Story 1-1 Crossing the ocean just to look for a phone case

"LIFEPROOF," a waterproof, dustproof, snowproof, and shockproof case with a reputation for "safety and security," the "BlackBerry" smartphone, a firm fan favorite, and the "Lifeprint" mobile printer that can print "moving photos" using AR technology. FOX has been responsible for total branding, from the creation of unique Japanese services that benefit users to the support of partner companies to enhance their value, based on high-quality products from Japan and overseas.

Story 1-2 Crossing the ocean just to look for a phone case

For example, a company could develop an excellent product. However, the company may not have the ability to "nurture" the product. In such cases, FOX provides multifaceted solutions to the developing company and promotes the product by selecting the most appropriate sales channel from a variety of sales channels, such as major mobile carriers, electronics retailers, and general merchandise stores.

Story 1-3 Crossing the ocean just to look for a phone case

The reason for founding the company was in 2010. I have always loved digital gadgets, especially cell phones, and when I got my hands on the iPhone 3G, I was shocked and felt that a new era had arrived. The iPhone 4 convinced me of this feeling. At the time, there were few satisfactory phone cases available in Japan, but there were many different types sold on overseas websites, and many of them were exciting.

Story 1-4 Crossing the ocean just to look for a phone case

Among them, I found a smartphone case called "ELEMENTCASE" in the United States. "ELEMENTCASE" was so popular and it was difficult to obtain it even locally, and the price was more than three times the price of $70 on a Japanese Internet auction. However, I couldn't stand still and bought it. When I held the actual product in my hands, I said to myself, "Wow, this is amazing! What kind of person developed it and how is it made?" I immediately flew to San Francisco.

Story 1-5 Crossing the ocean just to look for a phone case

I explained to "ELEMENTCASE" the possibilities in Japan, and on the spot, I secured sales rights for the company in Japan. It was an exclusive contract. I chose an exclusive contract because I could focus on branding without being influenced by market prices. The company is committed to communicating the true quality of each of its products and enhancing their value. The foundation of the stance that has led to FOX today began with this contract.

Story 2-1 FOX's origin "touch & try type store" was arrived at from user supremacy.

After returning to Japan, I set up a website selling "ELEMENTCASE" as my personal business. The high-end case, which was unprecedented in the Japanese market, aroused people's curiosity and sold well. I decided that a touch-and-try experience was essential for more people to empathize with the product, so I incorporated the business and opened a physical store on the main street of Akihabara, a town where people who love digital gadgets gather (*now closed).

Story 2-2 FOX's origin "touch & try type store" was arrived at from user supremacy.

Then, I began to search for the next possible product. At that time, I came across "LIFEPROOF," a smartphone case that is waterproof, dustproof, snowproof, and shockproof, on the Internet. I immediately traveled to San Diego, where the manufacturer was based. The developer seemed to be surprised that a Japanese person had taken the trouble to come all the way to the U.S. I told him of my enthusiasm, and he promised to sign an exclusive contract with the company.

Story 2-3 FOX's origin "touch & try type store" was arrived at from user supremacy.

At the time, there were no similar LIFEPROOF products in the Japanese market. I wanted to make the biggest selling point of "LIFEPROOF" - its waterproof performance - easy to understand and appeal. It may seem a bit bold in hindsight, but I developed a product display in which the handset with the case attached was actually placed in a tank of water and moved around. This attracted the attention of many people, and sales grew steadily. At the same time, however, they ran into a contradiction. What if it gets submerged in water?

Story 2-4 FOX's origin "touch & try type store" was arrived at from user supremacy.

I had to overcome this huge obstacle. The manufacturer's says that it will never be submerged in water. The same is true of all the products in the past that claim to be waterproof. But I thought there was an unprecedented world beyond this point where the users' contradiction had been resolved. What is it that both manufacturers and users agree on? ...... And I arrived at a certain answer. That is, "In the event of submersion in water, we will compensate not only the case but also the device itself".

Story 2-5 FOX's origin "touch & try type store" was arrived at from user supremacy.

