What new media value can be created by the "strength of newspapers" and the "strength of publishers"?

The marketing challenge of "young people turning away from XX" is often heard these days. To address this, Asahi Shimbun, Kobunsha's 'JJ', and Dentsu Inc. have teamed up. Targeting young women, who are said to be "turning away from print," they have been implementing event-centered initiatives for five years. What is the appeal and effectiveness of combining media from different fields—a newspaper publisher, a book publisher, and a comprehensive advertising agency? We asked Dentsu Inc.'s Kentaro Kasama, Mizuki Masuda, Mariko Shitara, and Chiho Ashikari, who planned this three-company collaboration.

A college student organization born from a magazine takes on solving a newspaper company's challenge!

—The "Ready for Lady Spring Campus Festival," hosted by The Asahi Shimbun and Kobunsha's 'JJ' editorial department, is an event targeting women from college students to new graduates, packed with content on fashion, beauty, and job hunting. The unique feature is the partnership between a newspaper and a magazine with different readerships. What sparked the idea for this project?

Kasama: It began in 2011 when Asahi Shimbun approached Dentsu Inc. for consultation. They asked, "For years we've heard about young people, especially young women, turning away from newspapers. Is there any initiative that could change this persistent trend?" We suggested partnering with the "Hare-Onna Committee" we had just launched at the time—it seemed like the perfect fit.

Shitara: The Hare-Onna Committee is an organization comprising about 100 current female university students. The term "Hare-Onna" emerged during our work in 2009 helping Kobunsha redefine the direction of their women's fashion magazine 'JJ'. It was born from efforts to define the ideal reader profile for 'JJ'. This concept also forms the basis for this event. It's not just about pursuing external appeal like "fashionable" or "cute," but simultaneously striving to cultivate one's inner self. The defining characteristic of a "Hare-jo" is an attitude of actively connecting with people and expanding one's network to achieve this. In 2010, we launched the "Hare-jo Committee" by gathering ambitious current female university students who aspired to become such Hare-jo in the future.

Since then, Dentsu Inc. has leveraged their insights and information dissemination capabilities to support client marketing, develop content plans through media collaborations, and create advertising campaigns. When approached by The Asahi Shimbun, we decided to use their authentic, reader-centric (consumer) perspectives as inspiration.

 

—What kind of feedback did you actually gather?

Masuda: For example, during a brainstorming session on "appealing to young women," we got quite frank and free-flowing opinions. Even just within the scope of newspaper format, we heard things like "the size is hard to carry" or "if pages were color-coded by article genre, it would be easier to pick out and read favorite categories." Obviously, we couldn't incorporate everything, but the raw opinions were genuinely fresh.

These "real voices" contained new discoveries, and Asahi Shimbun also felt a strong sense of promise.

Ashikari: Based on these results, the Asahi Shimbun Media Business Bureau (then the Advertising Bureau), who had consulted us, proposed: "Standard paper features alone won't reach our target of young women. So, how about creating a real event from scratch with them to introduce them to the newspaper?" This led to the launch of the "Ready for Lady" event.

——Why did you involve not just the Harejo Committee but also the magazine 'JJ'?

Kasama: To create content that would resonate more strongly with younger women, we approached the JJ editorial department. They had been partners since the Harejo Committee's inception and had provided various forms of support, including the serialized "Harejo Committee" column. We asked them to co-host the event, and they readily agreed.

——Newspapers and publishers are different industries, and could even be seen as rivals. What made 'JJ' agree to this?

Masuda: They were strongly attracted by the opportunity to connect with readers in a real-world setting. Being able to convey the magazine's worldview—which is often confined to the pages—in a physical space is a major advantage. They also saw the event as a way to give back to readers and deepen bonds with loyal fans, so they were very keen to participate.

An event combining the strengths of a newspaper and a magazine publisher

——This event is now in its fifth year. What do you think makes it so popular?

Ashikari: We attract about 2,000 visitors annually, and we feel they genuinely enjoy the entire event experience. For instance, at typical events, people might just grab samples at booths and leave, but at this "Spring Festival" (and "Winter Festival"), the overwhelming majority stay at the venue all day.

I believe this is because the Harejo Committee meticulously crafts everything—from the event content planning, of course, to the pre-event promotion methods, and even the design of the souvenir bags and venue maps distributed on the day—based on our unique understanding of "what young women are interested in and want to know right now."

――Specifically, what kinds of things did the Harejo Committee propose?

