It’s a given that respect is important in any form of communication, but brands often struggle to keep this in mind when communicating with their audience.

On this week’s episode, we welcome back John C Jay, the Creative Chairman at Uniqlo, to take a deep dive into the specifics of his work in Tokyo, his experience working with Japanese CEOs during the transformative era of the 1980s, and how his humble beginnings continue to shape his career. He talks about personal battles with self-confidence and the powerful realization that propelled him to overcome his insecurities. In sharing his past work for Uniqlo, he emphasizes the importance of audience respect and how this is key to localization. He also talks about how not having money is the greatest opportunity for creativity.

John C Jay serves as President of Global Creative for Uniqlo and its parent company, Fast Retailing, living and working in Tokyo, Portland, and NYC. Jay has a diverse creative career across disciplines and cultures. He started in journalism, then lifestyle/ fashion marketing as Creative Director for Bloomingdales, followed by 21 years at the iconic creative agency Wieden + Kennedy. There, Jay was a partner and Global Creative Director. During this time, Jay opened the agency's offices in Tokyo and Shanghai. Living in Tokyo, Jay launched Uniqlo's first brand campaign in 1999. Years later, Jay joined Uniqlo's Founder and Chairman, Tadashi Yanai, in 2014 to help the brand evolve into a truly global brand of leadership and influence. Jay was inducted into the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame and named as one of the top ten "Most influential art directors in the past 50 Years" by Graphic Design USA magazine.

Timestamps:

• 00:00:00 Intro
• 00:01:31 Challenges as a minority
• 00:02:26 Racism, bias, and bigotry lies underneath the surface
• 00:03:56 Career turning points
• 00:06:15 Relocation allows unlearning and rethinking
• 00:10:20 Fundamentally we’re all equal
• 00:12:02 Traveling is humbling and educational
• 00:12:29 Not having money is a great opportunity to be more creative
• 00:13:33 The Fleece Campaign changed Uniqlo and the way brands advertise
• 00:15:01 Localization is respect
• 00:17:51 Three takeaways

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