Marketing Seed 120: Modification for Selling (Part 3)

Close-up of the faces of two young people lying in opposite directions. A black and white photo with strong, impressive gazes.

Part 3: “Modification” Can Be a Trigger for Re-evaluation of the Original

A work that has been modified for the masses once may later regain the depth of the original. This is a movement that can be called a “re-evaluation phase” that occurs after the work is widely recognized and established as a brand.

  • Moomin: After becoming familiar through anime and merchandise expansion, the philosophical worldview of the original novels began to attract attention again.

  • Kitaro: After the anime series became established, the original Hakaba Kitaro was re-evaluated and republished as “Kitaro for Adults.” →Reference Article: ”Hakaba Kitaro”Fandom Site 

  • Devilman: In 2018, Netflix’s Devilman Crybaby faithfully visualized the violence and human karma depicted in the original, becoming a hot topic both domestically and internationally. →Reference Article: Wikipeeida ”Devilman Crybaby” 

In other words, succeeding commercially first and expanding the “field” created the foundation for re-evaluating the value of the original.

🌱 This is a phenomenon that can be called a “dual structure of the brand,” and it is a point that should be noted very carefully in marketing.

📌 Modification not only causes the loss of the original’s significance but can also create an opportunity to “pick it up later.”

(To be continued) From the Marketing Seed Series: How about this article? →Seeds of Marketing 30: Briefing for Agencies (1) – Challenges Stemming from Insufficient Information Sharing