Social marketing: “Safety campaign for young children when enjoying Pokemon Go”

1. Social marketing: “Safety
campaign for young children when
enjoying Pokemon Go”
1

2. Executive summary
National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC)
is responsible for the new safety campaign for young children in Japan when
playing Pokemon Go. It aims at children from 4 to 14 years old and relates
their parents. Actual products include a message, a mobile app, which is
attached with the game when being downloaded, and various warning signals
in dangerous areas. Price is free to the gamers, but charged to game
operators. Distribution is flexible, including, social media, television and
banners for message, mobile app and at dangerous areas for warning signals.
Promotional channels are similar to these distributions. NISC uses both
advertisement and public relation. Additionally, messages focus on
persuasion.
2

3. Table of content
Executive summary .......................................................................................... 2
1. The chosen organization .............................................................................. 4
2. Campaign focus ........................................................................................... 4
3. SWOT analysis ............................................................................................ 5
4. An appropriate target market ....................................................................... 5
5. Objectives .................................................................................................... 6
6. 4Ps ............................................................................................................... 7
6.1 Product ................................................................................................... 7
6.2 Price ....................................................................................................... 8
6.3 Place ...................................................................................................... 8
6.4 Promotion ............................................................................................... 8
7. Attention-grabbing message ........................................................................ 9
8. Evaluation .................................................................................................... 9
9. Conclusion ................................................................................................. 10
References .................................................................................................... 11
3

4. 1. The chosen organization
Japanese Government organization, specifically National Center of Incident
Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC) is chosen to host this social
marketing campaign. Instead of not-for-profit organization and general
business, Government organization is appreciated because of three reasons.
The first one is its “authority and sufficient resources” to affect a wide
community and officially launch the campaign (Hare, 2013, p.8). The second
reason is its most suitability to deal with a public issue, for example, public
health (Lang and Rayner, 2010). Safety campaign is a type of public health
concern. Hence, it should be fairly and officially undertaken by the
Government. Moreover, it is more persuasive to take advantage of
Government message in guiding and changing public’s view (Raftopoulou and
Hogg, 2010). Even, when the campaign is released by the Government, the
message could become a kind of standard rule and reveal the close
relationship between state and citizens (Raftopoulou and Hogg, 2010; Collier,
2015). Specifically, one of NISC’s purposes is safety standard and guideline
for the local residents (NISC, 2007). Therefore, the selection of NISC is
suitable, feasible and effective.
2. Campaign focus
Campaign focuses on safety of young children when playing Pokemon Go in
Japan. It is an urgent action from Japanese Government because the rapid
increase in Pokemon Go gamers has increased safety risks for people, for
example, drivers and pedestrians (Ayers et al., 2016), and young children
(Tateno et al., 2016). Despite significant contribution of this game to children’s
physical activity (Althoff et al., 2016), there is a high opportunity of injury risks
for children (Sharma and Vassiliou, 2016).
Previously, NISC launched “Message for Pokémon trainers” with nine points
and posted this campaign on their official Twitter and Line before this game’s
release as game guidelines (Tan, 2016). These suggestions are not much
effective because after Pokemon Go is released in Japan, various injuries are
identified, especially young children, for instance, being crushed by a car,
falling into a pond or being beaten by a snake (Malicay, 2016). Hence, the
4

5. new campaign is recommended to directly warn young children via a mobile
app and associated warning signs.
3. SWOT analysis
In implementing the campaign, it is necessary for NISC to recognize fully its
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Hence, SWOT analysis is
taken into account to describe the current position of NISC or the starting
point to deal with safety campaign for young children when playing Pokemon
Go. It is presented in Table 1.
Strengths Weaknesses

High capability: authority and resource o Perceived to be not
to launch the campaign (Hare, 2013) attractive enough

High accessibility: to affect Japanese (Hare, 2013)
young children (Hare, 2013) o Cause scare rather

High enforcement (Raftopoulou and than persuasion
Hogg, 2010) (Collier, 2015)
Opportunities Threats
NISC focuses on information o High cost to create
Technology, hence, it is a beneficial mobile app and build
chance to create an effective mobile warning signs
app (NISC, 2007). o Unawareness of
As a Government organization, mobile young children about
app can be sent to Pokemon Go mobile app and
gamers freely (Lang and Rayner, 2010). warning signs.
High number of followers via its social
media accounts (Tan, 2016)
Table 1: SWOT analysis of NISC in issuing this campaign
4. An appropriate target market
As introduced above, target market of this campaign includes Japanese
young children from 4 to 14 years old because of three reasons. Firstly,
Pokemon is a type of Japanese culture, which is very familiar to and attractive
5

