The main reason I don't care much about their products. They feed on hype frenzy. The knvies might well be great, but I don't like the approach.
Respectfully, I think you have a rather cynical and shortsighted viewpoint of Konosuke’s Kaiju marketing.
Personally, I love the well thought out and executed marketing strategy of Konosuke. Quality is important to me–I respond to good photography, well written text, effective design and sophisticated design used to sell a product. I also value and appreciate creative fields of work, whether it’s the skills of making knives, or the keen eye and knowledge that does into being a graphic designer, or the savviness of a writer. My viewpoint perhaps shaped by knowing many in the creative field, and understanding how difficult it is making a living as knife maker, writer or designer—and being ready to acknowledge a well made knife or well made marketing. Yes, as I said, quality counts.
The website is understated and elegant, photography sexy, writing is well crafted.
Fact is. A big company has the financial ability to commission the best forger and sharpener they can find—and also hire a talented designer, writer, etc.
All knife makers use marketing to either sell their knives direct or grab attention of vendors to do the grunt work of selling—some use knife fairs, others rely on social media, others might pass around knives to chefs hoping for traction from word-of-mouth.
TBH, there are many knife makers who I love dearly for the great knives they produce—but when it comes to marketing, it is cringe worthy amateur hour—IG feeds treated in the most pedestrian fashion; barely functional websites; poorly worded descriptions doing an injustice to a knife they put heart and soul into; etc. Other makers I know have a more advanced understanding of how the market has changed, and the importance of creative collaboration—general rule is, if you can’t write or design well, hire a designer or writer to use their expertise.
With the current buzz around the forthcoming Kaiju, this particular thread perhaps more effective than Konosuke marketing in stirring up hyperbole to a specific niche market that will actually buy the knives.
The Kaiju marketing I’ve seen—a few IG posts and info on Konosuke website is admirable and thorough. They have done their research, listened (read) to knife users—identified a desire and market for ‘workhorse’ gyutos, brought together two highly revered craftsman, to produce a knife—thus capturing the imagination of a good number of knife collectors on KKF. They’re not cheap knives, but I’ll wager they sell out very quickly—the $600+ for them an appropriate price IMO.
Until I get a Kaiju in my hands, I obviously won’t know if the hype is justified or not, and don’t see any ‘red flags’ in the marketing that feels deceptive or overstated (see Misen). I’ve seen the occasional deception and misinformation be individual KKF BST.
When you say “…feed on hype frenzy,” you make Konosuke sound so predatory, making knife buyers seem like lemmings. You’re perhaps not giving enough credit to the knowledge of buyers, to those on this KKF who’re excited about Kaiju—I’m confident that the majority of members here willing to spend $600+ on a Kaiju will do it with eyes wide open.
Good business sense is that if you invest a lot into a product, you also invest into marketing that product.
