What will be trending in 2018? We held “Poached Egg,” where our members share the trends they’re curious about!

Hello! I’m Kawamura, in charge of communications for “Poached Egg”!

“Poached Egg” is a casual morning meeting where volunteer members from different departments and age groups get together to introduce and share anything—from recent news and trends to buzzworthy PR/promotions and personal interests.

Let’s dive right in—here’s what we brought to the table this time!

An unprecedented shokupan boom! A theatrical-style shokupan specialty shop opens in Minami-Aoyama

https://www.google.co.jp/amp/s/www.gnavi.co.jp/dressing/amp/trend/21243/
Image source: “dressing”

Recently, the shokupan (Japanese milk bread) boom has continued, with specialty shops opening one after another, focusing on ingredients and baking methods. One of them is “VIKING BAKERY F Minami-Aoyama,” which opened in Minami-Aoyama! What makes this shop unique is its theater-like design. It features a fully glass-fronted window that lets passersby watch the bread-making process and see the freshly baked loaves lined up beautifully. The most popular item is the “Plain (¥800),” crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside—said to fill your mouth with rich flavor after just one bite. There’s also “Flavor Petit (from ¥410),” available in seven varieties so you can enjoy different flavors. All of these were developed through trial and error at a laboratory in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa before the shop opened in Minami-Aoyama, and those are the flavors sold here. In-store, you can sample all varieties, and petit sizes are also available—so why not find your favorite? They also sell coffee brewed one cup at a time using a siphon, so you can enjoy freshly baked shokupan with coffee in the shop.

A mysterious toy that twists and tangles around your fingers—“Tangle” is slowly catching on in Japan!?

http://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/nl/spv/1712/20/news130.html
Image source: “Netorabo”

It’s still fresh in our minds how the “hand spinner,” a toy you simply spin with your fingers, became a hot topic—but the next mysterious toy that’s gradually gaining popularity is called “Tangle.” In fact, it’s already a massive hit worldwide, with a cumulative total of 150 million units sold. Made only of pipe-like parts bent at 90 degrees, it offers an unusual tactile sensation that you get by pulling, twisting, and moving it freely—said to be addictive. Experts have also reported that it may help reduce irritation and stress. In an age when we reach for our smartphones whenever we have a spare moment, why not try touching a Tangle instead to relieve stress?

The “Mynavi Internship Award,” chosen by students, to be held for the first time!

https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20171211-555243/
Image source: “Mynavi News”

With students’ job-hunting schedules becoming shorter in recent years, how to achieve highly accurate matching between students and companies in a limited time has become a societal challenge. Internships are one initiative implemented to address this. However, not only is the burden on host companies significant, but how to run programs that effectively promote matching is also an issue. That’s why a new event is being launched: the “Mynavi Internship Award, chosen by students.” By directly hearing opinions and feedback from students who actually participated in internships, they will select award-winning companies through a screening process that reflects students’ voices to the fullest. With this award, we may see many more unique internships emerge! The results are expected to be announced at the “Internship Conference (tentative name)” to be held on May 14, 2018. Stay tuned!

Asia’s No. 1 Taiwan-born smartphone live-streaming service “17LIVE” begins full-scale expansion in Japan!

https://techwave.jp/archives/17live-enters-in-japan.html
Image source: “TechWave”

“17LIVE,” an app from Taiwan that makes it easy to live-stream from your smartphone, officially launched in Japan in August 2017. In this app, viewers can not only send likes and comments to streamers, but also support them by sending in-app virtual currency called “gifts” (tipping). The more fans a streamer gains, the more they can earn through streaming. Streamers are called “LIVER,” and it’s astonishing to hear that some top LIVER in Taiwan reportedly earn as much as ¥100 million per month! In Japan, it’s already known as “Ichinana,” and many live streams are broadcast every day, especially among young women. Watching is free, but as you watch LIVER with various talents, you may find yourself wanting to send gifts before you know it.

[Bonus] Looking back at PR in 2017…FY2017 “PR Award Grand Prix”: Yahoo’s advertisement wins the Grand Prix!

https://www.advertimes.com/20171206/article262691
Image source: “AdverTimes”

The judging for the FY2017 “PR Award Grand Prix” was held at the end of last year, and Yahoo’s advertisement “Exactly This Height.”—displayed on the wall of the Sony Building in Ginza with the theme of the earthquake disaster—won the Grand Prix. This wall advertisement was posted from March 6 to 12, 2017, six years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and it recreated the height of the tsunami that actually reached Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture: 16.7 meters (equivalent to the 4th–5th floors of the building). How high would it be if the same tsunami struck Ginza? It is a powerful, message-driven advertisement that allowed people to feel, in the middle of the city, the terror of the tsunami that could not be felt in a major metropolis at the time—deeply resonating with many. For those who could not see it, we hope it will be displayed again!

That’s all.
This time, some more serious topics also came up, and it turned into a lively discussion from the morning!

Please look forward to the next one as well!!