6. for children and the youth here (Allison, 2003). It is popular for children at all
ages, from 4 to 14 years old. Secondly, they are the dominant gamers of
Pokemon Go, for instance, more than 50% of total downloaders are Millennial
(Figure 1).
Source: Dogtiev, 2016
Figure 1: Percentages of Pokemon Go buyers by generations
Moreover, young children are less aware of dangers than adults, hence, they
need more supports from parents and the Government to protect their safety
when playing this game. Japan highly appreciates McDonald via its more than
2,500 stores to target young children (Nakamura and Amano, 2016).
Therefore, accessing these audiences is suitable and necessary to touch the
popular gamers and persuade other adults as their parents.
5. Objectives

To reach at least 80% of awareness of young children in Japan about
dangers in playing Pokemon Go



To gain 100% of prevention of young children from dangerous areas
when playing Pokemon Go

6

7. 
To reduce injuries and accidents for young children when playing
Pokemon Go by 50%




6. 4Ps
4Ps model includes Product, Price, Place and Promotion to describe sufficient
elements of a marketing campaign and to influence an individual’s behaviour
(Satit et al., 2012).
6.1 Product
Firstly, product is designed as the market offering. Three levels are
concerned, including, core, actual and augmented product (Kottler and
Armstrong, 2013). It is described as below.
» Core product: Safety for young children when enjoying Pokemon Go.
» Actual products:
 Message: “Keep your children safe from dangerous areas when
playing Pokemon Go”

 Mobile app: designed by NISC and offered freely in association
with Pokemon Go app. This strategy reduces the second threat
in Table 2 because regardless of awareness or not of children
toward this campaign, the mobile app is still downloaded when
they buy this game. This app balances virtual scene from this
game (such as the existence of Pokemon) and realistic
surroundings (such as rivers, banned areas, streets and other
dangerous locations). It does not affect gamers and only
happens when a Pokemon appears inside the dangerous areas.
At that time, the Alarm System rings and the Pokemon is
suggested to move to another location, which is safer.

 Warning signals: on streets, railways and other dangerous
areas. Since young children may not always understand written
meanings, attractive images are created via cartoon characters
such as Mickey, Donald ducks. Colours, lights and cartoon-like
pictures increase the attractiveness of these warning signals
and reduce the first weakness of NISC in Table 1.
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8. » Augmented product: no further additions or improvements are
dependent on real outcomes of actual products.
6.2 Price
Secondly, price is mentioned as the cost of behaviour change. From product
analysis, NISC creates a significant behaviour change for both young children
and their parents when playing Pokemon Go, focusing on the prevention from
dangerous areas. Actually, benefits of this change are invaluable because
they deal with health issue and safety issue for Japanese people
Nevertheless, all marketing offers are public asset and free to gamers. But,
mobile app is required to be bought by this game operator. Price is equivalent
to cost of mobile app. This cost-transferring strategy helps Japanese
Government reduce the first threat of high cost in creating mobile app and
warning signals (Table 1). Besides mobile app, the construction of warning
signals and other marketing activities such as advertisements and public
relation are funded via both national fund and donations from commercial
businesses and other non-for-profit organizations.
6.3 Place
Thirdly, regarding place or distribution, it aims to make market offerings
available to target market (Kottler and Armstrong, 2013). In association with
three actual products, three kinds of distribution are noted:
 Message: placed as advertisements via both online and offline
channels such as social network sites, television and banners.

 Mobile app: placed intangibly as a utility-software of Pokemon Go
game.

 Warning signals: placed at “dangerous areas” in transportation (streets,
railways) and other locations (both private and public).
6.4 Promotion
Last but not least, 4Ps model deals with promotion or communication. It is
explained briefly as the creation of message and selection of media or
communication channels (Satit et al., 2012). Details of the message are
discussed clearly in the next section in line with the “message” as one of
actual products. In term of communication medias, they are selected in
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9. compliance with placing tactics. To discuss, the campaign attempts to
communicate with target audiences both directly and indirectly regardless of
their awareness or activeness or not. Among promotional mix, which is
comprised of advertisement, public relation, salespersons and sale promotion
(Kitchen, 1996), two first promotional activities are utilized. Advertisement
takes advantage of the message and information about mobile app and
warning signals. It increases awareness of parents and their confidence to let
their children play this game. In addition, public relation is conducted via an
interview by Japanese Government authority to announce about this safety
campaign and Government’s responsibility in dealing with recent accidents of
young children when playing Pokemon Go.
7. Attention-grabbing message
In line with the message mentioned in actual products, persuasive message is
designed to grab attention of young children. It not only reduces the second
weakness of NISC (Table 1) but also is necessary to change behaviours of
the children. For example, when they are attracted by a Pokemon in a
dangerous area, this message appears to persuade them to avoid this area
and move to another safer one. In association with mobile app and warning
signal, the persuasive messages are flexible depending on a certain
dangerous area, but general term is “Keep away from..” or “Be aware of your
surroundings” or “Do not go ahead”.
8. Evaluation
At this stage, evaluation of effectiveness of the message and campaign is
shown in advance for the first three months of campaign release. It is
completely similar to objectives. Hence, three criteria are emphasized:

At least 80% of awareness of young children in Japan about dangers.



