Hiroaki Minoo

Hiroaki Minoo’s interest in craftsmanship comes naturally. His family includes blacksmiths who began hand-crafting knives in 1798. His parents continued the tradition of skill and artistry, creating a company that builds traditional Japanese sliding doors.

Minoo has taken that passion for building something into a new realm — digital marketing for Suntory Group, a global leader in consumer packaged goods that produces and distributes a diverse portfolio of beverages, spirits, beer and wine, and wellness products worldwide.

“I want to bring Japanese craftsmanship to the world rather than becoming a craftsman myself,” Minoo says. “And digital marketing is a great tool for me to achieve my goal of growing awareness for Japanese craftsmanship.”

You entered Stanford Graduate School of Business intending to return to Suntory and become a product manager. Has that goal evolved since coming to the GSB?

It evolved a little. When I applied, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to return to Japan after graduation or remain in the U.S. As of now, I want to work for Suntory’s New York office.

What prompted that shift?

My summer internship in Suntory’s global spirits office in New York convinced me to remain in the U.S. I was in charge of Japanese whisky, gin, and vodka and managed an education program for bartenders to help spread Suntory brands to consumers. I spent most of my time with bartenders in the U.S., who have an amazing ability to explain each brand. I was in charge of providing them with information about the uniqueness of the brands and the story behind each brand so they could explain it to consumers.

Why did the traditional path to becoming a craftsman appeal to you less than a career in digital marketing?

I don’t see them as separate paths. My roots in craftsmanship run deep. I thought that rather than becoming a craftsman myself, I could spread the story of Japanese craftsmanship to the world.

How did you conclude that digital marketing was the best way to do that?

When I worked with large corporations in China, I realized they own almost all their consumer data. If I order food or take an Uber, they know that. That information enables them to target those who are most interested, and the result of that targeting is tangible, as opposed to traditional marketing ventures like TV or newspaper ads. Accurate targeting is fascinating because we can say “hi” only to someone who is likely to respond, and that is why I love digital marketing.

What lessons did you learn from your parents?

My father has a founder’s spirit, which has benefited me. He has always supported my choices. My mom is not driven by making money. I remember when a customer didn’t pay for the sliding doors. I offered to call the police. But she taught me a different approach. We visited the customer at home and found a solution. She thought that her job was to positively change customers’ lives through the new sliding doors, not to make a lot of money.

What do you consider the most fortunate break during your career?

I joined Suntory when the company was launching a brand of hard seltzer in Shanghai, China. This was a major event for the company, and I was in charge of launching the brand.

One of your recent projects with Suntory involved creating Restoration Roasters, a mobile coffee truck in Tokyo. What did you accomplish?

I wanted to spotlight dormant craftsmanship at Suntory. We have a famous canned coffee brand that’s over 30 years old. Coffee roasters at Suntory spent 30 years developing that canned coffee. They invented many roasting techniques to improve the taste of canned coffee. Since the coffee tasted good, I thought we could expand the market by selling the beans directly to consumers. I believed that could add to the premium value, and we realized it.

What lessons did you learn while leading the summer Global Study trip to Japan?

The theme of the trip was innovation and culture. As you know, large corporations are dominant in Japan. We explored whether the traditional work environment there was driving or inhibiting innovation. I believe it is inhibiting innovation. But what we should change is not governmental policy or corporate initiatives and cultures, but education. Even if companies introduce initiatives or policies to enhance innovation, employees are not ready because their mindset remains unchanged. Japan has focused only on a traditional education system, where we have no chance to find answers other than the ones that are written in textbooks. We are not used to questioning teachers. But with innovation, nobody knows the answer. So my lesson was to not be bound by the answers provided by textbooks or teachers.

Have you benefited from the help of a mentor?

Definitely. I met a senior executive when I worked for Hakuhodo before Suntory. We talked about work and became close friends. He also recommended that I have hobbies outside of work to broaden my perspectives.

Any classes, professors, or experiences at Stanford that will be especially useful?

I took a class called Designing for Extended Realities at Stanford d.school. We spent three months learning how extended and virtual reality could enhance customer experience. For example, Suntory has many Japanese whisky brands. Not everyone can visit Japan, but we could create a virtual distillery in a headset that provides an immersive experience. It was a fantastic course.

Photos by Elena Zhukova