Essential Intuition in Marketing: Kurashicom and Ajinomoto Case Study

This piece discusses how companies typically rely on external data and surveys to understand customer needs, often struggling to grasp what customers truly want. It introduces "essential intuition" as an alternative approach, using the collaboration between Ajinomoto and Kurashicom as an example. This method involves examining one's own reactions and instincts and questioning the reasons behind them. Kurashicom, in particular, hires individuals with similar lifestyles to their customers and encourages them to explore their inner feelings, believing this leads to deeper customer understanding. This perspective shift moves beyond relying solely on average data towards a more personal and introspective exploration of customer needs, potentially uncovering deeper, unarticulated desires. This discussion suggests that examining personal intuition can reveal universal customer truths and foster a view of customers as shared partners.