Shitara: Of course, the overall event theme and content were key, but even in the finer details of execution—for example, We intentionally set up "Instagrammable" photo spots, reflecting feedback that "the biggest motivation for attending real events is being able to post photos on SNS." We also aimed for social media sharing by having nearby restaurants add original menu items featuring foods popular with young women at the time. We even prepared latte art decorated with the cute "Ready for Lady" logo, designed to make people want to take pictures.

Kasama: We also redesigned the venue handouts, right? (laughs) Initially, we made the venue maps and programs pocket-sized. But the Hare-Onna Committee pointed out, "That doesn't capture the essence of a newspaper-sponsored event." So, we incorporated their feedback and redesigned them to resemble a tabloid newspaper in both paper quality and size.

This ended up being very well received. You could see young women all over the venue reading them as if they were newspapers, and that scene spread further through social media. It made me realize what they meant by "authenticity."

――That's precisely the kind of attention to detail only the people directly involved could achieve. What other aspects were distinctive?

Shitara: The core event content was guest talk shows and a fashion show featuring all the JJ models. Both featured guests who were aspirational figures for attendees—people we could only invite because of the Asahi Shimbun and JJ—and the appeal was seeing them up close, almost within reach. We also incorporated feedback from the Hare Women's Committee into guest selection, inviting people who capture the "seasonal" spirit each year.

Masuda: While we consciously incorporated a trendy feel, including the venue design, content centered on women's "lifestyle" was also popular. This included talk sessions and workshops led by top intellectuals and authors, offering life guidance and satisfying intellectual curiosity.

If it were just fashion and retail, it would be difficult to differentiate from typical women's events. However, from a newspaper publisher's perspective, we always incorporate an element of "learning." I believe this unique appeal stems precisely from being a project that bridges two distinct media.

Collaborating with the real world creates a chemical reaction—reaching "new readers" and "unknown advertisers"

——As a remedy for the initial challenge of "young women turning away from newspapers," what effect did it have?

Ashikari: When we looked at the results, many of the women who attended said they came because they saw the event announcement in the Asahi Shimbun.

The Asahi Shimbun announcement ad, serving as the entry point, had significant influence on attracting attendees due to its large circulation and prominent 15-column exposure. However, I also believe the 'JJ' collaboration creative itself served as a highly effective hook to catch their attention.

Masuda: For sponsoring companies, the appeal lies in the package deal: exposure in the Asahi Shimbun, exposure in 'JJ' magazine, and participation in the event. While it's usually difficult to see the "readers" in person, experiencing their energy and the "bond" they have with the magazine and models at the event has led to follow-up advertising placements in some cases.

Ashikari: Beyond media collaboration, the combination with real-world events creates interesting synergies for both readers and advertisers. Building on this success, Asahi Shimbun held an event targeting senior demographics, which was also very well-received.

――Will such initiatives continue to progress in the future?

Ashikari: Yes. For example, based on the success of our five past events, Asahi Shimbun is currently forming an internal project team to explore similar initiatives. We aim to continue developing new approaches that resonate with women, targeting not just younger generations but other age groups as well.

Leveraging cultivated "newspaper power" and "publishing power" through alternative channels

――Considering the ongoing success of these events, it seems that key future strategies will involve media-agnostic content delivery: newspaper and publisher collaborations, and creating real-world touchpoints with readers beyond print pages.

Shitara: Precisely because newspapers and magazines are mass media, they tend to operate entirely within their own ecosystems. However, this crossover between different media types created a positive chemical reaction: leveraging each other's cultivated assets to maximize strengths and compensate for weaknesses.

Furthermore, each time, it takes nearly half a year for the organizing Asahi Shimbun, the JJ editorial department, the Hare Women's Committee, the production company Tohoku Shinsha, and Dentsu Inc. to come together as one team to create the event. Constantly mindful of the perspectives of "co-creation between media and consumers (readers)" and "user-oriented," the process itself—where the team discusses what the challenges are and how to reach the target audience—has yielded many discoveries.

Kasama: Moreover, the value cultivated over time as a trusted medium seems to be being reevaluated. For example, in the case of a newspaper company, this includes its nationwide network of reporters covering every corner of the country, its external connections, and its expertise in reporting and editing that delivers content balancing speed and quality. In an era where anyone can become a journalist due to the spread of SNS, it's said within the Asahi Shimbun that "isn't that precisely the value a newspaper company can provide to society?"