验教训后,考虑到英文品牌在当时作用已经不明显,采用了“无印良品”这个日文名字。为了要赋予产品让人购买的理由,其创意就是“便宜有理”。由于整个90年代日本长期的经济低迷,“M”型社会的出现,逐渐诞生出一批取得巨大成功的低价品牌,无印良品就是其中之一。

无印良品由最初提供价廉物美的日常用品,逐渐发展成通过设计理念、美学主张、素材的选择、流程的检点、简洁包装、形象宣传等方式,来创造和推广一种新的生活方式,如今已经被认为是日本当代最有代表性的“禅的美学”。

一个将“禅”作为核心理念的品牌,之所以在日本乃至一些西方发达国家大行其道,有深刻的社会文化背景。佛教禅宗传入中国后,禅文化成为了中国传统文化的重要组成部分,传入日本后得以发扬光大。禅学目前在日本有非常广泛的市场,研究者众多。而当代西方人,尤其是知识界,对禅也兴趣浓厚,把它作为人生与科学的哲学,认为禅悟真正代表了东方关于精神自由的智慧。这也是无印良品的品牌理念得到认同的文化基础。

无印良品的两大“悖论”
禅家最常见的是用悖论和谲问的方式提出问题,反对逻辑推理,认为靠逻辑思维而获得的知识是间接性的知识,而禅悟是一种凭直感直觉直接颖悟出来的灵慧的智识。以禅为理念的无印良品,恰恰也正符合禅的某种悖论特征。

悖论一:无牌胜有牌
上世纪80年代?沫经济的日本市场名牌盛行,消费者品牌意识非常强烈,无印良品反其道而行,提出无品牌的概念,这在当时相当前卫。

在当今的都市生活中,人们生活的方方面面都被打上了各种标签,品牌背后所包含的基于社会阶层以及虚荣心理的消费价值观,常常掩盖了人的真实感受。而“无印”的生活理念恰恰与之相反,它摒弃一切外在 “标签”,不断简化:拿掉商标、去除一切不必要的加工和颜色、简单包装、简单到只剩下素材和功能本身,提醒人们去欣赏原始素材和质料的美感,还物品以本来面目,将使用者从外在束缚中解放出来,而达到一种更接近于内心自我、更接近自然的状态,这也正是禅悟所追求的真我境界。在所有无印良品的商品上,顾客很难找到品牌标记,即便在衣领后面也不设商标——至多在衣服上贴一张透明胶带纸标明尺寸,并在试衣时撕去。对于厌倦了追求名牌和奢华生活的都市人来说,无印良品的主张确实令人耳目一新。

这种不要品牌的做法,却使得在日本经常会出现这样的现象:如果有人看到一个没有商标的用品就会猜测,“这是无印良品吗?”由此,无印良品巧妙地实现了最大程度的品牌差异化:世界被人为地分成了两极,一极是所有的品牌,而另一极就只有无印良品。大音希声,大象无形,刻意追求低调反而成为闻名世界的“No Brand”(无品牌),达到了“无牌胜有牌”的境界。它已经超脱了商品品牌的局限,成为一种生活方式的品牌,这也是品牌发展的最高境界。三流的品牌卖产品,二流的品牌既卖产品又卖服务(这实际上是在出售解决方案),而真正一流的品牌却是在贩卖一种生活方式。

悖论二:品牌无限制延伸

定位理论之父艾?里斯曾说过:“品牌是根橡皮筋,你多伸展一个品种,它就多一份疲弱”。当今品牌竞争日趋白热化,出于强化竞争力的需要,这也是一个品牌不断强调 “聚焦”的年代,而通用电器“不做第一就做第二”的经典案例也早已深入人心。然而,无印良品却是一个另类,其商品种类已由当初的几十种发展到今天的5000多种,覆盖从牙刷到汽车等各种产品,并且这个数字依然在继续增加。对于一般人而言,这个数字意味着日常生活所需东西已应有尽有。目前像无印良品这样能将品牌轻易延伸到了几千种的品牌,实属凤毛麟角。

尽管显得离经叛道,但无印良品的成功依然有迹可循。关于品牌延伸有研究表明:品牌延伸的成功取决于多方面的因素,其中包括原品牌的产品、服务、技术以及市场各自的关联度、品牌知名度、产品质量、品牌联想等因素。

