1. What are some of the characteristics of marketing to Gen Zs and how is this different from other generations?
Gen Zs are one of the most discerning groups of consumers. In our observations of the creator landscape, we see Gen Zs as true digital natives who have grown up with smartphones and social media as integral parts of life. When it comes to marketing – there are three distinct characteristics that differentiate our approach for Gen Z compared to other generations:
· From Curation to Raw Authenticity: While Millennials popularised the ‘perfectly curated’ aesthetic, Gen Z values the ‘perfectly unfiltered.’ For Canon Singapore, this means positioning our products as a tool to capture honest, high-fidelity stories and lifelong memories.
· Participation over Consumption: Older generations generally view media as something to be consumed, while Gen Zs view media as something to be co-created – be it from photography or short-form video creation, the latter of which Gen Zs have adopted as a primary content vehicle. Our marketing reflects this shift by prioritising the creative outcome. We are supplementing traditional product specifications with a deeper narrative that positions Canon as the partner enabling the bridge between a creator’s vision and the world.
· Value-Driven Decision Making: Unlike Gen X or Boomers, who often prioritise legacy and brand reliability alone, Gen Z buys into a brand’s ‘Why.’ As digital natives, their path to purchase involves deep due diligence across our owned channels. In addition to the product offerings, Gen Zs are also looking for cultural and ethical alignment. For instance, does this brand share my values or is doing something meaningful? And do people like me genuinely choose it? This is where our philosophy of Kyosei of living and working together for the common good transforms into a competitive advantage. By prioritising transparency and creating platforms like the #iamkyosei campaign to amplify the diverse perspectives of young creators, we position ourselves to be a meaningful participant in their value system by being a brand that actively supports a purpose.
By pivoting from curation to authenticity, from consumption to co-creation, and from legacy to shared values, Canon Singapore is evolving alongside this generation to meet their needs.
2. Heritage brands face pressure to stay relevant. How is Canon approaching this?
Globally, Canon has nearly nine decades of imaging heritage and innovation, establishing our reputation for precision, quality and trust. Those values remain as relevant today, but we recognise that this incumbent trust must be re-earned with every new generation. Locally, Gen Z knows who Canon Singapore is, but we still must earn their trust in the way we have with older generations.
This insight has driven the company to move from being a traditional brand to a trusted partner. We identify gaps in what customers need and innovate to address them in our product lines. Every product decision begins with us listening to what the customer wants. Whether that is the PowerShot V1, designed for social-first creators who want high-quality storytelling without compromising on convenience, or the professional-grade EOS R1 that caters for photographers undergoing demanding shooting environments. Underpinning all of this is our corporate philosophy of Kyosei — living and working together for the common good, ensures that as we evolve, we do so with purpose and with the communities we serve in mind.
3. Many brands talk about purpose, but Canon is grounding this campaign in the corporate philosophy. Can you share why Canon took this approach?
Today’s consumers—particularly Gen Z—are digitally native and discerning individuals who look beyond messaging to ensure a brand’s actions match its claims. By grounding the campaign in our corporate philosophy of Kyosei, we are reaffirming a long-standing commitment to accountability and ensuring that what we are communicating both outwardly and inwardly remains consistent.
In practice, this means moving beyond showcasing products and solutions to actively championing the beliefs and aspirations of today’s youth. We recognise that this generation demands meaningful connections. Through #iamkyosei, we are spotlighting their generation’s resilience and care for the community. Ultimately, we hope to shift the narrative from what our products and solutions can do, to how it can enrich society.
4. What inspired Canon Singapore to launch the #iamkyosei campaign?
The inspiration behind #iamkyosei came from how Kyosei has always been central to how Canon Singapore operates, but it had largely remained an internal conviction rather than something we invited others to be part of. At its heart, the campaign is about deepening Canon Singapore’s connection with a generation that already leads with the values Kyosei stands for.
