Taking ownership of every step of the process Aiming for "all-around" production

We live in an era of profound change across all industries. An era where the future is unpredictable.
Even within the advertising industry, various new job roles are emerging.

This time, we introduce the "Business Producer" role, a position gaining attention within the Dentsu Group.
How can we enrich our clients' businesses? Each of them tackles this challenge in their own way, using every trick in the book.
We asked them about their work and the future they aim to create.

In the eighth installment of this series, we introduce Hitoshi Shimizu.

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Seeing the client manager's delighted expression is what motivates the team.

Currently on assignment at Dentsu Digital Inc., I work as a Planning Director, focusing on digital-driven business production. Since the company operates extensively across the digital domain, I'm surrounded by members with diverse backgrounds, absorbing new things every day.

Last year, I focused on producing for a certain foreign IT company. Winning the competitive pitch to become their partner and then actually delivering results afterward remains memorable.

The project aimed to increase downloads for a specific app. Given the mature market and the app's position as a latecomer, the target was challenging. Our team leveraged Dentsu Inc.'s proprietary data to identify the target audience and designed an integrated on/offline communication plan utilizing influencers. We also devised creative ways to reach users, including collaborating with multiple media outlets and developing original concepts. As a result, we achieved download numbers significantly exceeding the target and surpassed the benchmark competitor app.

Beyond the numbers, it was especially gratifying that this promotion earned an internal award across the client's entire global group. Seeing the client representative's genuine delight brought immense satisfaction to our entire team.

Taking ownership and aiming for growth for all partners

What I always strive for is approaching projects with ownership, almost as if I'm doing everything myself. It's not just about "listening to the client's wishes" or "listening to the team's ideas." For every step—media, creative, data utilization—I first form my own hypothesis. Then, I share that with the team and lead them.

Of course, I ultimately rely heavily on professionals in each field. However, I believe that consulting without clear intent or purpose from the start fails to draw out the full professional expertise of these specialists. Therefore, I intend to continue valuing the proactive sharing of opinions, without fear of being disliked.

What I aim to pursue going forward is "all-around production" – growing the businesses of all partners, including media and content providers, through our commitment to the client. I believe this is the value we can create in today's climate, and it aligns with leveraging my strength of "moving around with youthful energy."

I will continue striving to achieve this goal: producing with ownership across all dimensions.