有的品牌因为产品品类的细分和功能性烙印强烈,品牌联想主要集中某一类产品,这样延伸就比较困难。可是无印良品这个名字却让消费者联想到所有的优良产品,没有行业和具体品类的局限,这为品牌延伸提供了很好的前提。

高品质保证也是无印良品延伸成功的重要原因。目前国内一些超市在尝试着推出少量自有品牌的商品,也有超市提出“苏果无假货,件件都放心”的口号,但这里有个基本的逻辑问题,就是真货未必等于好货。面对超市内大量不知名品牌的商品,特别是食品,消费者对其内在品种依然会心存疑虑。而MUJI全部以自有品牌作为品质担保,通过完善的质量控制系统,增强了消费者的信心。当然这是把双刃剑,对无印良品的管理水平要求极高,因为任何一个品类、一个环节出了问题,都会对整个品牌产生不利影响,一损俱损。此外,无印良品在日本拥有相当高的知名度和顾客忠诚度,并且拥有自有销售渠道等,这也为品牌延伸创造了有利条件。

艾?里斯甚至说过:毁灭一个品牌最容易的方法是把这个品牌名称使用在所有的事物上!然而品牌这根“橡皮筋”到了无印良品这里,成了弹性无穷大。慧能禅师所说的禅,是一种无意向、无希冀、无欲念的超然万象的大境界。对于一个提倡“无”的品牌,反倒可以容纳进更多的内容,其中哲理值得深思。
三、无印良品的营销策略

(一)“四位一体”的产品开发模式

在无印良品看来,现代商品有两种趋势:一种是采用新奇的素材,拥有夺目的造型,与之伴随的是消费实力较为雄厚的顾客群体;另一种是尽量压低成本,采用最便宜的材质,极度简化生产流程,在劳动力最便宜的国家生产商品。但是无印良品走的是中间道路。他们一方面倾向于“无设计的设计”,使用最合适的素材和做工,实现“素”而有意趣的设计;另一方面不以低价为目标,取而代之的是丰富的加工技术和细致入微的设计风格,寻找真正合适的性价比。同时,无印良品不只是一间贩卖服饰、杂货、文具等的一般商店,它更是“生活型态提案店”。消费者到无印良品购物,不再只是购买商品本身,而是品牌背后传递的一种简约、自然、基本的生活型态。当消费者会发现原来看似简单的商品,也可以兼具质感与美感,并由这些商品来实现内心深处对简约生活的向往。

早晨,你可以穿着“无印良品”的睡袍,在“无印良品”的床上醒来,然后用“无印良品”的牙刷刷牙,喝“无印良品”咖啡机煮出来的咖啡,吃着“无印良品”的食品,坐在“无印良品”的沙发上,听“无印良品”的音响送出音乐……
为了能持续不断开发出满足消费者需求的,让人耳目一新的产品,无印良品采用了“四位一体”的产品开模式:

1、网友集思广益,让顾客参与设计

从2001年起,无印良品开始透过网络与消费者沟通,共同激发创意。企画人员首先订出一个主题,如“床边照明”,接着在无印良品网站的社群中,公开募集意见,以了解网友们心中最理想的商品为何。统计整理后挑出几个方案让网友投票选出最想要的商品。接下来,负责人员会根据得票数最高的点子画出设计蓝图,再次举行投票,做出样品,并利用网络进行满意度调查和意见征询,进一步修正结果。在决定好规格与价格后,便开始接受顾客的预订。一旦订单达到最小生产量,便开始正式进行商品化。无印良品通过这种手法开发出了不少热门商品。如“懒骨头沙发”就造成抢购热潮,卖出8万个,创下10亿日元的惊人业绩。 他们也在网站上募集“梦想计划”,网友可以将自己的创意告诉MUJI,只要在18天内得到300名网友的联署,MUJI就将它商品化。并在产品说明书上列上这300名网友的名字,以示感谢。让消费者参与产品设计是很多企业的理想,但是能真正做到的却很少,无印良品运用网络社区的做法值得参考。

