Häagen-Dazs in Japan: leading brand renewal

Purpose – After years of financial success with consumers in Japan, the Häagen-Dazs brand suffered accelerating sales declines. This case study presents the three significant reasons and the solutions developed to successfully reinvent the brand. Design/methodology/approach – The key to this challenge was the vision and strength of the leader who was tasked with the turnaround and the case looks at his problem assessment, insights and solutions. Findings – Even a strong and popular brand needs good leadership to retain its position in the marketplace. Practical implications – As your market evolves you need to reinvent your brand constantly, but that does not mean churning the product. In Japan, product churn is an occupational hazard of consumer marketing and, as in this case, resisting such a tendency was the best strategy. Originality/value – This case shows that it takes leadership qualities to get innovative strategic initiatives past the marketing gatekeepers who are best at monitoring the status quo but not quick to sense the need for change.