David Blecken

The undertaking, spearheaded by former Blue Current MD Tetsuya Honda, is designed to teach best practices and farm talent out to clients looking for flexibility they can’t find in agencies.

The second part of Campaign’s series on Japanese expats in the communications and creative field features Daisuke Tsuchiya, a former diplomat who liked London so much that he changed his career for it.

A study suggests Japan is particularly sensitive to context when it comes to online advertising.

In the first of a periodical series looking at the lives of Japanese expats in the creative and communications sectors, Pentagram partner Yuri Suzuki discusses how he ended up in London, his sound-design work, fitting in and, of course, Brexit.

We spoke with incoming McCann CEO Antony Cundy about his plans to challenge Dentsu-Hakuhodo dominance, and with outgoing leader Charles Cadell about what Japan taught him.

The company’s advertising business sits largely under the radar in a region with fragmented ecommerce services, but that looks about to change.

Perhaps more than in most countries, the strongest local brands in South Korea are seen to represent national spirit and the nation’s capacity for future innovation.

As nationalism raises its head once again, people are also regarding domestic companies with increased scepticism.

There seems little room to move at the top of our top 100 brands ranking, but a shakeup is on the cards in the entertainment space.

Profile: TBWA Hakuhodo's Eric Ellefsen facilitates the creative process by working out what's really behind the words that come out of people's mouths.

An agency employee and Cannes judge makes the case for fewer agency people and more venture capitalists and engineers on creative judging panels.

An ambitious production using the full scale of IMAX technology acts as a promotional vehicle and direct draw for a new Tokyo cinema complex.

One of the brains behind Tokyo’s successful 2013 bid to host the Olympic Games thinks the event will be an operational triumph that also represents an unprecedented challenge for sponsors.

Subtle changes in the top 10 reflect the power of premium and responsible positioning.

The adage that people want to see themselves in a piece of advertising isn’t necessarily true, but they do need to be able to relate to it.

The automotive giant’s ‘mobility’ proposition seems to have been well received.

Based in Melbourne, Fusion is looking to grow in Japan and Asia-Pacific.

Yumi Ishikawa started a movement when she complained about high heels being required workwear for women in Japan. Though her efforts have gained attention, she believes taking things further will require more help, perhaps from brands.

Yoichiro Basso wants to use the energy of upcoming sporting events to draw in a broader audience, even in the absence of screening rights.

This year’s festival thus far reflects a general sense of burnout, but whether this will lead to an industry reset is another matter.

The former Dentsu creative director sees the video sharing app as an example of a platform that doesn’t just understand its audience, but “sympathises” with them.

The 'less stuff' guru spoke with us in advance of her appearance at Cannes Lions today.

Brands are treading carefully as they calculate how to get the most out of the biggest international sporting event before the Tokyo Games next year.

The P&G and Unilever brands have shown consistency in promoting individualism and self-confidence.

With Uber largely out of the picture, attention falls on two Southeast Asian success stories.

The brand is apparently seen as a cut above its direct competitors, although Uniqlo has done a much better job of building designer-appeal into fast fashion.

FedEx dominates regionally, but not in the biggest individual markets.

As well as supporting international brands in Japan, the network sees a strong opportunity to help Japanese companies make sense of China.

The UK company has received funding from NTT Docomo, which is also a client.

In one spot, the tennis star takes on the media without saying anything; in another, she simply reads a script.

Advertising Week: The government is trying to encourage companies to take brand value more seriously.

Advertising Week: Sports-related sessions at this year's event in Tokyo encouraged brands to be open-minded, adaptable, and realistic about the costs involved in effective sponsorship activation.

Aika Sawai wants to make the agency famous for its diversity and ability to help businesses transform, at what she sees as a time of societal change in Japan.

In this Q&A, Dentsu PR's president and CEO gives a frank assessment of what the industry in Japan needs and doesn't need.

The arrangement is the first of its kind for the Japanese agency.

Yoichiro Basso has left the agency after two years, one of which was its strongest so far.

Brands’ recent experiments suggest the public-ledger technology can be a real asset for marketers, but some remain unconvinced.

The advertising giant is optimistic about major upcoming events in Japan and sees a planned new holding company improving alignment between domestic and international operations.

Dentsu Media Runway will combine Dentsu employees and new recruits.

Satoko Takada served as creative director and co-chair of the Women's Leadership Network.

Sponsors of the international Suke Suke Exhibition will have a chance to engage people by showing the inner workings of their products.

Another instalment in ADK's plan to create a network of micro-agencies.

After high-profile failures, the established electronics giant and the upstart that planned to revolutionise clothes shopping face very different futures.

Google dominates in a global YouGov study into employer branding, but the likes of Garuda, Alipay and Hyatt also fared well in Asia-Pacific markets.

Falling voter turnout and ill-informed selection suggests the need for a public relations approach focused more on direct engagement and less on loudspeakers.

A piece of intricate animation to mark Earth Day points out that wooden stamps work just as well as ivory ones.

The company made five deals globally worth nearly US$250 million, while Accenture was the most aggressive acquirer overall, according to R3.

