IoT Creates a NEW WORLD (Part 2)

The IoT society is no longer a pipe dream; it has become a familiar theme even in the advertising industry. Professor Ken Sakamura of the University of Tokyo is known for envisioning the future of IoT as "computers everywhere" nearly 30 years ago and for building the open computer architecture "TRON." For this achievement, he received the "150th Anniversary Award" this year from the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), the world's oldest international organization.
Yasuharu Sasaki of Dentsu Inc. CDC is the only disciple from Professor Sakamura's laboratory to join Dentsu Inc. Now, 20 years after joining the company, the society Professor Sakamura envisioned is nearing realization, and his work at Dentsu Inc. is increasingly connected to his roots. Here is the second part of the talk show where the two discussed "a world where things connect with each other" from their respective perspectives.

How will the role of advertising agencies change in the IoT era?

Sasaki: Dentsu Inc. is also evolving beyond just being an advertising agency. We're now developing services and devices, and taking on roles that connect various industries. How will the role of advertising agencies change further with IoT? Currently, the mindset is about "controlling" media. However, we're seeing rapid changes like Haier refrigerators with displays, where various objects connect to the internet to access news and content. If IoT turns everything into a media platform, who will manage it? Will intermediary roles like advertising agencies disappear?

Sakamura: If information transmission media explode in number, the concept of "controlling" them becomes obsolete. However, Dentsu Inc. does much more than just controlling media, like producing where and how content is placed, right? Breaking down those activities should reveal what will remain relevant. We'll need to shift our focus. In this multi-media era, the demand for production capabilities will likely be even greater than it is now.

Sasaki: So it's about organizing the overwhelming amount of information and functions, and effectively connecting them. How will IoT change marketing? For example, Disney World in the US distributes wristband-style tickets that can be used for shopping, serve as hotel keys, and allow attraction reservations. Even souvenir photos are sent to the band. We're entering an era where various information accumulates on the objects themselves. Amidst the notion that whoever controls customer data wins in marketing, if each player holds their own data, it raises the question: what becomes of the advertising agency's role?

Sakamura: It's no longer feasible for Dentsu Inc. to control everything. Data ownership and rights issues frequently arise, so it's better to focus on managing those systems, accumulating the know-how to safely transact data, and figuring out how to use data effectively and what compensation is appropriate.

Sasaki: So it's about providing the know-how and methods for utilizing that space effectively, rather than owning the media or data itself.

Sakamura: That's the tricky part. We need to invest in R&D and building the systems to utilize it. What Dentsu Inc. needs now is intelligence.

Sasaki: How will IoT transform creativity? I think we'll see more collaborations between companies and ad agencies to build IoT. When everything becomes connected and turns into a "tool for expression," what new things can we create? We want to contribute ideas too.

Sakamura: To do that, we have to study, right? We need to understand the characteristics and functions of the ever-increasing number of IoT devices. Without that knowledge, we can't create expressions that maximize their potential.

Sasaki: Right now, we're building teams that combine technology experts with creators and designers who may not understand the tech itself but bring interest and ideas.

Sakamura: That's exactly right! The internet society is one where "you can't do it alone." Even if you don't understand the technology yourself, it's enough to communicate with someone who does.

 

IoT holds a huge opportunity to design a new society

Sasaki: We previously created the "Living Wallet" IoT wallet prototype with an open team that included people outside our company. It's a wallet linked to a household account book service. When you're in the red, it tries to escape when you try to use it. When you're in the black, it reads out Amazon sales rankings to stimulate your desire to buy things.

Sakamura: Innovation is about taking risks. Keep creating! The key is never giving up. It's a world where you might succeed only once or twice out of a thousand tries. You need to have some silly ideas too. Not that I'm calling this one silly (laughs). Anyway, having a wide variety of things is crucial, and we must value those who do something new and different.

Sasaki: That's true. But Japan is extremely risk-averse, or rather, there's a tendency to only invest in things that are sure to succeed.

Sakamura: If something works, keep going with it. If it doesn't, but you come up with something better, that's also an achievement. The crucial thing is not to give up. Even if you fail 1,000 times, keep trying 2,000 or 3,000 times—as long as you're alive. I'm always around young people at the university, but those who seem jaded even at a young age are no good. Age, nationality, gender—none of that matters.

Sasaki: Earlier we mentioned the Olympics. 2020 is a "crucible of opportunity," right?

Sakamura: Leveraging information and communication technology to offer new perspectives on sports is a global trend. Drones exist, and cameras keep getting smaller. It wouldn't be surprising at all if we reached an era where a camera embedded in a baseball ball could broadcast the view from the home run as it flies through the air.

Sasaki: IoT is a technology that openly connects all sorts of things. We want to invent new ways of connecting things ourselves, but how do you think we should cultivate talent for the IoT era?

Sakamura: Japan's attitude toward retraining is too lax. Japanese people think university is something you go to after high school, but that's not the case abroad. Even working adults go to university when they need to study something. If you encounter something you don't understand, you just retrain. It's no good saying you don't understand new technology without even trying to learn. You need to maintain an attitude of continuous learning until the end. Age doesn't matter; it's just a matter of aptitude.

Sasaki: IoT isn't just a convenient IT gadget. Today, I clearly understood that it presents a major opportunity to design a new society, and we can engage with it as a business. That's why constant learning is essential. Thank you very much.

 

You can also read this interview on AdTie!

Planning & Production: Dentsu Inc. Event & Space Design Bureau, Aki Kanahara