Small and medium-sized enterprises are content creators that move hearts. [1]"15-Second Job TV" Beyond meeting 1,000 business leaders.
New Style Recruitment Advertising Created with SMEs
Released on January 6, 2020, " Japanese Companies: Variety. 15-Second Job TV " is a "new style recruitment advertisement introducing the appeal of 17 SMEs through 15-second videos." Its purpose is to visualize the unique spirit of each company and the work experiences available only there, supporting hardworking companies and organizations.
According to the "2019 White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises," "the virtuous cycle of the economy is gradually permeating SMEs," and their ordinary profits "remained at levels nearly matching the record high of 2017." However, the business climate index has been low since late 2019. Starting April 2020, work-style reforms began even for SMEs, presenting a challenging phase for smaller companies.
In an era where attention often gravitates toward large corporations, we aimed to revitalize the Japanese economy by spotlighting mid-sized SMEs and organizations with diverse work, workstyles, and aspirations. By sharing their unique technologies and visions with a broad audience, including younger generations, we sought to energize the economy. The Nikkei Inc., 17 mid-sized SMEs, and Dentsu Inc. are collaborating as ONE TEAM on this initiative.
From the response to the "Company Song Contest" to "Middle Management Theater: Marumaru's Woman".
Launched in 2016 and held three times so far, the " Company Song Contest " is a project aiming to invigorate internal and external corporate communication by competing for Japan's best company song video. The third edition in 2019, hosted by Nikkei Inc. with special cooperation from JOYSOUND, received entries from 174 companies. We were delighted to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from many participating companies. This experience demonstrated firsthand that expressing and spreading a company's appeal through a fresh perspective can lead to tangible results (brand strengthening, recruitment promotion).
Therefore, in March 2019, we launched a new initiative, " Middle Management Theater: Women of Marumaru," aimed at promoting recruitment for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This initiative featured women working at 20 mid-sized SMEs online, introducing them through drama-style creative content and articles. Participating companies gave positive feedback, such as: "It was great to see the spotlight on employees who work hard behind the scenes every day," "Our dream of being featured in the Nikkei Shimbun came true," and "Students expressed interest in joining our company after seeing the project."
Summarizing Corporate Appeal with "15-Second Work TV"
Like the "Company Song Contest," "Women of Marumaru" generated significant buzz, but we felt there was still room to grow in terms of website traffic and social media reach.
This "15-Second Work TV" initiative is positioned as the second installment of our SME PR projects, following "Marumaruno Onna." Building on previous efforts, we shifted our approach to "condensing a company's appeal into 15 seconds," focusing on enhancing the initial impact.
Many people are involved in Oshigoto TV. The 17 participating companies, Nikkei Inc. with its mission to propel Japan's economy forward, Dentsu Public Relations' Daisuke Inoue who co-created the Company Song Contest, CDC's Ikumi Togasaki (Representative of Dentsu Gal Lab), Akari Kamata, Mai Komatsuzaki from 5CRP, Makoto Takasugi from Dentsu Inc. Creative Force, Rikako Kawashima from Media Services / Newspaper Division, robotics director Takayuki Hayashi, Eri Sudo, Wataru Utsunomiya, and others. Though from different organizations and positions, each member brings the same passion and leverages their unique strengths.
Meeting 1,000 Business Leaders Revealed the Appeal of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Through an introduction by Yoshinori Esaki of "School of Passion," who advised us when launching the company anthem contest, we met approximately 1,000 business owners over several years. We discovered numerous innovative and deeply human initiatives unique to SMEs. Examples include: Director Kazuyoshi Takahashi's long-running film "Future Shutter," themed on regional collaboration and complete with workshops; and the "Shitamachi Bobsleigh," aiming for the Olympics using the technology of Ota Ward companies led by Material President Junichi Hosogai.
Among business leaders: Shinichi Nakajima, President of Gulliver, who specialized in original direct mail to achieve both record sales and work-style reform; President Ukyo Oshima of Fujicon, an electronic parts manufacturer supporting Sapuru and promoting employees' star power; President Kenji Oyabu of Daiwa Kako, captivating people with his rubber-maker spirit and winning the Passion Award in the NIKKEI National Company Song Contest; and President Toshiya Heike of Heike Seisakusho, holding the top share in solid fishing rod blanks. The list goes on and on.
What became clear was the appeal of small and medium-sized enterprises not just as sellers of products, but as "content creators" who ignite passion in people. We also experienced firsthand that projects born from the conviction "The right answer is something you create yourself!" – where, after some research, you trust your own intuition and passion rather than relying solely on market studies and frameworks and becoming paralyzed seeking the perfect answer before even starting – often possess explosive impact. That's precisely why my desire to work alongside these individuals grew stronger.
Sales Equals Total Smiles
What struck me most throughout this journey is that "sales = the total amount of smiles." Successful business leaders don't start by chasing numbers; they first ask, "How can we make people happy and smile?" The numbers follow as a result. Crucially, these smiles aren't just for customers—they extend to the team themselves. I believe that because we enjoy what we do, that passion spreads. If 15-Second Work TV can connect companies that create such smiles with someone, and if something positive, however small, comes from it, nothing would make me happier.
Related Column:The Passion Behind the "Company Song Contest" That Ignited a Trend[2019.11.08]
Related Article:Fukoku Life Wins Top Prize in "NIKKEI National Company Song Contest" from 174 Entries[2019.12.19]
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Author
Kōhei Morimoto
Dentsu Inc.
Focusing on solving management challenges through "content that moves the heart." Launched the "Company Song Contest" in 2016. Numerous initiatives leveraging unique connections with small and medium-sized business owners. Also responsible for project development centered around IP, major corporate purpose initiatives, and startup ventures. Former Koshien baseball player (Captain of Chiben Wakayama High School / Vice-Captain of Keio University).
