The Significance of Meaning
vol.1744
Recently, I have had more opportunities to use generative AI for brainstorming, but there is a phrase that people often say to me that I have yet to hear from an AI.
That phrase is
“What is the point of that?”
.
Questioning the meaning.
When we rethink this, the significance that meaning brings to people becomes clear.
For example, consumption.
People only “find meaning in it for themselves” before they decide to make a purchase.
That is precisely why the value of a product is often not uniform for everyone.
If I were to receive a Shohei Ohtani autographed home run ball, I would be so happy I might faint, but to someone with no interest in baseball, they might think it is just a used ball... (sweat)
Next is work.
If I were to ask an employee to do a task with an ambiguous purpose, I would undoubtedly be
“What is the point of that?”
confronted with that question...😅
People will not take action if they think there is no meaning.
Conversely, if there is a clear meaning, people will feel their hearts stir even if they believe the path is a steep one and take action.
A can manufacturer that manufactures "meaning"
That is precisely why companies work so hard to define their purpose and mission.
As one such company, I have recently taken note of Sobajima Seikan, a can manufacturer founded in 1906.
〈Forbes JAPAN / June 11, 2026〉
First of all, the can market is facing tough domestic sales, partly because gift demand for things like mid-year gifts and year-end gifts is declining.
What often happens in industries and companies that are in such a downward trend is internal discord...
Even back in 2020, when Takaya Ishikawa of the company took office as president, there was distrust among employees, he-said-she-said conflicts, and a heavy atmosphere on the floor...
So, first, Mr. Ishikawa spent one yearwith his employees creating a mission—vision—values.
The vision they established was
“Let’s become people who are entrusted with treasures.”
Sobajima Seikan describes cans on its official website as “vessels that hold people’s thoughts and feelings.”
A customer’s product,someone’s mementos—it is a company that holds various thoughts and feelings packed inside a can.
That is how they defined their company.
This phrase transformed the can from a mere container into a product that holds trust.
Furthermore, the company introduced a 2023 self-declared compensation system.
Rather than evaluating past performance, this is a mechanism for investing in the future by having employees declare their own roles and compensation.
In other words, moving away from days of working aimlessly, they give meaning to what they will achieve through their work from here on out.
That is what Mr. Ishikawa asked of his employees.
On top of that, he eliminated instructions and orders, decision-making, approval processes, and job titles, building an organization where each employee makes decisions autonomously.
Aiming to be a company that creates inspiration
Furthermore, Mr. Ishikawa is currently running a 120th anniversary project to publish the company's history as a book through crowdfunding.
〈MotionGallery / Website〉
519 backers, 4,971,720 yen in total support have been raised, far exceeding the target amount of 2 million yen.
(As of 10:00 AM on June 10)
Furthermore, they have set a goal of "reaching 1,000 people", and are taking on a stretch goal of 10 million yen and 1,000 supporters.
(Scheduled to end at 11:59 PM on June 30, 2026)
Usually, company histories are "internal records" distributed to employees and business partners.
However, what Sobajima Seikan has created is a company history that doesn't look like a company history.
● Photos taken at the can manufacturing site
● Interviews with employees who have been making cans for over 70 years
● Can design concepts developed with graphic designer Kenya Hara
● Tanka poems by poet Machi Tawara
It is structured as a visual book that incorporates these elements.
And this is not just a crowdfunding success.
The significance lies in the fact that a long-standing local small-to-medium enterprise is attempting to transform its own history into "marketable cultural capital".
As these books spread throughout the world, they serve as branding for the company, but branding naturally also communicates that value to the company's own employees.
Recently, an article featured the branding case study of Yamaha Motor in the Indian market, and the company has a "Kando Creating Company" corporate philosophy.
〈Response. / June 12, 2026〉
Rather than simply selling products, they want to be a company that continues to create value that makes people's lives around the world more enjoyable and more enriched, while cherishing a spirit of challenge and originality.
Such sentiments create a sense of purpose for employees, which is the company's strength.
Creating Meaning and Sparking Resonance
This emotional impact has also become a very important keyword for the Retail Association’s Consumer Committee, where I serve as a coordinator.
As we transition into an era where AI handles customer service, the question arises: Is there any meaning in humans providing customer service?
In response, retail companies are aiming to provide value that exceeds expectations, striving to deliver more emotional impact than ever before.
In the world of marketing, we often say, don't just stop at empathy, but let's spark resonance.
Empathy is sharing emotions and sensations, while resonance is when the recipient is moved to take action.
In other words, it is not enough for customers to simply empathize by saying "I understand" or "That's great"; it is about what lies one step beyond that
"I want to help realize that future too"
"I want to tell someone about this"
"I want to support this company"
and creating resonance that moves the heart is what matters.
To achieve this, it is crucial to consider how to leave heart-stirring, moving memories in the customer's mind.
To create such emotional impact, we must understand the hearts of as many people as possible and gain deeper insight into those hearts.
By building up such efforts, we will become more meaningful products and services that can provide meaningful companies.
We are entering an era where companies and business professionals who can create more meaning are in demand.
With that in mind, I would also like to continue working hard every day as a marketer 🫡
By the way, as a supplement regarding the can market for Sobajima Seikan, it is said that from a global perspective, it is not necessarily a declining industry.
In fact, it seems to be sustainable materials, preservability, and recyclability context, it is being re-evaluated 😊
I look forward to the company's continued success~
Thank you very much for reading until the end today!