2、对生活彻底观察,以生活细节为师

“观察”法。由负责人员直接登门拜访消费者,观察消费者的日常生活情形,并站在生活者的角度来思考消费者的需求。

一开始,是由一名美术大学的学生到友人家访问,将其房间的每一个角落,甚至连皮包里的东西,全都拍照下来。之后改成了在网络上募集自愿受访者,并由一名无印良品的员工进行访问。访问所得的照片便被分送到各企划设计室,让相关人员由各种角度进行讨论,从中挖掘出新需求,进行企划设计。例如,浴室里的洗发精、润发素等用品容器的大小都不同,而且多为圆筒型,很难放置于浴室的墙上或浴缸边缘,倘若有方形容器,就能整理得有条不紊,于是无印良品便赶紧推出这项商品,满足顾客需求。

又例如,他们观察到一般人睡前阅读最后一个动作是摘下眼镜、关掉床头灯,隔天早上第一个动作是用手摸索着找眼镜。所以开发出底座往中央凹陷的床头灯,让眼镜顺势靠在灯杆上便于拿取。无印良品的设计目标只有一个:符合生活的需要。这很简单,可是也非常困难。

3、与大师合作,提升品牌品味

“World MUJI”的全新商品开发法——请到多位世界各地知名设计师,以大师的眼光,帮忙改造商品,将早已在日常生活中根深柢固的东西重新编辑,替换成符合无印良品形象的商品。无印良品的服饰商品一度面临销售困境,因为其它大卖场有更多款式、价格更便宜的选择(如优衣库)。此外,还有所谓“毕业现象”:无印良品的顾客以二十多岁的年轻顾客为主,但这些顾客大学毕业之后,就会转而投向其它品牌的怀抱。为了提高顾客年龄层,2006年无印良品与日本知名设计师山本耀司合作,以强化服饰商品的设计力。在这一点上,无印良品和平民时尚品牌H&M、Zara的做法如出一辙。在开发新产品时,无印良品会召开“商品战略委员会”,除了一般员工之外,包括原研哉、深泽直人等知名设计师都会介入,通过各自观点的碰撞,达成共识后将创意试做出样品,并举行展示会,让更多不同领域的人提意见。

4、全球化的视野,发掘各地精华

通过销售“Found MUJI”——集合了世界各地经过长时间发展出来的“生活必备品”,从全球实用的日常用品中学习,通过向世界收集材料与元素,再融合本地需求进行产品改造,以全球视野将产品开发提升到更高的层次。将那些地域性的素材,进行最大限度的利用,改造成为能够纳入无印良品系列中的商品。在无印良品的商品标签上,顾客常常会发现有“埃及棉”、“印度棉手织”等标注,标注那些编织技术名称,实际上是让购买者联想手工艺生产的过程。

无印良品还定期举办国际设计大赛,如第二届大赛的主题定为"RE"(Re-think、Re-design、Re-use、Re-fuse)。大赛面向全球招募创意作品,重新发现日常生活中熟悉的事物并且重新加以概念化,这同样也为无印良品的商品开发提供了源源不断的创意来源。

(二)“御繁以简”的风格理念

无印良品没有太多鲜明的个性,也没有多么夸张的色彩。也正是它的平淡无奇打动了那些关心环境,热爱自然,反对奢华的消费者。越是简单的东西越不容易过时,也避免了过于时尚的产品对带来的巨大库存压力。对于像无印良品这样的经营如此多品类的企业来讲,库存控制会决定企业成败。

服装是新商品开发的主战场,每年大约有70%的商品要更新,周转相当快。无印良品把易受行情与季节变化影响的衣物分为三类规划开发。即:季节性商品(销售期为60天)、平季商品(销售期为90天)、年度商品(销售期为半年至一年)。其中,盛夏和严冬的特定时期服装为主要季节性商品,由于销售时间短,商品规划的失败会直接带来营业亏损。

为抑制库存,无印良品的商品开发始终如一地贯彻了“统一理念”的原则,有关商品的设计、原材料、价格都规定了必须遵守的条件。例如服装类严格遵守无花纹、格纹、条纹等设计原则,颜色上只使用黑白相间、褐色、蓝色等规定的颜色。无论当年的流行色是多么受欢迎,也决不超出设计原则去开发商品。设计风格也是力求简单质朴,完全看不到繁复的装饰。当然,这个设计原则实际上也是以血的代价获得的。九十年代末期,面对同样是诉求低价位、天然材料的强大竞争者的出现,无印良品自乱了阵脚,做了许多原先不会设计生产的有鲜艳颜色的服装商品,以致出现大量库存,严重影响到了企业的后续经营。2001年松井忠三临危受命出任社长,只好一把火就把所有服装存货烧光,直接损失达三十八亿日元。

