Marketing Terms in Japanese

Logo, it is impossible to ignore the power of marketing in Japanese in large cities like Tokyo and Osaka. The word “マーケティング” (maaketingu) already appears in the early conversations about business. It is not just a translation, but a concept that has taken on a life of its own in Japan. There, marketing is not limited to selling a product, but involves building trust relationships and deeply understanding the consumer.

Have you heard of “顧客志向” (kokyaku shikou)? Literally, it means “customer orientation.” This expression is the foundation of all Japanese strategy and goes far beyond the simple “customer focus” that we use in the West. They genuinely want to know how they can make life easier for those on the other side of the counter. Now, do you want to know other terms and curiosities from this universe? Keep reading.

Read also: Guide - How to Make Money with Japanese

Main marketing terms in Japanese that you need to know

If you intend to work in marketing in Japan or just consume content on the subject, you will come across a range of curious words, mixing English with kanji and hiragana. Let's get straight to the point:

• Promotion (puromōshon) – Promotion. Used for both sales promotions and for brand or event marketing.
• ブランディング (burandingu) – Branding. This term has been trending in recent years, focusing on how to build a strong identity.
• ターゲット (tāgetto) – Target, or target audience. Here comes an interesting difference: the Japanese tend to detail very specific profiles, even creating names and stories for each “persona”.
• Advertising (koukoku) – Advertising. It can appear in contexts of ads, campaigns, or traditional and digital media.
• Strategy (senryaku) – Strategy. It's not just about choosing a path, but creating a true battle plan, almost like in chess.
• Market research (shijou chousa) – Market research. A stage taken very seriously, as Japanese consumers tend to be demanding and detail-oriented.
• Sales promotion (hanbai sokushin) – Sales incentive. You know those coupons, giveaways, and points programs? All of that falls under this.

The impact of Japanese culture on marketing vocabulary

It is not possible to understand marketing terms in Japanese without considering the cultural context. Japan places great value on the concept of “信頼” (shinrai), or trust. Therefore, communication tends to be less aggressive and more subtle, prioritizing respect and reputation. Brands that overdo self-promotion are often seen as arrogant, which is frowned upon there.

Another recurring word is “おもてなし” (omotenashi), which refers to genuine hospitality. It's not enough to provide good service: brands seek to delight and surprise the customer. This is evident even in simple campaigns, such as creative giveaways in supermarkets or small details of personalized service.

Digital Marketing Vocabulary and Strategies

Japan has embraced social media and digital marketing, but in a very unique way. Several English terms have been "Japanized" and gained new life:

• インフルエンサー (infurūensā) – Influencer. More and more brands are using influencers to reach specific niches, especially on platforms like LINE and Twitter.
• バズる (bazuru) – To go viral. Literally, "to make buzz." When something "bazuru," it means it has blown up on the Japanese internet.
• リーチ (rīchi) – Reach. Measuring the reach of campaigns is essential, but always with a focus on real engagement, not just numbers.
• Engagement (engagement) – Engagement. Just like in the rest of the world, but with extra care to avoid negative comments, as digital reputation weighs heavily.

List of Marketing Words in Japanese

• マーケティング (maaketingu) – Marketing
• Promotion – Promotion
• ブランディング (burandingu) – Branding (Brand Management)
• ターゲット (tāgetto) – Target
• Advertisement (koukoku) – Advertising/announcement
• 戦略 (senryaku) – Strategy
• Market Research – Market research
• Sales Promotion (hanbai sokushin) – Sales incentives/promotions
• Influencer – Influenciador
• バズる (bazuru) – To go viral/bombing
• リーチ (rīchi) – Reach (reach digital)
• Engagement – Engagement
• Campaign (marketing, sales, or advertising) – Campanha
• Content – Content (especially for digital marketing)
• SEO (エスイーオー, esuīō) – Search engine optimization
• SEM (エスイーエム, esuīemu) – Search engine marketing
• Listing Ads (risutingu koukoku) – Listing/Search Ads
• Conversion (in sales funnel) – Conversion
• Click-through rate (CTR) – Click-through rate (CTR)
• ランディングページ (randingu pēji) – Landing page
• Persona (semi-fictional character of the audience) – パーソナ (pāsona)
• リード (rīdo) – Lead (potential customer)
• Targeting (tāgetingu) – Targeting/segmentation
• データ分析 (dēta bunseki) – Data analysis
• KPI (ケーピーアイ, kēpīai) – Key performance indicator
• ROI (アールオーアイ, āruōai) – Return on investment
• オウンドメディア (oundo media) – Owned media (e.g., brand blog)
• アーンドメディア (āndo media) – Earned media/earned media
• ペイドメディア (peido media) – Paid media
• ベンチャー (benchā) – Venture/startup
• スタートアップ (sutātoappu) – Startup
• ピボット (pibotto) – Pivot (change the direction of the business)
• Entrepreneur (the “chic” version of the English word アントレプレナー) – Entrepreneur
• Innovation – Innovation
• Accelerator – Aceleradora
• インキュベーター (inkyubētā) – Incubator
• クラウドファンディング (kuraudo fandingu) – Crowdfunding/collective financing
• Business Model (bijinesu moderu) – Business model
• Value Proposition – Value Proposal
• ミッション (misshon) – Mission
• ビジョン (bijon) – Vision
• Value – Valor
• エコシステム (ekoshisutemu) – Ecosystem (for startups, for example)
• シェア (shea) – Market share
• ブレスト (buresuto) – Brainstorm/idea storm
• Milestone (mairusutōn) – Marco/milestone
• Subscription – Assinatura/subscription model
• フリーミアム (furīmiumu) – Freemium (business model)
• User Experience (UX) – User experience (UX)
• User Interface (UI) – User Interface (UI)
• Product-market fit – Product-market fit
• Scalability – Scalability
• サステナビリティ (sasutenabiriti) – Sustainability
• Best practices – Best practices
• Angel investor – Angel investor
• ベンチャーキャピタル (benchā kyapitaru) – Venture capital/risk capital
• シードマネー (shīdo manē) – Seed money/capital seed
• Series A (investment round) – Series A (investment round)
• ピッチ (picchi) – Pitch/business presentation
• Prototype – Prototype
• デモデイ (demo dei) – Demo Day (startup presentation event)
• コミュニティ (komyuniti) – Community
• ネットワーキング (nettowākingu) – Networking
• アジャイル (ajairu) – Agile/agile methodology
• Scrum – Scrum
• Lean Startup – Lean startup
• イグジット (igujitto) – Exit (business exit)