Media Palette: Japanese giant Dentsu has a greater media presence than ever before

November 1999...

Dentsu launches its first media agency, Media Palette, in Taiwan. The media subsidiary goes on to be the most successful of the Media Palette operations in Asia and counts Taiwan’s national mail service Chunghwa Post, Chinatrust Group and The World Games 2009 Kaohsiung Organising Committee as key clients.

March 2003...

Four years later, Dentsu launches Media Palette and Media Cubic in Thailand, to serve Dentsu accounts, mostly Japanese companies, and external clients respectively. The media arms are run by separate teams, but still share market and media data and research through a strategic planning centre. This allows the agency to avoid any conflict of interest among clients. Media Palette Thailand becomes Dentsu’s second strongest operation in Asia. Key accounts include Toyota Motor Corp, Canon and Ajinomoto.

June 2007...

Dentsu temporarily shelves plans to open a Media Palette arm in Indonesia, following new government laws, which limit foreign investment. Harris Thajeb, Dentsu Indonesia president director, says he put off the venture until he “understands the new investment laws better”.

However, after a period of time the Japanese network shifts Dentsu Indonesia’s media operations to Media Palette, given the rapid growth of its local portfolio. Dentsu goes on to launch Media Cubic, which offers “cutting edge services”. Media Palette also operates in China, Singapore and Korea.

April 2010...

Dentsu Media announces it is to launch its new arm, Media Palette, in Hong Kong, with Ken Matsumura, the current network operations manager at media business development division of Dentsu, slated to take over as its president and CEO.This will be the eighth market in Asia-Pacific where the Japanese agency runs a media operation. The new company will begin operations in July.

Fast forward...

If the Media Palette operation is a success in Hong Kong, Dentsu Media may also role out a Media Cubic arm. As part of its ongoing growth plans and commitment to investment in Asia, a Dentsu Media spokesperson said the group has plans to role out another Media Palette office in the region.

However, sources say what the umbrella group Dentsu Media needs to work on is a clear branding for each of its three subsidiaries: Media Palette, Media Cubic and Media Matrix.

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This article was originally published in the 6 May 2010 issue of Media.