Advertising has many merits as a profession, but it also sets people up well for new adventures—if they are bold enough to step into the unknown. Campaign hears from people who have transitioned elsewhere, out of necessity, choice or a combination of the two.

The Japanese company’s global fame as a maker of photographic equipment is a mixed blessing.

The former Nissan chairman's recorded statement is seen as a bold effort to regain control of a personal crisis, but might not be enough to win over the sceptics.

The new structure is unique to the Japanese market.

After more than a decade at the Omnicom Group agency, Honda sees a gap in the market for PR “architects”.

With a newly formed global department, Japan Airlines is aiming for greater brand consistency and service innovation.

The transition to a new name, which refers to collaboration, is likely to be a source of both inspiration and headache for marketers.

The offshoot of mass-market businesswear chain Aoki offers affordable custom suits in a move that competes with the likes of Zozo.

The market is shifting from reporting bad placements to blocking them, but there are still gaps in the technology.

The company further develops the ad verification ecosystem with an effort to show the ROI of views.

The head of the Japanese Olympic Committee has resigned following corruption allegations. Will the Olympics, as a brand, suffer? Don't bet on it.

Brands' treatment of Japanese entertainer Pierre Taki raises ethical questions.

Lixil, Sega, NHK and Disney are among the brands that have taken or are considering action following Pierre Taki's arrest.

The ad agency veteran sees potential for creative vendor platforms to redefine the marketing industry's workflow process.

An ambitious campaign for a little-known Russian airline launches in English and Japanese.

The two companies see an opportunity to advance customer journey orchestration services in the region.

And how the industry can put the odds in their favour.

Hakuhodo DY Media Partners will work with the US platform to offer clients in Japan and Asia voice-enabled campaigns, which it says will help brands engage "more meaningfully" with consumers.

Research by McCann Worldgroup finds a lot of people simply do not see the point of a gender-balanced workplace.

The former Nissan chairman's treatment is seen as a threat to Japan's business reputation, while Nissan's unclear communications could hurt investor relations.

In its assessment of Japanese advertiser activity in 2018, Dentsu sees more efforts to integrate online and offline, and a rise in performance and video advertising.

The Australia-based post-production house sees Japan becoming a regional creative hub as major events approach.

Society is seen becoming more divided, while international trust in 'Brand Japan' increases.

Solaniwa Onsen enlists the figure skater Nobunari Oda for a colourful launch campaign.

The brand continues its 'Behind the Mac' theme with a depiction of youthful creativity.

By taking full responsibility for the customer experience, marketers can play a more serious role in effecting change.

Nic Dennis foresees a new age of customer-centricity—provided that companies take the initiative to untangle their data and comply with the rules.

BizReach helped Sophie Call stage an installation at Shibuya crossing, and wants to find further projects to support.

China and Australia weighed down APAC performance in the last quarter, Dentsu says.

A spoof mocks alarmingly poor customer service, but for big banking brands, it's just business as usual.

In Japan, the co-founder of the renowned Danish branding company discusses lessons from a life in design, why politicians struggle to connect with people, and whether Tokyo 2020's positioning is any good.

Kazz Ishihara joins the agency from Beacon Communications.

The Canadian joined TBWA five years ago.

Whatever, the company created by merging Party’s international offices and Dot by Dot, brings together free spirits for whom creative fulfilment takes precedence over just about everything.

The Haitian-Japanese tennis star remains a significant asset for the noodle brand despite its ‘whitewashing’ blunder, but it can do more to augment its sponsorship.

The agreement covers Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022.

Company denies deliberate action, and vows to be more attuned to diversity issues.

The companies will work together to provide deeper insight into consumer behaviour online.

The streaming platform's head of advertising sales discusses the potential for "real-life" content and bringing mainstream brands on board without alienating core users.

The Tokyo government is working with the US company to highlight the faded charm that still exists in the world's biggest city.

The shampoo brand has jumped on the popularity—and surprising controversy—of Japanese Instagram star Baby Chanco.

The move reflects diminished need for Asia-Pacific regional leadership.

Overall spending in the region is set to grow 4.5%. Singapore and Malaysia become predominantly digital for the first time.

Five pundits from different corners of the business share their anticipations.

The move sees the formation of Whatever, a creative company that aims to be unencumbered by "organisational structure".

Adapting products, services and communications based on consumer DNA is an alluring idea that will be difficult to implement.

In a final Q&A before stepping into an advisory role, the outgoing CEO of Integral Ad Science discusses how far—or not—the industry has come.

David Morgan is part of the production company's plan to offer higher level services in Japan.

A rebranding for the Japan Para Table Tennis Association aims to simultaneously heighten public appreciation for para sports.

The move follows the launch of a major advertising push around Tokyo 2020.

TBWA Hakuhodo, McCann Health, Wieden+Kennedy and MediaCom were among those with cause to celebrate at the Japan/Korea Agency of the Year Awards for 2018.

The video sharing platform offers interesting opportunities for those that are willing to take a back seat and let people play.

The maker of toilets (among other fixtures and materials) has set up a 'digital studio' near its flagship premises in Tokyo's Ginza district.