30th Anniversary: JOYSOUND's Seriously Crafted Company Song!? President Mizutani on the Corporate Culture That Continues to Create New Services

The finals of the " NIKKEI National Company Song Contest 2023 " (commonly known as the Company Song Contest) are fast approaching on Friday, February 3rd.

Expectations are high for this year's event as a form of "corporate entertainment" sure to deliver plenty of laughter and excitement. Supporting the Nikkei Company Song Contest since its very first edition is JOYSOUND (XING). This time, we delve into the thoughts behind the song "JOYSOUND Let's Go!", created to commemorate JOYSOUND's 30th anniversary, the company's history of challenges, and the reasons for supporting the contest. Dentsu Inc. planner Kohei Morimoto, who launched the contest in 2016, spoke with Xing President Yasushi Mizutani.

[Company Song Contest]
A contest to determine Japan's best corporate anthem video, specially supported by JOYSOUND, aiming to invigorate internal and external corporate communication. Twelve finalists are selected through online public voting and judge evaluations. The final rankings are decided based on presentations and video screenings at a live event. Launched in 2016. Since 2019, it has become the NIKKEI National Corporate Anthem Contest, hosted by the Nikkei Inc.
 

The company culture of never ceasing to challenge is embedded in the company song

Morimoto: Congratulations on your 30th anniversary.

Mizutani: Thank you.

Morimoto: I saw the music video for your 30th anniversary song, "JOYSOUND Let's Go!" What prompted its creation?

Mizutani: While considering various initiatives to commemorate our 30th anniversary, one idea was to create a beloved anthem song for our employees. We also felt it was ironic that we sponsor a company anthem contest yet didn't have one ourselves, so we decided to give it a try. From writing the lyrics, composing, and arranging the music, to casting the vocalist and video performers, everything was done through an internal company-wide call for submissions. This song embodies the collective passion of everyone involved. Set to bright, fast-paced music, it captures the joy of music in band and karaoke scenes. The image of charging straight ahead embodies the "challenge" spirit we've upheld since our founding, while also expressing hope for the unseen future and a drive for continuous improvement.

Morimoto: My first impression upon hearing it was that it "sticks in your head." Having encountered nearly a thousand company songs, I feel that "sticking in your head = leaving an impression" is the most crucial quality for a company song. If it leaves an impression, the message embedded within it becomes easier to permeate both inside and outside the company.

Mizutani: I completely agree. I really like the chorus phrase that makes you want to hum along.

Morimoto: President Mizutani, you've previously judged company songs as a contest judge. Now that you've actually led the creation of a song internally, what insights or perspectives have emerged?

Mizutani: Looking back over 30 years, we've created such a diverse range of services. Condensing that history into one song was surprisingly challenging. But precisely because we had to distill it into a single piece, it became a valuable opportunity to revisit what's truly important and our core essence.

Morimoto: What was the most important part?

Mizutani: Our corporate culture of "continuing to challenge."

Morimoto: Indeed, working alongside everyone at JOYSOUND, the keyword "challenge" left a strong impression on me too. Since launching the industry's first online karaoke service in 1992, you've continuously created innovative new services. What's the secret behind that?

Mizutani: I believe the key lies in this: Are we relentlessly challenging ourselves toward an unseen future, even more than focusing on results? When I was young, a senior taught me, "What matters is how many times you step up to the plate. If you never step up, you'll never get a hit." It's precisely because this spirit of challenge has been passed down through generations that employees, regardless of department or position, can have the courage to try.

Morimoto: I imagine there are naturally more instances where things don't go well than where they succeed. What words do you offer when failure occurs?

Mizutani: While thoroughly examining why it didn't work and reflecting is absolutely necessary, I tell them there's no need to regret it. Since I gave the go-ahead for them to challenge themselves, the responsibility lies with me. And crucially, we don't let failure end as just failure. I always make sure to convey that there's always a hint of success hidden within it. I feel this culture has become deeply ingrained among our employees.

Morimoto: The positive atmosphere among your employees seems rooted in that careful choice of words every day.

Mizutani: Last year, we started lending out sewing machines in the karaoke room, which became quite a talking point. I believe creating something unprecedented, ideas that surprise the world, and that spirit of challenge are what generate new value.