Therefore, we decided to work with an insurance company to develop an insurance product for submersion compensation. This water submersion compensation service, which requires membership registration but is free of charge, was accepted by users and LIFEPROOF came to be recognized as a safe and secure case. This became a service unique to Japan and was praised by LIFEPROOF CEO Gary Lehner.

Story 2-6 FOX's origin "touch & try type store" was arrived at from user supremacy.

The company's participation in digital device-related exhibitions as a "smartphone accessory specialist," a rarity at the time, was also a success, and the company grew to receive inquiries from a variety of sales channels, including major electronics retailers and cell phone carriers. Sales were growing steadily, and it was smooth sailing. However, the company ran into another major obstacle.

Story 3-1 A problem that shook the very foundations of the company led it back to its roots.

It all started when one of our suppliers disposed of a large amount of excess inventory at the end of the fiscal year. It seems that many of FOX's products were among them, resulting in an "overbought and oversold" relationship. This became cocern to FOX that "short-term sales gains would result in a loss of market share in the following year". What we were more concerned about was the decline in "product value". Product value was something that FOX placed great emphasis on

Story 3-2 A problem that shook the very foundations of the company led it back to its roots.

However, this experience led us back to the starting point of the FOX way of raising a company, which is to secure market value through exclusive contracts and branding.
Never "oversell".
How to strategically narrow down the sales channels and improve the value of the product, FOX again focused on nurturing the brand by "starting small, marketing first".

Story 3-3 A problem that shook the very foundations of the company led it back to its roots.

Take, for example, the large number of smartphone cases that line the shelves of electronics retailers. No matter how many new and excellent products a manufacturer makes, from the user's point of view, it is just "one case". Based on this premise, we intend to gradually increase the number of cases sold after they are desired by the market ahead of marketing.

Story 3-4 A problem that shook the very foundations of the company led it back to its roots.

From the standpoint of corporate management, we know that limiting the number of products sold is a contradictory practice. Nevertheless, we cannot allow the value of our products to decline, both for the manufacturer and for FOX. This is "the foundation of FOX," and we are still persistently working on this issue.

Story 3-5 A problem that shook the very foundations of the company led it back to its roots.

There is another concept that is "the foundation of FOX". It is "not to stick to one product, service, or way of doing things". The world is constantly changing, people's lifestyles are changing, what the world needs is changing, and naturally the way of smartphone-related accessories is also changing.

Story 4-1 An approach that understands the essence and solves the problem

Continuation of the traditional way of doing business will not only lead to growth, but also to a shakeout. We have seen the world's major smartphone-related accessory manufacturers struggle up close, and we do not believe we can afford to simply follow the same path.

Story 4-2 An approach that understands the essence and solves the problem

There are various reasons why they are struggling, but most of them are simply because they did not face the problems in front of them and stuck to the conventional way of doing things. We are convinced that there are great business opportunities to be had in this area through approaches that solve the problems that each of us faces.

Story 4-3 An approach that understands the essence and solves the problem

The company is realizing the goal it has had since its inception of "becoming a platform for quality products and services" with an approach that solves the problems currently faced by this industry.

Story 4-4 An approach that understands the essence and solves the problem

FOX has courageously made a major change in direction and launched a new business called "CASEPLAY" to become a platform for smartphone-related accessories in 2021. This is an unlikely service that will solve the problems of model diversification and inventory risk, as well as contribute to the SDGs by eliminating the waste of products.

Story 4-5 An approach that understands the essence and solves the problem

In addition to CASEPLAY, FOX has four other businesses, including corporate solutions, support services for overseas manufacturers, and suppliers for fashion brands. All of them take a problem-solving approach.

Story 4-6 An approach that understands the essence and solves the problem

Although they are all still developing businesses with room for growth, we always want to face reality, predict the future, take action, keep updating, and firmly establish a "platform for quality products and services. It is better to try and fail than to not know the possibilities by not trying. Especially recently, I feel that such a feeling is becoming stronger and stronger.