Marketers often focus on convincing their target audience through advertisements and campaigns, but what if the real opportunity lies in reshaping behavior? A case study of Nestlé’s entry into the Japanese market in the 1970s offers valuable lessons for brands looking to influence consumer habits. Initially, Nestlé’s traditional marketing efforts failed because they didn’t understand the cultural significance of tea in Japan. Tea was tied to cultural identity, ritual, and social connectivity, making it a challenging market to crack.
To overcome this, Nestlé shifted its focus from promotion to psychology, working with psychoanalyst Dr. Clotaire Rapaille. They discovered that the Japanese lacked a positive emotional association with coffee, which was formed in childhood. Instead of targeting adults, Nestlé introduced coffee-flavored sweets, chocolates, and desserts to children, creating a positive emotional connection with the product. This strategy paid off when the same generation entered the workforce and was reintroduced to real coffee, which no longer felt foreign but nostalgic.
Nestlé amplified its impact through the Nescafé Ambassador program, positioning coffee as a workplace ritual, and capitalized on Japan’s vending machine culture by introducing canned coffee. Today, 42% of Japanese consumers opt for instant coffee for its convenience, and 40% buy it ready-made from stores. This success story shows that consumer behavior doesn’t change through persuasion alone but when a product aligns with emotion, memory, and daily routine.
The key takeaways from this case study are that deep consumer insight and long-term strategy can drive lasting change. Nestlé succeeded not by outselling tea but by slowly building emotional ownership. This approach is not just smart marketing but behavioral strategy. By understanding the emotional and cultural significance of a product, brands can create a lasting impact on consumer behavior. As marketers, it’s essential to look beyond traditional advertising and focus on creating emotional connections with our target audience, ultimately driving long-term behavioral change.