All young children are prevented from dangerous areas



At least the number of injuries and accidents for young children
reduces by 50%

9

10. 9. Conclusion
In short, a new safety campaign for young children from 4 to 14 years old
when playing Pokemon Go in Japan is created by NISC. It includes a mobile
app, which is attached with this game and warning signals in front of the
dangerous areas. Message underlying this campaign is “Keep your children
safe from dangerous areas when playing Pokemon Go”. To ensure sufficient
fund for this campaign and to persuade popular usage of gamers of this
mobile app, price is free to the gamers, but charged to game operators.
Distribution is flexible, including, social media, television and banners for
message, mobile app and at dangerous areas for warning signals.
Promotional channels are similar to these distributions. NISC uses both
advertisement and public relation. Additionally, messages focus on
persuasion.
10

11. References
Allison, A. (2003) Portable monsters and commodity cuteness: Poke´mon as
Japan’s new global power. Postcolonial Studies, 6(3), pp. 381-398, DOI:
10.1080/1368879032000162220
Althoff, T., White, R.W. & Horvitz, E. (2016) Influence of Pokémon Go on
Physical Activity: Study and Implications. J Med Internet Res, 18(12), pp.315-
324, doi: 10.2196/jmir.6759
Ayers, J.W., Leas, E.C., Dredze, M., Allem, J., Grabowski, J.G. & Hill, L.
(2016) Pokémon GO—A New Distraction for Drivers and Pedestrians. JAMA
Intern Med. 176(12), pp.1865-1866, doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.6274
Collier, R. (2015) Doctors v. government: taking the fight online. Canadian
Medical Association, 187(6), pp. 393-394, doi: 10.1503/cmaj.109-5015
Dogtiev, A. (2016) Pokémon GO Usage and Revenue Statistics. Business of
Apps, Available at http://www.businessofapps.com/pokemon-go-usage-
revenue-statistics/ [Accessed 7 February 2017]
Hare, C. (2013), Big government, big solution: could there be a message for
all?. Records Management Journal, 23(1), pp. 8 – 13, DOI
10.1108/09565691311324997
Kitchen, P.J. (1996) Public relations in the promotional mix: a three‐phase
analysis. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 14(2), pp.5 – 12,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02634509610110741
Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2013) Principles of Marketing, Prentice Hall,
London
Lang, T. & Rayner, G. (2010) Corporate responsibility in public health: The
government's invitation to the food industry to fund social marketing on
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12. obesity is risky. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 341(7764), pp. 110-111,
doi:10.1136/bmj.c3758
Malicay, L. (2016) Japan starts safety campaign ahead of Pokemon Go
launch. Digital Journal, Available at
http://www.digitaljournal.com/life/lifestyle/japan-issues-warning-on-pokemon-
go-dangers/article/470617 [Accessed 7 February 2017]
Nakamura, Y. & Amano, T. (2016) Pokemon Go Fans Hit Japan’s Streets
After Itching for Home Debut. Bloomberg, Available at
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-22/pokemon-go-fans-hit-
japan-s-streets-after-itching-for-home-debut [Accessed 7 February 2017]
NISC (2007) Japanese Government’s Efforts to Address Information Security
Issues, National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity,
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February 2017]
Raftopoulou, E. & Hogg, M.K. (2010) The political role of government-
sponsored social marketing campaigns. European Journal of Marketing,
44(7/8), pp. 1206 – 1227, DOI 10.1108/03090561011047599
Satit, R.P., Tat, H.H., Rasli, A., Chin, T.A. & Sukati, I. (2012) The Relationship
Between Marketing Mix And Customer Decision-Making Over Travel Agents:
An Empirical Study. International Journal of Academic Research in Business
and Social Sciences, 2(6), pp.522-530, Available at
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2017]
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13. Sharma, P. & Vassiliou, V. (2016) Pokémon Go: cardiovascular benefit or
injury risk?. Oxford Medical Case Reports, 10, pp.267–268, doi:
10.1093/omcr/omw085
Tan, A. (2016) Japan launches detailed 'Pokémon Go' safety plan before
game drops. Mashable, Available at http://mashable.com/2016/07/21/japan-
pokemon-go-safety-plan/#DspnByiBT8qZ [Accessed 7 February 2017]
Tateno, M., Skokauskas, N., Kato, T.A., Teo, A.R. & Guerrero, A.P.S. (2016)
New game software (Pokémon Go) may help youth with severe social
withdrawal, hikikomori. Psychiatry Research, 246, pp. 848-849,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.10.038
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