Solve Management Challenges with Your Company Song! "Company Song Contest" [3]Just Before the Finals! Why JOYSOUND Supports the Company Song Contest
The Corporate Anthem Contest (nicknamed "Shakacon") invites companies to submit corporate anthem videos, with Japan's best determined through web voting and judging by special panelists.
Organized jointly by the Nikkei, JOYSOUND (Xing), and Dentsu Inc. & Dentsu Inc. PR, this contest enters its second year. Despite the pandemic, it recorded 193 entries (110% of the previous year) and a cumulative 680,000 votes (180% of the previous year). The finals, featuring the 10 qualifying companies, will be held on Wednesday, February 24, 2021.
Ahead of the finals, we interviewed Katsuya Teramoto and Mai Shimamura from the Advertising & PR Group, Corporate Strategy Department at XING, who have supported the "NIKKEI National Company Song Contest" since its inception.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which has placed the music and entertainment industries in a difficult position, Dentsu Inc.'s Kohei Morimoto, who launched the company song contest in 2016, asked about JOYSOUND's reasons for supporting the contest, the sentiments behind it, and the highlights of the finals.
Cancelled live events and avoiding the three Cs have had a massive impact on the karaoke industry
Morimoto: I've worked with both of you since the 2019 company song contest, and I feel a certain kinship with you, if I may say so. It's about "challenging without fear of failure."
I'd sensed this through JOYSOUND's innovative services and the company song contest before, but seeing your efforts during the pandemic truly moved me—your strong, positive attitude toward taking on challenges.
I imagine the music and entertainment industry is facing an extremely difficult situation right now. First, could you tell us about JOYSOUND during the pandemic?
Teramoto: With the cancellation of live events due to COVID-19 and the overall downturn in the music industry, coupled with the heightened association between karaoke and keywords like droplet transmission and the "three Cs" (closed spaces, crowded places, close-contact settings), the situation has been extremely challenging.
Shimamura: With fewer artist live performances and releases, the accompanying campaigns disappeared, and new song distribution also decreased. Furthermore, the decline in customers visiting karaoke venues has significantly impacted our business performance.
Morimoto: When the state of emergency was declared in 2020, what did your stores do?
Teramoto: We closed all locations simultaneously. For JOYSOUND-operated stores, we also scaled back operations during this January 2021 state of emergency as requested for shortened hours. We are operating while prioritizing customer health and safety based on the guidelines.
Shimamura: Our company hosts the annual " JOYSOUND National Karaoke Contest," an event eagerly anticipated by many fans and participants. We explored ways to hold it in 2020, but ultimately, considering health and safety, we had no choice but to cancel.
A culture of embracing new challenges, proving its worth during the pandemic
Morimoto: It must be an incredibly difficult situation, but could you tell us about the initiatives you've undertaken?
Teramoto: We received many messages from customers via SNS saying, "We want to go to karaoke," and "We want to sing." To respond to those feelings even a little, we made 300 popular karaoke songs available for free on our official YouTube channel, so anyone could enjoy karaoke at home.
Morimoto: The view counts were incredible, right? But honestly, since JOYSOUND offers home karaoke services linked to smartphones and game consoles, I was really surprised by this initiative.
Shimamura: It was certainly a measure that could potentially disadvantage our existing services. But at that moment, we felt that responding to everyone's desire to sing and preserving the culture of singing karaoke was more important than anything else.
Teramoto: Even after the state of emergency was lifted, we challenged ourselves with various initiatives—including developing and rolling out the new "Mask Effect" feature (which ensures vocals remain clear even when singing with a mask) within just one month, and testing robot-assisted customer support to reduce face-to-face contact. We're also exploring other projects currently in development.
Morimoto: Being able to challenge things this quickly—isn't that because the spirit of trying new things was already deeply ingrained even before COVID?
Teramoto: Indeed, some pre-pandemic initiatives have borne fruit. For example, we released " Miru Hako " in 2019, which allows users to enjoy live viewings and video content in karaoke rooms. During the pandemic, it was featured in numerous media outlets as a new form of entertainment. Increased collaboration with artists has also expanded the volume and range of available content.
Morimoto: The key point of "Miru Hako" is balancing the live experience with a private atmosphere, right? I thought it was fantastic that you can eat and drink whenever you like, and enjoy things at your own pace without worrying about those around you—more so than at a real event.
Corporate Anthems Shine Brightest During the Pandemic
Morimoto: While the world was shaken by COVID-19, we received numerous requests from various quarters. The team, including JOYSOUND, united to successfully hold the 2nd NIKKEI National Company Song Contest. We received an overwhelming response far exceeding expectations: 193 entries (110% of the previous year), a cumulative 680,000 votes (180% of the previous year), and website traffic quadrupled compared to last year even before voting began. We sincerely apologize for the difficulties accessing the site due to the overwhelming traffic.
Shimamura: We were also surprised by the unprecedented level of success. Reviewing the entries, we discovered companies we never knew existed in Japan! We were deeply moved by the songs and videos overflowing with company pride.
Teramoto: Just like last year, the corporate culture and spirit come through so clearly. I think company songs are also an excellent tool for job seekers looking for companies. If I were young, I would definitely choose a company based on its company song.
Morimoto: Survey results from participating companies actually show effects beyond just "improved employee unity" and "increased employee communication." Some companies also reported "effectiveness in recruitment."
Shimamura: I think the significance of company songs became even more pronounced precisely because of the pandemic. For example, with remote work becoming the norm, many employees likely feel a weakening of connections and a sense of isolation.
