The "NIKKEI Company Song Contest," where you can feel the pulse of Japanese companies, is holding its second edition!

The "Company Song Contest," held by Dentsu Inc. since 2016, is a video contest based on the principle of contributing to the revitalization of communication both within and outside companies.

Companies submit original company anthem videos, and the Grand Prize winner is decided by public voting. The winning anthem is then distributed for karaoke singing nationwide on JOYSOUND.

Starting in 2019, it evolved into the "NIKKEI National Company Song Contest" (hereafter "Company Song Contest": https://shaka.nikkei.co.jp/ ), hosted by Nikkei Inc., expanding its scope to include large corporations and becoming Japan's premier competition to determine the best company song. Furthermore, special cooperation from JOYSOUND, the karaoke business, significantly contributed to the contest's tremendous success, resulting in an unexpectedly high turnout: 174 participating companies, a cumulative total of 380,000 votes, and 30,000 related tweets.

Reference Article:
The Passion Behind the "Company Song Contest" That Ignited the Boom

Last year's winner, Fukoku Life Insurance (top left), performed at the awards ceremony. At the networking event, lively discussions blossomed about the behind-the-scenes stories of each company's company song creation.

Videos from other award-winning companies. Top left:
Plat-in, Otona-mae Tofuten, Aisin Seiki, Kikkoman
Japan Freight Railway, F-Pico, Kagome, Nishihara Shokai
LAVA International, Nippon Yusen, Hirakata City Hall, Toda Construction
Fujieda Ezaki Newspaper Store, Horiba, Daiwa Kako, TAKAIDO Cool Flow.

And now, in response to numerous requests from various quarters, the decision has been made to hold the 2nd NIKKEI Company Song Contest.

I conceived and launched this project in 2016, and since then, I've been able to connect with many companies through their company songs. The idea for the company song contest came from my experience at my alma mater, Chiben Wakayama High School Baseball Club, where the original cheering song united the entire student body.

A company song is like the soul that embodies the essence of a company. Having a company song fosters unity that transcends company size, industry, and position. This is precisely why I am so passionate about company songs.

Why Nikkei × JOYSOUND × Dentsu Inc. Collaborate

As mentioned earlier, this contest is jointly operated by Nikkei, JOYSOUND, and Dentsu Inc. & Dentsu PR. The reason for this collaboration is our belief that "combining the distinct strengths of these three entities can invigorate the Japanese economy."

I see the essence of Nikkei as "giving the Japanese economy a push forward." The trust it has built over time with its core readership of business professionals and executives is unparalleled. It is precisely because this initiative came from Nikkei that we received applications from 174 companies.

JOYSOUND (XING) is a company that has relentlessly pursued music entertainment without compromise. Consequently, it possesses "services and expertise that inspire passion." Its strengths include song distribution for karaoke (including company anthems), "UtaSuki" which connects members through music, its nationwide chain of directly operated stores, and extensive experience organizing diverse music events.

Dentsu Inc. and Dentsu Inc. PR will handle "concept development for the company anthem contest, creative production, and PR planning." We are also fortunate to have influential collaborators, including judges Masazumi Yumikari and Kenji Midorikawa, cheerleader captain Ai Kawashima, and Yoshinori Esaki, renowned for creating company anthems for SMEs.

The Strength Seen in Companies with Company Songs: "A Company Song Means Having Your Own Words"

Reviewing the 174 entries from the previous contest, I felt that "having a company song means having your own words." By articulating the sentiments each company cherishes into lyrics, they can visualize their core values. If these values, born from their unique experiences, can be shared internally, I believe it translates into confidence and impact in every situation.

In a way, I realized anew that watching just one company song video conveys a company's spirit more palpably than reading a corporate brochure.

Also, last time, the voting site experienced far more traffic than anticipated, leading to server downtime toward the end of the period. However, we received no complaints from the participating companies; instead, we were flooded with encouraging emails. I believe this kindness is characteristic of companies that truly own their own words.

The Nikkei featured a four-page voting promotion ad introducing all 174 participating companies.

2020: The Company Song Contest Evolves

In the past three company song contests, the winner was determined solely by online votes. However, with the increase in participating companies and the opening of applications to large corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which find it harder to gather organized votes, were at a disadvantage. Therefore, this year, to ensure every company has a chance to win regardless of size, we are adding the following system:

1. Separate preliminary and final rounds. Companies with the highest votes and those selected by judges advance to the finals.
2. The finals will be a live event where singing and performance are judged. The winner will be determined by the judges' total scores.

Regarding the live final event, we will carefully consider holding it online depending on the COVID-19 situation. Furthermore, driven by the desire to make karaoke spaces "places that meet the diverse needs of customers," JOYSOUND will implement its "Miru Hako" service (https://miruhaco.jp/との連携も今後模索します ).

Singer-songwriter Ai Kawashima, the official cheerleader for the company song contest, has also been confirmed to write the official theme song.

Ai Kawashima, who has supported the company song contest as its cheerleader since 2017, sharing the appeal of participating companies.

Previous award-winning companies have shared feedback like, "We filmed with a home video camera and entered with almost no cost, but it generated a lot of buzz both inside and outside the company. We're glad we did it." I truly believe even a small step has the potential to lead to something big.

After all, hasn't it been said that "a single song phrase can change your life" or "a single cheer song can change how you live"?

We eagerly await many entries, including from companies participating for the very first time!

Nikkei Staff Comment

Nikkei Inc. Media Business Event & Planning Unit Deputy Unit Head and Sales Planning Department Manager
Shuhei Kikuhara

Last year, we received applications from 174 companies, confirming our belief that Nikkei's mission to "support corporate activities" is fundamentally sound. Nikkei has organized numerous contests, and in my 25+ years with the company, I've never seen a project gather such heartfelt entries as the company song contest.

By changing the format of the preliminary and final rounds this time, I believe we can contribute to invigorating corporate communication on an even broader scale. We were very grateful that many companies applied because they found the prospect of having their songs distributed via JOYSOUND karaoke appealing. We hope to secure new sponsors alongside JOYSOUND and build excitement together.

JOYSOUND Representative's Comment

XING, Deputy General Manager, Corporate Strategy Department & Group Leader, Advertising & Public Relations Group
Katsuya Teramoto

Last year, we had the pleasure of working together for the first time, and through the submitted entries, we truly felt the passionate dedication of participating companies toward their organizations.

Our company's foremost priority is delivering music entertainment that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. Amidst the changing nature of companies and work styles due to the novel coronavirus, we hope that the creation of company songs connecting companies and their employees, and the inclusion of these songs in our karaoke service, can contribute to enhancing employee engagement at each company.

<Second NIKKEI National Company Song Contest Schedule (Proposed)>
September 2020 onwards: Details published in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun & applications open
February–March 2021: Final Event & Awards Ceremony