The Boston Consulting Group recently conducted a research project on Chinese nationalism and brand preference (I couldn't find the report on their site yet). They found that over 80% of Chinese consumers think that Pantene and Colgate are Chinese brands. 27% think that even Coke and Pepsi are Chinese brands. I guess this would be related to the products' packaging. In Japan, Coke uses their regular logo with English lettering. But in China, they have a special logo with Chinese characters. Here is a photo of a Chinese brand cola (left) and Chinese Coca Cola (right). This is the Japanese brand Calbee's potato chips. They write the word 'BBQ' in English.
Nikon has a Small World Photomicrography Competition every year. You can see the archives on this page. Last May, they held the 34th competition and the winners will be announced on October 15th. You can see the candidates and vote for your favorite on this page. Wow, what a great world.
Today, we saw this headline: Nikkei falls 4.1 pct on U.S. bailout rejection. My company shares elevators with Lehman Brothers Japan. I often hear their conversations: 'Will we be paid our salary this month?' and 'I couldn't sleep last night' and so on. Lehman and the company I am working for are in Roppongi Hills. Recently, people said that Roppongi Hills is cursed.
The building was opened only 5 years ago in 2003. But in 2004, a boy died because of a revolving door and in 2003, a dead baby was found in the garbage. The worst part is that the principal tenant companies are always in trouble. Livedoor, Goodwill, Cyber agent, and USEN, were all new companies (except for USEN) that enjoyed robust growth, but once they became a tenant of Roppongi Hills, they would begin to have troubles (the executive head of Livedoor was arrested, the CEO of Goodwill was fired, etc.) and they had to leave Roppongi Hills. This time, Lehman Brothers is the one in trouble.
Some people found that Roppongi Hills' address is 'Roppongi (6th trees) 6 street, Roppongi Hills (6th trees Hills)'. You know this means '666'. And from the Tameike Sanno station, the No.13 exit is the fastest way to Roppongi Hills. The building itself looks like a big, tall grave marker and the revolving door looks like a gate into another world. I think whoever found these coincidences did a good job.
As a person who works in Roppongi Hills everyday, I must tell you it's not so great. Actually I can't like that place at all (though this doesn't mean that everything is expensive or that restaurants are always busy). I just feel that there is something wrong there (trust me!!). Also, I must tell you one more thing. In Roppongi Hills, there is a small Japanese garden called Mori Garden. The owner of Roppingi Hills ( Mori building ) left the garden in fact and didn't build anything in that area on purpose. Because it was the place where the Forty-seven Ronin (Akoroushi of the famous story Chushin gura) committed Harakiri. Yes, here is a new urban legend!
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Posted by: authenticjerseys | Friday, April 15, 2011 at 12:12 AM
I actually really liked Roppongi Hills the last time my wife and I went to Tokyo :)
We went to the aquarium, the art museum and the sky lobby. The art museum was having an exhibit by Le Corbusier, if I remember right.
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Roppongi hills represents excessiveness in its purest form, and companies that take up the office space there are simply reflecting their deeply embedded policies of greed. Business, for them,
Posted by: iphone clone | Monday, May 17, 2010 at 11:03 AM
My advice is to get away from roppongi hills,the vibe there is so bad,and many bad things have happened there...The bar downstairs HEARTLAND has had some strange stories of people going missing after drinking there..I lived there for awhile and got cold chills everytime i pass that building.
Posted by: jacob | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 04:50 PM
Roppongi hills represents excessiveness in its purest form, and companies that take up the office space there are simply reflecting their deeply embedded policies of greed. Business, for them, has become a luxury, and financial doom was just lurking around the corner waiting to trip them up.
More modest firms that take up cheaper office space are displaying logical business-sense.
This issue is about wanton expenses, not imaginary demons.
Posted by: Alex | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 12:43 PM
There are old graveyards everywhere around Tokyo, and not to mention the thousands who died in fires and wars in central Tokyo. Along that line of reasoning, everywhere in Tokyo is cursed.
Only like 6 companies went bust in Roppongi Hills in the last 5 years. That's not a large percentage.
We're also in Japan, hence 666 and 13 doesn't work.
Posted by: klimmer | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Is the Roppongi area cursed, or perhaps do some companies who set up office there curse themselves?
I have worked for a few companies who overreached themselves. They thought themselves more successful than they actually were, and rented office space that was much too expensive. Of course high rent wouldn't affect a huge company like Lehman, but it might be a sign of hubris.
I think perhaps that companies, like people, need to be humble and introspective.
Posted by: bshock | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 08:08 AM
I actually really liked Roppongi Hills the last time my wife and I went to Tokyo :)
We went to the aquarium, the art museum and the sky lobby. The art museum was having an exhibit by Le Corbusier, if I remember right.
I've heard the stories of it being cursed but I didn't feel anything. I think it is a little strangely designed, but I like that. At one point, we found ourselves lost in this winding corridor under the complex that felt like a dungeon. But I thought it was cool! I guess I'm just that kind of person. I might not like working there, though; too crowded.
Posted by: Jeff | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 02:55 AM
Here's the BCG article. It's a 2MB pdf
http://www.bcg.com/impact_expertise/publications/files/Foreign_or_Local_Brands_China_Jun_2008.pdf
Posted by: Taki | Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 10:34 PM