Takumi Kato, Supervising Translator of 'The Science of Branding,' Reveals Ultra-Practical Marketing Methods Based on Over 30 Years of Experience at P&G and Ezaki Glico! Debut Book 'Marketing Truths' Now Available

Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tetsuya Iguchi), its marketing and innovation specialized media "Nikkei X-Trend," released Takumi Kato's debut book, 'Marketing Truths: Lessons on Failure and Growth Learned at P&G and Glico,' on June 29, 2026 (Mon). The book is now widely available nationwide.

Release Date: June 29, 2026; Price: 2,200 yen (tax included)

[Sales Website]

https://amzn.asia/d/03YSCYB5

The supervising translator behind the controversial 'Science of Branding' series reveals the true, practical application of marketing theory based on his experience at P&G and Ezaki Glico!

"While many people wrongly frame Kotler and Sharp as opposing forces, Mr. Kato's perspective—forged through actual practice, successes, and failures with both theories—is sharp, persuasive, and refreshingly new. This book is essential reading not only for marketers but especially for business leaders" (Kazuo Matsuyama, Representative Director and President, Asahi Breweries, Ltd.)

Currently dominating the marketing industry is the theory proposed by Professor Byron Sharp of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute at the University of Adelaide. Concepts such as 'Category Entry Points (CEP)'—the situations and reasons why consumers want to buy a product—'Mental Availability,' referring to psychological purchase likelihood, and 'Physical Availability,' referring to physical purchase likelihood such as in-store distribution, have drawn significant attention.

The book that introduced these ideas to Japan is 'The Science of Branding: 11 Marketing Laws Nobody Knows' (Asahi Shimbun Publishing), the Japanese translation of Byron Sharp's 'How Brands Grow: What Marketers Don't Know.' Takumi Kato was responsible for planning and supervising the translation of this Japanese edition.

However, Kato points out that an increasing number of people are adopting a binary opposition that overemphasizes Sharp's theory while discarding the human-centered value creation established by Philip Kotler, the American management scholar often called "the father of modern marketing." He further argues that both Kotler's and Sharp's theories are often misunderstood.

Kato spent many years in consumer research at P&G and led the establishment of the Consumer Research Department at Ezaki Glico, later serving as General Manager of its Shanghai branch. For over 30 years, he has applied both marketing theories in real-world business settings. From this experience, he argues that what is needed is the skill to correctly integrate and masterfully apply these two major theories at the stages where each can deliver maximum strength.

Based on concrete episodes from his time at P&G and Ezaki Glico, this book explains the correct application of theories and frameworks across the entire marketing process—from new product development to scaling (0→1, 1→10, 10→100).

A definitive guide to the "truth" behind marketing theories amid widespread misinterpretations: "Is STP really useless?" "Is CEP universally effective?" "Which is right—Kotler or Sharp?"

[Full Preface Now Available on Nikkei X-Trend!]

From Failure at P&G to Resignation—Then a Comeback: A Researcher's Journey to Building a Marketing Philosophy

https://xtrend.nikkei.com/atcl/contents/18/01416/00001/

Book Structure

[Table of Contents]

Preface: Moving Beyond "Experience" and "Intuition" Gained at P&G and Glico

Part 1: Value Creation in "0→1"

Chapter 1: Why Does New Product Development Become a "Gamble"?

—Applying Kotler's Theory in the "0→1" Phase

[Column]: Making Frameworks Effective—Qualitative Research Methods for 3C and SWOT Analysis

Chapter 2: Escaping the Waste of Ideas

—Three Criteria for Selecting Strong Initiatives

[Column]: Why Design Thinking Fails to Take Root in Organizations

Chapter 3: Correctly Understanding STP and CEP

—The Pitfalls of "Price Reference Points" and "Long-Form Concepts"

[Column]: Three Basic Types of Consumers

[Column]: Analytical Methods in Segmentation

Chapter 4: Misconceptions About Concept Testing

—A New Product Sales Forecasting Model Using Sharp's Theory

Part 2: Value Establishment in "1→10"

Chapter 5: The "Valley of Death" for Brand Survival

—Why Over 90% of New Products Disappear

[Column]: Trial, Trial, Trial

Chapter 6: Prioritize Improving Communication Over the Product

—Prepare a Three-Year Scenario in Three-Month Increments

Chapter 7: Blocking Competitor Entry

—Understanding Rivals' Patterns and Neutralizing Their Strategies

Chapter 8: A Brand "Health Check"

—Three Ironclad Rules During Stable Periods

Part 3: Value Maximization in "10→100"

Chapter 9: The Loyalty Program Trap

—Applying Sharp's Theory to Achieve Explosive Brand Growth

Chapter 10: Practical CEP Methods

—Learning "Expanding Entry Points" from Pocky and McDonald's

[Column]: Challenges and Applications of MMM (Marketing Mix Modeling)

Chapter 11: Establishing the Two Types of "Availability"

—A Painful Mistake Made Despite Knowing Better: A Case from Ezaki Glico China

[Column]: The Importance of Diverse Organizations in Executing Strategy

Afterword

Author Profile

Takumi Kato

Representative Director, Insight Inc.

Joined P&G in 1992, working in brand marketing and consumer research. As a team member and part of the management team, contributed to the successful launch of multiple new brands in laundry and home care categories. In the hair care category, led P&G's market share from 5th place to 1st. Moved to Ezaki Glico in 2011, serving as Head of Consumer Research (CR), General Manager of Shanghai Ezaki Glico, and Executive Officer at headquarters. As President of Glico's China branch, achieved more than double the sales growth with high profitability. Has served as Representative Director of Insight Inc. since 2025 and is also a Visiting Professor at the Faculty of International Commerce and Economics, University of Hyogo.

Translated books include 'Why Your Marketing Is a Gamble: Disciplined, Fact-Based Marketing That Delivers Amazing Growth and Profit' (Asahi Shimbun Publishing). Books he planned and supervised for the Japanese edition include 'The Science of Branding: 11 Marketing Laws Nobody Knows,' 'The Science of Branding: New Market Expansion,' 'The Science of Branding: Building Unique Brand Equity,' and 'The Science of Branding 4: Brand Health Check' (all published by Asahi Shimbun Publishing).

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