Morimoto: The sewing machine initiative was truly surprising. So this spirit is behind such outstanding business ventures.

Morimoto: What kind of feedback did you receive from employees involved in the company anthem project?

Mizutani: We've received positive feedback like, "My gratitude towards our customers and business partners has grown even stronger," and "I've reaffirmed the importance of the spirit of challenge JOYSOUND has always valued." Also, this time, young employees took the lead in advancing the project. Through the song creation process, they engaged with the history of our service development and seemed to recognize anew that "this is a company that keeps challenging itself." That aspect was also very positive.

Morimoto: Transforming tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, visualizing corporate culture through a single music video seems to offer many benefits. This appears effective not only for internal initiatives but also across all fronts: IR, recruitment, B2B sales channel development, and B2C consumer appeal. In fact, the survey of companies that entered this company anthem contest showed a positive response rate of about 90% regarding the anthem production and contest participation.

World's First!? The Thought Behind the "Smile-Inducing Newspaper Ad"

Morimoto: On January 19th (Singing Contest Day), the "Newspaper Ad That Makes President Mizutani Smile," which the Dentsu Inc. team also had the honor of participating in, was published in the Nikkei Shimbun. It was a delightfully analog concept: folding the illustration of President Mizutani in the ad along the mountain and valley folds transformed his expression into a smile. What was the thought behind this?

Mizutani: When the advertising department proposed this, all the other executives agreed except me, which left me a bit perplexed (laughs). However, as the representative of a company that aims to bring joy to the world, I thought if serving as the model could embody that corporate spirit, I should definitely do it. I couldn't very well shoot down an idea that everyone from the board down to the front lines was pushing... (laughs). Ultimately, the deciding factor was the opinion that "seeing the president personally delivering a message to the world would be a strong, encouraging boost for our employees."

Morimoto: JOYSOUND always gets excited about bold proposals and jumps on board, which makes working with them thrilling for us too. How was the response after the ad ran?

Mizutani: We received a lot of feedback from our B2B client companies. I believe we successfully embodied the message our company values, and I'm glad we took on the "challenge" of the "unknown." (laughs)

Morimoto: For this project, we had Akari Kamata and Sakura Yamaguchi handle it—both creators known for their love of challenges and proven track records. We'd be thrilled to continue collaborating on various business creative projects beyond just advertising campaigns.

Mizutani: Absolutely. Dentsu Inc. always inspires us with their passion and bold proposals.

Company Anthem Contest 2023 Finals Finally Here!

Morimoto: The finals for Company Song Contest 2023 will be held at Tachikawa Stage Garden on February 3rd. What aspects are you particularly looking forward to this time?

Mizutani: Year after year, we see greater diversity in the participating companies and a broader range of genres, which makes it genuinely exciting. Last year, Showa Women's University, a school, won the championship, and Iruma City, a municipality, placed third. This shows the competition is expanding beyond just companies, right?

Morimoto: That's right. This time, we have entries from overseas companies, local governments, shopping districts, manufacturing industry alliances, Junior Chambers, and various other entities. We often discuss this point with Nikkei as well – just because it's a company song, there's no need to limit it to individual companies. Our stance is that anyone who is "using the power of music to positively advance economic activities and daily life" is welcome.

Mizutani: That perfectly aligns with JOYSOUND's philosophy. We at JOYSOUND also want to do everything we can to support the activities of the participating companies, starting with streaming their company songs on karaoke.

Morimoto: Perhaps it's precisely because you've actually produced the songs that you can see deeper aspects than before.

Mizutani: Yes, it's moving to see a company's atmosphere, culture, and history revealed through song. Since these corporate anthem videos carry the creators' passion and stories, I want to judge them while feeling that background.

Morimoto: Finally, could you share a message for the 12 finalists heading into the finals?

Mizutani: The Company Song Contest finals are a stage for business professionals' passion to collide, transcending company size and industry. Regardless of ranking, I hope you'll share your message with the nation and the world. While I've listened to all your company song videos, the live performance on the day can significantly change impressions. I look forward to seeing you deliver performances you can be proud of.

Morimoto: Thank you. Below, we've included a "Digest Video of the 12 Finalists" and a "Link to the Final LIVE Stream." We look forward to seeing you all on the day!

Mizutani: Thank you!

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