1.
signature product; flagship product
The main product that a shop or company is known for; the product that represents the brand.
この店の看板商品はカレーパンだ。
This shop's signature product is their curry bread.
看板商品の売り上げが落ちてきている。
Sales of our flagship product have been declining.
老舗の和菓子屋が看板商品の大福をリニューアルして、若い世代にも人気が出てきた。
A long-established Japanese sweets shop revamped their signature daifuku, and it has become popular with younger generations too.
Composed of 看板 (signboard, figuratively "face" or "brand identity") + 商品 (product). The word uses 看板 metaphorically — just as a signboard represents a shop, the 看板商品 is the product that represents the business.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 看板商品を開発する: to develop a flagship product
- 看板商品を売り出す: to launch a signature product
- 店の看板商品: a shop's signature item
RELATED EXPRESSIONS:
- 看板メニュー: signature menu item (for restaurants)
- 看板娘: the "face" of a shop — an attractive employee who draws customers
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 目玉商品: featured product, loss leader — a product offered at a special price to attract customers
- 主力商品: main product — the product generating the most revenue
- 名物: local specialty, famous product — a product a region is known for