无印良品酷爱素包装,主张不装饰,保持东西本来的色彩和形状,坚决反对过剩包装。例如一般日式零食的包装,通常是精美且多层次;但无印良品的原料虽是处处精选,用的却是简单透明的包装,以符合其简约、自然的基调。透明、半透明的包装非但没有让人们失去兴趣,反而增加了信任和一种朦胧的美感。无印良品还在全部商品上标有详细具体的文字说明,向消费者传递商品生产的理由。

(三)“产品驱动型”的促销推广模式

品牌创始人木内正夫说:“到目前为止,我们没有进行过任何商业促销活动。我们在产品设计上吸取了顶尖设计师的想法以及前卫的概念,这就起到了优秀广告的作用。我们生产的食品和文具被不同的消费群体所接受,这也为我们起到了宣传作用。”最有效的促销是让产品促销产品,最有效的传播是让消费者传播给消费者。
当顾客买了一件无印良品的产品,会发现其他东西和它放在一起很不协调,于是就会再次购买更多的无印良品的产品去搭配。最简单的例子就是无印良品为自家米色的再生纸品提供了配套的米色涂改液。本来只要买笔的顾客,可能接下去购买笔记本、衣服、零食、甚至家具等。

无印良品没有代言人,“良品精神”就在为其代言。日本杂志《Casa Brutus》曾制作了一整本特刊介绍无印良品成功的秘诀:无印良品从不主动强调,连平面广告也未见“王婆卖瓜”的宣传字样,它宁愿多花点力气,找到让生活更便利、更有味道的方法。

2003年开始,无印良品每年在新年伊始时制作一套宣传用海报,这些图片加上只有无印良品四个字之后,仿佛无印良品的形象代言。这组海报分别是:“无印良品的未来”、“地球规模的无印良品”、“无印良品之家”、“茶室和无印良品”。无印良品不断通过商品图录和网页联络顾客,无论是网页还是图录,商品拍摄的角度都非常端正,那是试图引导购买者和阅读者观察商品的角度。而那些免费的商品图录甚至都成了无印爱好者珍贵的收藏。

(四)“触角多元化”的渠道组合模式

现在的无印良品不只是生活杂货店,已将经营范围延伸到很广。从“视觉”与“触觉”为主的生活杂货用品,延伸到“嗅觉”与“味觉”的花店、咖啡店与食品。
无印良品开在东京最大的旗舰店 “无印良品有乐町”中甚至还开办了料理教室,这个不仅教授料理技术,还告诉人们关于“食”的知识和哲学。此外,还有强调健康、手工制作的餐饮“Meal MUJI”与咖啡店“Cafe MUJI”。

结合移动通讯而开设的花店“花良”(Flower MUJI),让顾客可用手机上网订购,并在下单后十三小时内,即可产地直送。如果不知道该送什么花给对方,只要输入生日,无印良品的行动服务就能马上提供“花提案”,以及相关配套商品的信息(将花卉与生活杂货结合的礼品)。

无印良品甚至进一步将顾客从室内的店面带到阳光绿地去露营,经营起“无印良品露营场”。以“保护自然”与“家族同乐”为诉求,在风光明媚的郊区都有设场。此举不仅大大拓展了的客源,对老顾客也有巩固、加深感情的作用。
针对与顾客不同的生活接触点,无印良品开发触了相对应的多元化的渠道组合模式。
经营理念
• 追求员工的幸福,成为使员工感到骄傲,有希望,有生活意义的公司。
• 被客户承认价值、信赖的公司。
• 不断改革,在竞争中胜出,靠健全和公正的经营持续发展让股东充分满足的公司。
• 对地区和社会有贡献的公司。
经营理想
• 以维修・维护事业为基础,提供一级品的机械装置・系统。
时刻考虑环境保护,客户至上。以向客户提供成套设备工程成为业界一流的综合工程公司为目标。
• 在生产成套设备的各个领域,时刻考虑环境保护,在生产的高速度、高效率发展方面贡献于客户和社会。
• 在三菱综合材料集团的事业发展中、在生产设备方面为集团的发展做出贡献。

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