KOREASCHOLAR

This study samples the content of posts of display-related information posted on social networking services to clarify the in-store display requirements that influence the strength of response by SNS users. The data was found using the submission history of “Minrepo,” a social networking service used for marketing research by DOCOMO Insight Marketing, Inc. In this analysis, we presented the theme “please show us displays you thought were interesting on streets or in shop windows,” and gathered posts relating to this subject in content. The theme was presented for two weeks in June and July 2015 respectively, with 91 posts gathered. These explanatory variables, which were related to the format of the comment and the photographic content (display theme), and acquisition number of “likes” were clarified using a regression model of explained variables, which in this case was Poisson regression modeling (de Vries, Gensler, & Leeflang, 2012) assuming distribution of Poisson. As a result of the analysis, the following were established as comments that easily elicited a sympathetic response and are exhibit requirements of the displays: (1) In terms of comment format, “attaching lots of photographs,” “including exclamation marks,” and “including a mixture of both negative and positive comments” easily elicited a sympathetic response from the reader, (2) in terms of the content of attached photographs, exhibits with the keywords “season,” “mass display,” “fresh foods,” “character,” “sweets,” “variety,” and “local foods” similarly gained a sympathetic response, while (3) on the other hand, the standard shelving and mass display just of packaged foods as well as specialized exhibits of particular products were not popular. These findings suggest the following two points: (1) it is possible that pre-existing forms of special displays (the mass display of specific products) will not suffice to make a product more than something that is just bought and into a topic of news, (2) while it is obvious for most retailers selling packaged foods, manufacturers and wholesalers offering products and supporting exhibits within stores, should also try to make instore displays that takes the above mentioned contents into account.

• Takashi Teramoto(Yokohama National University, Japan)