But that's only part of the story. There are other pewter makers in Malaysia and Mikimoto has dozens of rivals in Japan and elsewhere, yet the two brands remain No. 1. Being first helps. Magazines reminded their readers of how Mikimoto Kokichi invented the process that gave the world the cultured pearl. Stores held special promotions.
Image is another reason.
We position ourselves as an upmarket gift or collectible. It is sometimes very tempting to sell in large quantities to lower-end marketers. But in positioning your product, you're only allowed one first time to be seen in the best stores. The company's aristocratic association adds cachet. On his visits abroad, the Sultan of the Malaysian state of Selangor was pleasantly surprised to find that many foreigners had heard of his realm because of Yong's pewter.