Does "Clarity" Rob Us of Empathy? Thinking Through Atami's V-Shaped Recovery: The MBA-Advocated Secret to Marketing That Gets "Supported" in the Age of AI

In an era where everything is optimized by AI, why are people drawn to "imperfection" and "obscurity," and why do they want to support them? I am organizing my thoughts on the "process of generating empathy" for small and medium-sized enterprises to survive.
A service that is kind, polite, and explains everything perfectly. It may look wonderful at first glance, but it might actually be driving customers away. Using an article that explains the psychology common to Atami's miraculous revival and modern hits as a starting point, I would like to organize my thoughts on the "trap of clarity" we tend to fall into and business models that involve people.

1. Introduction

Why I chose this article

I stopped to read this article because, as a management consultant and manager of a regional trading company (Oyama Wheat Project) involved in regional revitalization, I have keenly felt in the field that a "gritty, struggling figure, even if imperfect," moves people far more than "perfectly polished PR."

Our company, NewValueCreation, has a vision of "supporting the 'resurgence' and 'regrowth' of companies." How did Atami, once called "deserted," manage to breathe again? And how should information be designed to make people enthusiastic? This article teaches a counterintuitive approach that is truly "worth reading" for local small and medium-sized enterprises struggling with budget and name recognition.

2. Summary of the Article

The article I am covering this time is by Ryunosuke Nagai, a professor at Takachiho University, published in PRESIDENT Online.

• Source: Ryunosuke Nagai, "Why was Atami able to be reborn from a 'deserted tourist spot' to a 'city popular with young people'?... A university professor explains the 'secret to a V-shaped recovery'", PRESIDENT Online, 2026/03/02

The article objectively states the following key points.

• Atami's Revival: Regarding the secret to Atami's V-shaped recovery, the author states, "Aiming for a revival from a deserted tourist spot, town development that would be loved was promoted. That figure was something that made people want to 'support' it."

• Mystery Effect: Information is not always better when it is "easy to understand." Like the advertisements for Netflix's 'The Landscaper' or the anime 'Jujutsu Kaisen,' by intentionally hiding information and leaving mysteries, it tickles people's curiosity and creates a "mystery effect" that invites speculation on social media.

• Windsor Effect: The "Windsor Effect" is introduced, which suggests that information disseminated by the receiver (consumer) from a third-party perspective (such as word-of-mouth) is more credible than information disseminated by the creator (company) themselves.

3. Thoughts and Impressions

In a "once-in-a-lifetime" life, people want to be "participants," not "bystanders" to the story

Reading this article, as a practitioner who has been involved in the establishment of agricultural corporations (Sanin Agricultural Research Institute), it deeply resonated with me.

My motto is, "The path of life is enjoyable and well worth walking. However, it only happens once."
In a once-in-a-lifetime life, people do not just want to pay money to consume things; they wish to "participate in that story and enjoy it themselves." In my opinion, Atami's revival was not achieved because the government or companies provided a completed resort, but because they made public the "gritty process of working hard toward revival," which allowed young people to become "participants" who felt, "We want to support this city and liven it up too."

4. Deepening Expertise and Arguments

"Service-Dominant Logic" and the Reversal of Information Asymmetry

I will delve into this phenomenon from the marketing perspective of an MBA (Master of Business Administration).

In modern management, a shift from the idea of companies unilaterally providing value to "Service-Dominant Logic (value co-creation)," where value is created together with customers, is essential. The "mystery effect" introduced in the article is precisely the trigger (mechanism) to elicit this co-creation. By intentionally not releasing 100% of the information and leaving "blank spaces (points to critique or challenges)," it encourages customers to supplement the information themselves and engage in the act of disseminating it (engagement).

Our guiding principle states, 'Make full use of what is already there.' Small and medium-sized enterprises should not spend large amounts on advertising, but rather leverage their own 'struggles' and 'unfinished parts' as content (resources). By generating the Windsor effect (third-party word-of-mouth), they need a strategy that transforms customers into 'accomplices' who go beyond mere 'fans'.

5. Practical Application: Proposals for Leveraging Learning

On-site implementation of selling 'processes' rather than 'finished products'

So, how should small and medium-sized enterprises with limited budgets act? We offer proposals based on our support approach.

1. Share the 'process' before the 'finished product' When launching new products or businesses, stop waiting until everything is perfectly polished (making it easy to understand) before announcing it. Disclose the behind-the-scenes development on social media, etc., saying, 'We are currently facing these challenges,' and intentionally leave room for customers to provide input.

2. Articulate the 'reason for being supported (purpose)' Like Atami, articulate the gritty background of 'why we are doing this (attempting a comeback).' It is not functional specs, but empathy for the philosophy that creates the most powerful third-party word-of-mouth (Windsor effect).

3. Expand the circle of 'accompaniment' to customers Just as we 'accompany you until it is done,' create a community where you grow the brand together with customers, rather than a one-way street from company to customer. Small dialogues starting from the front lines become the greatest marketing.

6. Summary and Reflection

Perhaps it is precisely because we live in an era where everything is instantly 'simplified' by AI that humans are drawn to and become enthusiastic about 'complexity' and 'unfinished stories'.

'Value to possibilities, creation to the future.' The weaknesses and challenges your company faces are not things to hide, but can become the strongest charm that makes someone think, 'I want to support them.' Why not stop aiming for perfection and start by exposing the reality of your workplace as it is?

7. References and Links

• Ryunosuke Nagai, "Why was Atami able to be reborn from a 'deserted tourist spot' to a 'town popular with young people'?... A university professor explains the 'secret to V-shaped recovery'", PRESIDENT Online, 2026/03/02

● Sponsor

NewValueCreation Inc. 'Value to possibilities, creation to the future.' An on-site implementation-type management support company that focuses not only on strategy but also on 'execution' and 'people.' We leverage what is 'already there' in your company and provide hands-on support until brand building and business restructuring—which are supported by customers—take shape.