When you're constantly working alone, that sense of belonging to the company can easily fade. In such times, I believe creating a company song is incredibly important for connecting employees emotionally and instilling the corporate philosophy.
Morimoto: Exactly as you said, Shimamura-san. We've received feedback like this: "Amidst the pandemic, we couldn't hold events to unite the company and felt communication was limited. However, preparing and practicing dances at each office for the contest entry created excitement company-wide and fostered horizontal connections."
Now more than ever, the power of music
Morimoto: While this company anthem contest has been highly valued by many companies, the fact that we could hold it amidst such challenging social circumstances was largely due to JOYSOUND's support. Honestly, I imagine 2020 brought significant operational damage for you. Could you tell us why you still chose to support the contest?
Teramoto: We wanted to respond to your passion, Morimoto-san. That's certainly a personal sentiment (laughs), but as a company, we champion the theme "Now is the time for the power of music." We've always believed in the power of music.
The message embodied in this theme perfectly aligns with the message of the company song contest. That's why we wanted to be involved no matter the circumstances. We felt strongly that we absolutely must not withdraw from this initiative.
Shimamura: After the state of emergency was lifted in 2020, Megumi Oyabu, a director at Daiwa Kako who won the "Passion Award" in the previous company song contest, sent us a video. When I opened it, it was footage of President Kenji passionately singing their company song at karaoke.
The accompanying message read something like, "I sang this song countless times. Even in tough times, I realized I was singing with tears in my eyes, determined to protect our employees." It brought tears to my eyes too.
At that moment, I was reminded of the power of music. I also became convinced that karaoke has the power to lift people's spirits, and that company songs possess a unique strength.
I'm truly delighted that the power of music, embodied by our company song, could help lift people's spirits during the pandemic. I'm also grateful to Nikkei for providing that platform.
The essence of Nikkei and JOYSOUND is "giving companies (and people) a push forward."
Morimoto: The copy for the company anthem contest reflects JOYSOUND's vision, but it's interesting how it also aligns perfectly with Nikkei's vision. Just as JOYSOUND made karaoke songs available for free, Nikkei provided contest participants with numerous assets, starting with its print pages.
Teramoto: Nikkei truly goes above and beyond in an astonishing way. Their perspective is excellent, and they have the drive to bring ideas to life. I believe this is only possible because the people in charge are passionate, and their superiors understand and support that passion.
Morimoto: I believe Nikkei's essence lies in "giving companies a push forward," and the company anthem contest embodies this perfectly. Through these anthems, we've built positive relationships with companies that previously had no connection to a newspaper, contributing to their growth.
And I see the same spirit of "encouraging people" at the core of JOYSOUND's business. What moved me was " Kyokunavi " (a smartphone app that lets you control karaoke, sing with your own meaningful photos or videos as backgrounds, and share karaoke memories). It's a service meticulously designed from the user's perspective, packed with thoughtful details that strengthen the bonds among those present and inspire a positive mindset to tackle tomorrow.
Teramoto: I'm glad to hear you say that. We constantly prioritize the user perspective, like creating mechanisms where we invite ambassadors to collaborate with customers in designing the service.
The finals are on Wednesday, February 24th at 1:30 PM! Live streaming is confirmed!
Morimoto: The company song contest finals and awards ceremony will be held at Nikkei Hall on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. The finals will feature screenings of the company song videos, followed by a 2-minute presentation time for each company. The judges will deliberate, and the Grand Prize winner will be decided. (Live streaming scheduled on Nikkei Channel starting at 1:30 PM).
Could you tell us the highlights and any company songs you're particularly looking forward to this time?
Teramoto: Well, there are so many truly captivating company songs, including those from companies that didn't make it to the finals, that it's really hard to narrow it down...
Shimamura: Exactly! Can we have a losers' bracket now? (laughs) Personally, I thought Takamaru Seafood Store was fantastic.
Morimoto: Takamaru Fish Shop was great, wasn't it! While they didn't make the finals either, I had so many favorites—Ichiran, Able, Hirakata City, Shikoku Bank, Pokapoka Nursery, Hoken Office— it's impossible to list them all. I totally get how you feel... Well then, let's post links to the 10 finalists and let our readers decide!
Teramoto: Once again, we've gathered wonderful company song videos that distill the spirit and individuality of each company.
Shimamura: Any of them could win, so I'm really looking forward to it!
Morimoto: We hope many people will see how companies united through "the power of music" even during the pandemic!
NIKKEI National Company Song Contest Official Site
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Author
Katsuya Teramoto
Xing Inc.
Public Relations Manager at Xing Inc., operator of JOYSOUND. Has worked across diverse departments within the company, including Sales, Product Planning, Sales Planning, Sales Promotion, and Public Relations. Driven by a passion for innovation and an aversion to rigid frameworks, has been involved in content planning for broadband services and the launch of the karaoke social media platform "UtaSuki" (a membership service). Currently, drawing on this ethos and experience, he is dedicated to advancing brand appeal centered on the theme of "dissonance and harmony," focused on how to make the JOYSOUND brand known and loved by as many people as possible.
Mai Shimamura
Xing Inc.
At Xing Inc., which operates JOYSOUND, I handle public relations. Driven by the belief that "bringing smiles to people's faces is my true calling!", I joined a major hotel group right after graduation. In my second year, I won the Best Service of the Year Gold Award, the pinnacle achievement for hotel staff nationwide. I then joined BMB Inc., which operated karaoke UGA, gaining experience in a wide range of fields including corporate planning and overseas operations. In 2010, following the integration of JOYSOUND and UGA, she moved to Xing Inc. as the primary PR manager, where she has been involved in promoting various products, services, and initiatives.
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).
