JETRO
Japan External
Trade Organization
New York
Business Location
Japan (Chugoku Region: Hiroshima, Shimane, Tottori, Okayama, Yamaguchi) / NY, USA
Industry
Lifestyle
Development Area
Products Feedback
Market & Design Research
Impact
Supporting regional economic revitalization and contributing to Japanese craftsmanship through global business expansion, while nurturing the next generation of global creative talent
Contact
WHAT WE
CO:DESIGNED
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Collaborative workshop: “CO:DESIGN WORKSHOP PARSONS × JAPAN – Co-Creating the Future of Japanese Craft & Lifestyle for the U.S. Market,” with Master’s students at Parsons School of Design
Service Outcome
HOW WE
CO:DESIGNED
Methods
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Designed a collaborative hybrid style workshop in partnership with Masters in Strategic Design and Management students at Parsons School of Design to help Japanese craft companies business expansion into the US market.
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Facilitated student teams in marketing and design research, guiding them in identifying target audiences, conducting interviews, gathering product feedback, and developing branding strategies. Led weekly check-ins, peer feedback sessions, and a two-day workshop series to deliver strategic recommendations for Japanese companies expanding into the U.S. market.
PROJECT
CO:DESIGN WORKSHOP PARSONS × JAPAN
– Co-Creating the Future of Japanese Craft & Lifestyle for the U.S. Market
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This project aims to support Japanese craft and lifestyle product businesses in improving their offerings for the U.S. market through collaboration with innovative and highly creative graduate students from Parsons School of Design, one of the top design schools in the U.S. The initiative focuses on providing feedback, branding, and marketing strategy development to help these companies succeed in the U.S.
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Specifically, the project partners with 17 students from the Master of Science in Strategic Design and Management (MS SDM) program, which specializes in design methodologies for innovation and problem-solving. Together, they conduct a series of workshops centered on research and strategic proposals for entering the U.S. market.
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Five Japanese companies, one from each prefecture in the Chugoku region, participated in the program. Each company collaborated closely with a student team throughout the project.
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The workshops were held twice, at the end of January and February, in a hybrid format that included participation from both students and company representatives. Between the workshops, student teams conducted independent research and developed proposals for product improvement and U.S. market entry strategies.
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At the final presentation, buyers who actively work with Japanese products in the U.S. market are invited as guest participants. By creating opportunities for direct feedback, the project aims to develop more practical and effective strategies for market expansion and distribution.
ABOUT
The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) is a government-affiliated entity dedicated to promoting mutual trade and investment between Japan and countries worldwide. Established in 1958 to boost Japanese exports, JETRO’s mission has evolved in the 21st century to focus on attracting foreign direct investment into Japan and supporting small to medium-sized Japanese enterprises in expanding their global export capabilities.
JETRO New York, in collaboration with JETRO Shimane, Tottori, Okayama, Yamaguchi, and Hiroshima, implemented the “Craftsmanship: Overseas Market Development Support Project for Products from the Chugoku Region (Lifestyle Products)” targeting businesses in the craft and lifestyle sectors across the Chugoku region of Japan.
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The project aimed to support the development of branding and marketing strategies for entry into the U.S. market, as well as product improvement. In addition, by co-creating with younger generations in the U.S., the initiative sought to bring fresh ideas and perspectives to Japanese companies and further accelerate their global expansion.
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In response to these needs, our company partnered with JETRO New York to design and facilitate a collaborative workshop with a professor and students from the Strategic Design and Management master’s program at Parsons School of Design.
SDGS
United Nations Sustainability Development Goals
JETRO is supporting the following three UN Sustainability Goals. By working with the company we aim to increase the overall impact of their products on the people and planet.
