Introduction
Born and raised in Japan, Marie Kondo is a renowned interior designer who has used the influence of social media to build an extensive business empire around her designs with Japanese cultural themes. Born in 1985, Kondo is currently a big name in social media, especially Instagram, where she has more than 350 thousand followers. The social media platform such as Instagram describes her as the most organized woman in the world who has a unique approach to interior design. This paper explores the influence of social media on Marie Kondo’s work and career as a business.
Social Media and Kondo’s Career, Culture, and Business
Social media has played a big role in expanding the career of Kondo as an interior designer. With its help, Kondo has been able to showcase her unique interior design business based on the theme of organizing and optimizing the use of space. Most of her projects featured on social media platforms attract thousands of followers who are captivated by her choice of color combinations in organizing office interiors and residential homes. Having been in the field of interior design for almost a decade, Kondo effectively uses social media tools to reach her customers. In the last five years, more than a hundred of her projects have gone viral with multiple shares on different social media platforms. Although the popularity of her business started growing before the advent of some social media platforms, her biggest breakthrough was catalyzed by Instagram.
In her high school days, Kondo was an ardent organizer who would make sure that the classroom bookshelves were tidied up during school breaks. At the age of nineteen, Kondo founded her organizing and consulting business when she was a student of sociology at a local college. She invented the KonMari interior design method, which was heavily influenced by her native culture. This method involves gathering room items, classifying them into categories, choosing only those that spark joy (in Japanese, it means Tokimeki), and selecting appropriate storage places. After completing her first degree, Kondo secured media appearances that exposed her work to people in Japan and the entire world. Specifically, in 2013, a two-part Japanese television series was filmed based on her work as an interior designer, and Kondo was able to give many lectures and other media appearances. Her work showcased on social media got the attention of many users from Japan and other countries. As for specific examples of success, Kondo’s video series on social media platforms teaching “the best way to fold for perfect appearance” became an instant hit among social media users. Thousands shared her videos, which quickly went viral on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For example, Kondo’s ‘Beautifully Tidied Home Office’ video had more than 35 000 likes within 24 hours and has attracted 356,789 views within three months.
The positive response from Kondo’s social media followers has expanded her market coverage beyond Japan. Although most of her works are influenced by Japanese themes, social media culture has created a space for Kondo to appeal to external markets such as the United States, Europe, Asia, and different parts of Africa. The massive following on social media platforms has made it possible for Kondo to improve her interior design skills through online recommendations, suggestions, and expansion to other cultural themes. At present, KonMari is a famous interior design brand that is recognized in the global industry. In the past, the brand was associated with silent videos consisting of pictures meant to inform clients about the principles of proper arrangement.
The visual images have a complex presentation and directly appeal to the desire to optimize the use of space through proper planning. The videos are meant for the global market since the pictures are diverse enough to bridge the gap between modern and cultural interior designs. Specifically, Kondo’s works appeal to acceptance and cultural integration as part of the subjectivity of interior design. These works posted on social media are strategically placed since they are designed for the general audience. The posts are driven by the objects of perfection to convey the message of attractiveness through integrated views on the interior design options. Kondo has successfully used emotive language in explaining the pictures to reveal the benefits of interior design that meets the needs of different customers.
The positive feedback on social media provided by delighted followers has improved Kondo’s career. Nowadays, her works are displayed in international interior design exhibitions. As a result, Marie Kondo has written successful books on interior design, which are translated from Japanese to more than thirty different languages. The expanded media exposure has also increased Kondo’s client base as she is currently sought after by customers outside Japan. Although the use of social media to display her business started out as a simple marketing strategy for her small business, the overwhelming response on these platforms made Kondo’s products more visible to the global market. From the beginning of 2018, Kondo has managed to occupy the first position on an Instagram page featuring the top ten inspirational interior designers. Kondo’s works appeal to the balance between rational and emotional desire in the organization of space. As a result, it creates an intrinsic motivation response that triggers the mind to activate affiliation, self-acceptance, and feign community feeling with her unique interior designs. Notably, the balance of colors and use of common surroundings could be attributed to the positive response.
Conclusion
From the examples presented throughout the report, it follows that Kondo’s experience with social media was extremely positive and helpful since she managed to popularize her principles of decluttering and gain social support. Understandably, it led to positive changes in her life, such as nationwide recognition, prosperity, and the ability to develop new projects. Although most of Kondo’s works are based on Japanese themes, their influence and positive acceptance on social media have expanded Kondo’s product brand beyond Japan. At present, Kondo’s company has expanded from a small business to a global brand.