Japan’s young adults are a sober bunch – something authorities are hoping to change with a new campaign. The younger generation drinks less alcohol than their parents – a move that has hit taxes from beverages like sake (rice wine).
So the national tax agency has stepped in with a national competition to come up with ideas to reverse the trend. The “Sake Viva!” campaign hopes to come up with a plan to make drinking more attractive – and boost the industry.
The contest asks 20 to 39-year-olds to share their business ideas to kick-start demand among their peers – whether it’s for Japanese sake, shochu, whiskey, beer or wine.
The group running the competition for the tax authority says new habits – partly formed during the Covid pandemic – and an ageing population have led to a decline in alcohol sales.
It wants contestants to come up with promotions, branding, and even cutting-edge plans involving artificial intelligence. Japanese media say the reaction has been mixed, with some criticism about the bid to promote an unhealthy habit.
Credit: bbc.com
