Valentines’ day is one of the most “commercially successful” holidays in Asian countries such as Japan and Korea. According to Wikipedia, this holiday was first introduced in Japan in 1936 when a company ran an advertisement aimed at foreigners.
Later in 1953, it began promoting the giving of heart-shaped chocolates; other Japanese confectionery companies followed suit thereafter. In 1958, the Isetan department store ran a “Valentine sale”. Further campaigns during the 1960s popularized the custom. The custom that only women give chocolates to men may have originated from the translation error of a chocolate-company executive during the initial campaigns. In particular, office ladies give chocolate to their co-workers. Unlike western countries, gifts such as greeting cards, candies, flowers, or dinner dates are uncommon, and most of the activity about the gifts is about giving the right amount of chocolate to each person. Japanese chocolate companies make half their annual sales during this time of the year.
Nowadays, many students around me complain expensive, poor-quality chocolates. However, some want to take this opportunity to express their feelings to others and make their own chocolates. Certainly, very few succeed in creating “the only” chocolate for their friends, colleagues, or significant others.
Recently, I met a clever solution at a Japanese department store: a do-it-yourself kit for chocolate. This is probably the best solution for those who do not want to waste money on buying ready-made chocolates but want to voluntarily invest an adequate amount of effort to create only one.
We used a combination of qualitative research and CET to understand why consumers participate in creative activities and the conditions under which they enjoy these experiences… Respondents consistently noted a motivation for personal accomplishment, which was achieved by satisfying the needs of both autonomy and competence… Importantly, this study also provides insight into the influence of external constraints (e.g., target outcomes, instructions) on consumers’ creative experiences. Indeed, the pros and cons of these creative products (e.g., kits, models, patterns, recipes) highlight the tension between consumers’ desire for instructional guidance and their need for individualism. Hobbyists value the feeling of competence that creative products provide, and they create their own strategies to overcome the constraints that such products impose on both the creative process and the outcome. (Dahl and Moreau 2007, pg. 367)
Who knows? We may see a lot of chocolate-only chefs in the near future who do not follow given instructions but use their own ingredients to develop new chocolates!
From cooking kits to home improvement shows, consumers are increasingly seeking out products that are designed to help them be creative. In this research, the authors examine why consumers participate in creative activities and under what conditions these experiences are the most enjoyable. A qualitative study explores the diverse motivations for undertaking creative tasks and identifies the role of constraints in such endeavors. Then, the authors conduct two experimental studies to understand the importance of constraints (e.g., instructional guidance, target outcomes) in facilitating a balance between perceived competence and autonomy for consumers involved in a creative task. When consumers engage in creative activities with a sense of both autonomy and competence, they enjoy the experience more. The authors discuss implications for managers and provide opportunities for further research.
One thought on “Do-It-Yourself chocolate kit for Valentine’s day”
This post introduces a DIY kit as a good solution for those who don’t want to buy expensive, low-quality chocolate for Valentine’s Day, or who have a hard time making their own “the only” chocolate. With the kit, anyone can create their own chocolate with an adequate amount of effort.
The author emphasizes the positive effects of the DIY kit by mentioning “Why Consumers Enjoy Constrained Creative Experiences”. It also explains that the reason is that personal achievements can be achieved by meeting the needs of autonomy and competence. I agree with this. And I would like to introduce the “one-day class” as an example that best explains this.
In recent years, the popularity of the “one-day class” has increased rapidly. The dozens of perfume workshops that currently exist in Seoul are proof of that. You can create couple items together for the anniversary, or you can create your own special item here. I’ve experienced a variety of one-day classes. Perfumes, wallets, cakes, necklaces, bowls, pickled wine, and so on.
The most memorable one-day class is “ffroi Leather Workshop.” I chose two colors of leather that I wanted and sewed them myself to make a card wallet. Most samples had the two colors combined. But I like “the simplicity”, so I chose all black. Then, I made a point with the color of the thread. I just showed my creativity! Sewing was not easy, but I was able to make the wallet under the guidance of the teacher. After engraving my name, my one and only wallet in the world was finally completed. The sewing of the wallet was not perfect, but the sense of accomplishment I felt was huge. Sometimes this sense of accomplishment makes the product look more complete. The one-day class illustrates “the constrained creative experiences” well. The finished samples, the teacher’s minimal intervention, and the rest are all my creative and free choices. In the process, I felt “creativity”, “autonomy”, and “achievement”.
