Content Marketing Event "The Introduction of #ThinkContent TOKYO" Held

"The Introduction of #ThinkContent TOKYO" was held on July 12 at amana Kaisen Studio in Minato Ward, Tokyo. This event introduced Japan to #ThinkContent, the world's largest content marketing event where marketing professionals gather annually in New York. It was hosted by the amana group, Japan's largest content studio. The event also served to announce a strategic partnership in Japan between News Credo, which operates #ThinkContent, and the amana group.

NewsCred was founded in New York in 2008 by publishers and technologists. It is now a globally recognized leader in content marketing, highly regarded by numerous companies and brands for its use of content created by over 1,000 top publishers. For this event, Outbrain collaborated to support engagement building with users through content distribution. Outbrain executives took the stage, discussing current phenomena and challenges at the forefront of marketing. They explored what is required of marketing professionals, engaging attendees in the discussion.

First, Outbrain's Senior Vice President of Strategy, Gilad de Vries, presented on "Global Trends Led by Millennials." He reported on the values and consumption tendencies of the millennial generation, now central to global consumption, and what is needed to engage them.

"Millennials, who are increasingly becoming the core consumer group in Japan too, are digital natives familiar with computers and the internet since childhood, and they are all early adopters. They dislike content being interrupted by ads, skipping them or moving to other content when ads appear. To build trust with such people, it is essential to continuously provide valuable content. Rather than pushing content as before, it's become crucial to prepare content that pulls them in, delivering the brand's message within that context. Without a story, a brand becomes just another product. What story to deliver to consumers? We recognize this as the key challenge moving forward."

Next, Charles Huff, President and COO of NewsCred, took the stage. Under the theme "The Science of Content Marketing," he introduced his company's services, starting with the latest trends in content marketing.

"When marketing to Millennials, ads get blocked, making it difficult to capture attention. Furthermore, one survey found that 58% of people never use loyalty programs (like point rewards), casting doubt on their effectiveness. Ironically, performance-focused marketing has also been shown to underperform. This suggests that impression-driven marketing is inefficient with budgets.

Amidst this, how can brands build compelling storytelling that truly engages people? We have developed solutions to realize scientific content marketing, earning strong customer support. One such solution is our Content Marketing Maturity Curve, which helps assess the current state. Based on this, we offer a proprietary methodology that guides various initiatives toward predictable outcomes, along with an evaluation program we call the Content Marketing Maturity Index (CMMI).

Using this content marketing know-how and tools, we will provide solutions in Japan, together with the Amana Group, that enable brands to consistently deliver exceptional stories in a measurable way. Looking ahead, we aim to create the future of content marketing, with an eye toward introducing AI-based services and more.

Finally, Charles Huff of NewsCred, Yaron Galai, co-founder and CEO of Outbrain, and Hiroshi Shimose of Outbrain Japan explored "What is necessary to succeed in content marketing."

Following the panel, marketers operating sites using display and search ads posed practical questions: "How should we start content marketing? Where should we begin? And (after starting), how do we sustain the project? How do we trust something that can't be quantified? We haven't been able to implement it." We want to know how successful companies get started and keep their projects going." These were real questions from those on the front lines. Huff and Garay answered, and further in-depth questions were asked, making it a lively session.