Gen Z are defined by their creativity, their sense of purpose, and their desire to engage meaningfully with the world around them. #iamkyosei was born from the recognition that this positivity and resilience already exists, with Canon Singapore playing a role to amplify these voices, using our #iamkyosei webpage and social channels (Instagram and YouTube) to highlight how these individuals are driving meaningful change and expressing themselves.
Singapore is home to a remarkably diverse and creative community — one that reflects exactly the spirit of Kyosei. Giving that community a platform to express what the philosophy means to them, in their own voices and through their own stories, is both a natural extension of our brand and a genuine reflection of what Canon Singapore stands for.
5. How has success been so far and what are you hoping to achieve in Phase 2?
Previously for #iamkyosei, we developed a series of campaign videos highlighting how Gen Zs can embody creativity that inspires, while empowering them with impactful technology and innovation from Canon. The aim of Phase 1 was to introduce Kyosei as a concept to the wider public, while leveraging it to build a bridge to the Gen Zs.
Currently, we are bringing #iamkyosei to a wider community of creators. One of the creators that Canon Singapore is working with is Yip Pin Xiu, Singapore’s most decorated Paralympian. Her story reflects a masterclass in resilience and the power of community—values that sit at the very heart of Kyosei. By working with her to share her journey, we want to share that the pursuit of a larger purpose gains its true strength from the community. It is about how we uplift one another to achieve far more together than we ever could alone.
Another creator that we are working with is See Min Ng, whose visual storytelling connects art with authentic human stories. Importantly, each creator embodies the spirit of Kyosei in their own distinct
way. The common thread is the same one that has always underpinned Kyosei: the belief that what we create, and the way we create it, should give meaning beyond ourselves.
Ultimately, Canon Singapore’s goal is to deepen the campaign’s key message: to move from awareness of the Kyosei philosophy to a genuine, ongoing conversation about what it means to embody it.
6. Why has Canon tapped on influencers for this phase? How do they fit the kyosei story?
Canon Singapore’s approach to creator partnerships has always been rooted in authenticity rather than reach. The creators we have tapped for this phase create and leverage visual imaging as a platform to build communities, tell stories that matter, and contribute something meaningful to the world around them.
They were selected to be part of a genuine brand conversation as their work and values embodied the spirit of Kyosei. It is our belief that when the alignment between the brand and creator is genuine, it shows in the content they produce, and audiences respond to it differently. By amplifying their voices, we demonstrate how Canon Singapore lives Kyosei by using creativity and technology to create value that drive positive change for the society.
7. What does Kyosei mean to you personally? What inspires you about Kyosei?
Having spent 37 years with Canon across multiple markets like the United States, Europe, China and now Singapore, I have come to understand Kyosei less as a corporate philosophy and more as a practical way of leading. Every market I have worked in has been unique: different consumer behaviours, different cultural expectations, different definitions of value. What Kyosei taught me is that meaningful progress comes from listening first, from genuinely trying to understand the people and communities you are working with before deciding how to serve them.
I see Kyosei in action when our teams develop solutions that are not just about the next big thing, but about solving real, long-term challenges—from helping a local creator execute higher-quality digital prints for their online business, to supporting small business owners in automating digital workspaces and making collaboration easier. It is a principle that ensures we are developing solutions that respect the community’s resources and the customer’s long-term growth.What inspires me most is how this philosophy has kept us grounded through every technological shift, from the rise of digital to the AI era. In a fast-moving industry, there is always pressure to chase the latest trend. Kyosei gives us the perspective to look beyond the hype and focus on building solutions that create real, lasting value for our customers.
8. What do you hope young people will take away from this campaign?
Our hope is that young people see their creativity as a powerful tool for positive change. Gen Zs are already a value-driven and tech-savvy generation.
By sharing our philosophy of Kyosei, we are inviting them to see the utility of their work beyond the digital frame. Whether they are using our cameras for storytelling or our business solutions to build their own startups, we want to demonstrate that professional ambition and social impact can work in tandem. We aim to be the partner that empowers them to demonstrate how creativity, guided by Kyosei, can drive business value and create a positive social impact.
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