The one-day class was held in the showroom. But it wasn’t just a space to display products. They provided an experience for me to immerse myself in the brand. After that, my friend and I, who made our wallet together, also purchased ffroi’s other products. It led to the purchase of the product because it created a good experience for customers. Eventually, I came to love this brand so much that I mentioned “ffroi” as my favorite brand in the self-introduction of our class.
Remember that? At the beginning of the NPD class, we learned the importance of customer perspective and the effectiveness of pop-up stores. Pop-up stores are spaces for direct interaction and communication with consumers, which are impossible online. In other words, it is an attractive and enjoyable space for consumers, not sellers. However, many brands have overlooked this in recent times. There are so many meaningless one-time pop-up stores that are created indiscriminately. It’s just a nicely decorated off-line sales space.
There are several reasons why one-day classes are popular, other than “personal accomplishment.” It could be the reasonable cost, the time to focus on my work, the authenticity of handmade, or the memories of love. I think the popularity of the one-day class will continue in the future. So I suggest that companies provide customers with a one-day class experience space where they can understand the brand in depth. If companies offer more three-dimensional experiences, customers will fall in love with the brand.
This post introduces a DIY kit as a good solution for those who don’t want to buy expensive, low-quality chocolate for Valentine’s Day, or who have a hard time making their own “the only” chocolate. With the kit, anyone can create their own chocolate with an adequate amount of effort.
The author emphasizes the positive effects of the DIY kit by mentioning “Why Consumers Enjoy Constrained Creative Experiences”. It also explains that the reason is that personal achievements can be achieved by meeting the needs of autonomy and competence. I agree with this. And I would like to introduce the “one-day class” as an example that best explains this.
In recent years, the popularity of the “one-day class” has increased rapidly. The dozens of perfume workshops that currently exist in Seoul are proof of that. You can create couple items together for the anniversary, or you can create your own special item here. I’ve experienced a variety of one-day classes. Perfumes, wallets, cakes, necklaces, bowls, pickled wine, and so on.
The most memorable one-day class is “ffroi Leather Workshop.” I chose two colors of leather that I wanted and sewed them myself to make a card wallet. Most samples had the two colors combined. But I like “the simplicity”, so I chose all black. Then, I made a point with the color of the thread. I just showed my creativity! Sewing was not easy, but I was able to make the wallet under the guidance of the teacher. After engraving my name, my one and only wallet in the world was finally completed. The sewing of the wallet was not perfect, but the sense of accomplishment I felt was huge. Sometimes this sense of accomplishment makes the product look more complete. The one-day class illustrates “the constrained creative experiences” well. The finished samples, the teacher’s minimal intervention, and the rest are all my creative and free choices. In the process, I felt “creativity”, “autonomy”, and “achievement”.
The one-day class was held in the showroom. But it wasn’t just a space to display products. They provided an experience for me to immerse myself in the brand. After that, my friend and I, who made our wallet together, also purchased ffroi’s other products. It led to the purchase of the product because it created a good experience for customers. Eventually, I came to love this brand so much that I mentioned “ffroi” as my favorite brand in the self-introduction of our class.
Remember that? At the beginning of the NPD class, we learned the importance of customer perspective and the effectiveness of pop-up stores. Pop-up stores are spaces for direct interaction and communication with consumers, which are impossible online. In other words, it is an attractive and enjoyable space for consumers, not sellers. However, many brands have overlooked this in recent times. There are so many meaningless one-time pop-up stores that are created indiscriminately. It’s just a nicely decorated off-line sales space.
There are several reasons why one-day classes are popular, other than “personal accomplishment.” It could be the reasonable cost, the time to focus on my work, the authenticity of handmade, or the memories of love. I think the popularity of the one-day class will continue in the future. So I suggest that companies provide customers with a one-day class experience space where they can understand the brand in depth. If companies offer more three-dimensional experiences, customers will fall in love with the brand.