UUUM and Dentsu Inc.'s Vision for the Future Relationship Between YouTube Creators and Brands

Results from brainwave measurements using "Brain Behavior Insight" introduced in Part 2

Tamura: We conducted this survey hoping to visualize even a little of what lies behind trustworthiness. Users were watching the videos with more engagement than we imagined. While the difference between concentration and relaxation was significant, the upper (concentration) portion was high, and overall, the percentage in the positive/active zone was substantial. The comparison with the reference commercial video we tried was also surprising. The commercial was highly polished, so its zone ratio was impressive, but the YouTube video surpassed it. Brainwaves helped unravel part of why we keep watching YouTube videos with such interest.

Ichikawa: We've learned that influencer content is highly effective at prompting people to take action. This study also scientifically validated the "trustworthiness" we observed in the first survey.

Amano: Are there any themes you'd like to explore further through future research?

Ichikawa: I know it's challenging, but I'd say attribution—measuring each media channel's contribution to conversions. As the digital shift advances, the influence of influencer and creator content is also changing. At least for me, I'm buying things more often based on information from YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

My wife works in a completely different field, but she researches products daily on e-commerce sites, checks reviews on YouTube and Twitter, and verifies prices and comments on comparison sites before deciding to buy. I feel the information obtained online has a truly significant influence.

That's precisely why I want to continue researching how much influencer and YouTube creator content actually influences people's actions. It would be great if we could quantify influencer impact from various angles—not just purchase attribution, but also aspects like enhancing product understanding.

Amano: Attribution is also an eternal challenge for the advertising industry. While it has become easier to track as communication shifts to digital, it has also grown more complex. It's a critically important theme.

Considering YouTube Content in the Age of COVID-19

Amano: Now, let's discuss YouTube trends during the pandemic and the future for YouTube creators. 2020 saw significant impacts across all advertising communication due to COVID-19. How do you perceive the positive and negative aspects?

Ichikawa: I feel the accelerated digital shift created an environment where YouTube creators' and influencers' content became easier to access.

For example, take Marina Takewaki, a "home workout YouTuber" affiliated with UUUM. She's a creator who shares information to enjoy fitness together with her viewers. Just as her subscriber count was rapidly growing, the pandemic led to increased time spent at home. Viewers seeking to combat a lack of exercise surged, watching her content and working out together, causing her view counts to jump nearly fivefold overnight. This illustrates how many creators saw a significant increase in their content's view counts.

On the other hand, the negative impact felt across the advertising industry as a whole also spread to creators. Companies canceled ads, became cautious about when to run ads, and various other effects occurred.

Additionally, restrictions have arisen in content production itself. Like TV show location shoots, production activities now require careful attention to avoiding the three Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, close-contact settings) and maintaining social distancing. Collaboration has also become difficult. While the appeal of YouTube content was its relative lack of physical constraints, it now seems that content won't be accepted unless these restrictions are incorporated.

Amano: A notable trend during the pandemic has been the entry of well-known celebrities into YouTube. This could lead to competition for time with existing YouTube creators. How does UUUM view this situation?

Ichikawa: Without sounding boastful, we don't view the entry of famous talents as "competition." Rather, we want to move forward to enable collaboration and coexistence. One answer to this is our capital and business alliance with Yoshimoto Kogyo. If new collaborations emerge, the breadth of content will expand. We intend to deepen these partnerships going forward.

Amano: For creators looking to grow their popularity, what kind of support does UUUM plan to provide and what strengths do you aim to leverage?

Ichikawa: Regarding production, we've previously involved production companies and creative boutiques to brainstorm concepts together. For creators seeking this kind of support, we plan to further strengthen our systems.

UUUM itself also aims to further enhance its capabilities as a production company. Additionally, we relocated our headquarters from Roppongi Hills to Tokyo Midtown at the end of March 2020. This move has increased the number of studios available for creators to use, and the sets have been upgraded.

Tamura: Do you provide similar support to influencers outside of YouTube creators?

Ichikawa: Yes. We tailor the support we provide based on the creator. For example, we support the social media activities of the idol group "Kanjuku," assist Hinata, who became famous on TikTok, with her YouTube activities, and help creators and agencies according to their needs. We aim to cover everything related to influencer marketing, not just YouTube.

Amano: During the pandemic, the social role of YouTube creators also came under the spotlight. For example, HIKAKIN is very active in social causes, right? Could you tell us about the social role of YouTube creators who influence younger audiences?

Ichikawa: Broadly speaking, there are two contexts: the creator and UUUM. HIKAKIN held a dialogue with the Tokyo Governor to raise awareness about the risks of COVID-19, but that activity was initiated by HIKAKIN himself.

UUUM also consciously considers creators' social contributions. During the self-restraint period under the state of emergency declaration, we ran the "Stay Home" campaign. With the cooperation of participating creators, we shared the message to stay home and avoid going out as much as possible through videos and Twitter. Going forward, if our ideas align with creators, we want to contribute to society through information dissemination.

Amano: Finally, is there a message you'd like to convey to advertising clients and agencies to foster better collaboration?

Ichikawa: Our straightforward message is: "Let's create interesting content together." As mentioned in the first part, many people are very familiar with traditional talent but still unfamiliar with influencers. We want to focus our efforts on initiatives to resolve this issue and on disseminating the necessary information. On that basis, we'd be delighted to work as one team to develop content.

When advertising clients, agencies, and creators each approach content creation from their own context, conflicts often arise. But when we understand each other's positions and have deep discussions, there comes a moment when everyone smiles. Content that captures that moment truly often sees view counts jump far beyond the norm.

My original reason for entering the advertising industry was the desire to create content that makes people laugh and stirs their emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. I believe the more people involved, the more enjoyable the content becomes. I sincerely hope we can create together.