— and no way to talk about it.
Kirin Ichiban
— Quiet beer in a loud market.
Culture.
Precision.
Arrival.
Role
Lead Brand Strategist
Sector
FMCG Premium Beverages (Beer)
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
With small imports sold in specialist stores, Kirin Ichiban had near-zero recognition in Brazil, home to the largest Japanese diaspora. About to start national production, Kirin’s flagship beer positioning, rooted in Japanese restraint and superior craft, faced a market ruled by loud, emotional, status-driven brands. And with a lean budget and only a soft launch planned, the risk wasn’t rejection — it was invisibility.
Solution
- Led cultural immersion and market signal analysis across Brazil’s premium beer landscape
- Mapped key gaps between Japanese brand DNA and local consumer expectations
- Benchmarked competition and culturally fitting organisations and events
- Developed a strategic posture for the brand: deliberate, precise, and premium without mimicry
- Mapped distribution channels and regional focus
- Set premises and targets for positioning, innovation, presence and execution
- Built messaging frameworks, key visuals, trade activations, and content strategies
- Designed retail and event tactics aligned with the “quiet confidence” narrative
Results
- Successful market entry with strong early traction and no dilution of brand identity
- Full adoption of strategic narrative across sales, marketing, and retail partners
- Improved internal team alignment and external communication clarity
- Brand positioned as premium by distinction, not by noise
The brand didn’t just arrive.
— it settled with purpose.
Board of Directors
Brasil Kirin
