Company Songs as a Source of Regional Revitalization: The Challenge of the Japan Nutrition School Lunch Association

The NIKKEI Company Song Contest (nicknamed "Company Song Con"), which determines Japan's best company song, has finally opened submissions for its commemorative 5th edition (Submission Period: July 3rd to October 6th, 17:00).

Starting this year, the Japan Nutrition School Lunch Association, a top-tier school lunch service provider in Tochigi Prefecture, has joined as a sponsor to help energize the contest.

Why does this company, which also took second place in the 2nd Company Song Contest, support the contest? What are the sentiments behind the winning company songs? Hirohira Morimoto, the Dentsu Inc. planner who initiated the contest, interviewed President Masayuki Hashimoto and Planning & Development Department Manager Seiko Irie.

【Company Song Contest】
The ultimate showdown to crown the No. 1 corporate anthem video, designed to invigorate internal and external corporate communication. Twelve finalists are selected through online public voting and judge evaluations. Final rankings are determined by live event presentations and video screenings. Launched in 2016. Since 2019, it has been the Nikkei Company Song Contest, hosted by the Nikkei Inc. We consider "company songs" to be any musical piece filled with the sentiments of those involved in economic activities—be it an official company anthem, an unofficial corporate song, a cheer song for shopping districts or corporate alliances, or a theme song for schools or local governments.
https://shaka.nikkei.co.jp

 

"We want to bring smiles to the faces of everyone connected to us."

Morimoto: Thank you for sponsoring the company song contest this time. It's very encouraging that companies who have won in past contests are now involved in helping to energize the event. First, could you tell us about the Japan Nutrition and School Meals Association?

Hashimoto: The Japan Nutrition Catering Association operates under the management philosophy of contributing to health and creating culture through "food." We provide catering services to medical facilities, social welfare facilities, kindergartens, nurseries, schools, and companies within Tochigi Prefecture. We also operate in the restaurant business, agricultural business, and food business, but our underlying vision is to deliver "authenticity and smiles." As part of our efforts to realize this, we conduct food education activities to convey the importance of food at local kindergartens and nurseries, as well as at events within the prefecture.

Morimoto: Thank you. I get the impression you're not only dedicated to your core business but also passionate about community contribution activities. How do your employees engage in these efforts?

Irie: In my department, Planning and Development, we not only work on developing new products but also handle public relations and food education activities. A culture of embracing new challenges is deeply rooted here. Furthermore, we have many qualified professionals within the company, such as registered dietitians and certified chefs, as well as experts knowledgeable about food and health in various fields like sports, the elderly, and kindergartens. Having reliable advisors available depending on the theme allows us to plan food education programs that truly reflect our company's identity.

Morimoto: Are the employees also supportive?

Irie: Actually, quite a few of our specialists joined the company specifically because they wanted to work in food education. We reach out to them with invitations like, "Would you like to join us?" We also make efforts to involve employees' families, such as inviting them to facility tours or harvest experiences. This helps create accessible entry points so everyone can feel connected to the company's initiatives.

Artists visit workplaces for inspiration, then write lyrics and compose music

Morimoto: The Japan Nutrition and School Meals Association submitted an entry for the second competition. Could you tell us what originally prompted you to create a company song?

Hashimoto: Our company has over 1,000 employees working across various locations within the prefecture. Many sites, like hospitals and senior care facilities, operate 365 days a year, making it difficult to gather everyone together for activities. In this situation, we felt there were limits to conveying our management philosophy and the mindset we value solely through words. The company song was conceived as one means to address this.

Morimoto: In the company song video, someone dressed as a pirate was singing. Was that an employee?

Hashimoto: That was Captain Uchida from " The Singing Pirate Crew! ", a performance unit based in Tochigi. They are a group supporting childcare nationwide and aiming for a society free of abuse through entertainment. Our company has long shared their vision and supported their wonderful activities. So, when we decided to create a company song, we asked Captain Uchida to write the lyrics and compose the music.

Morimoto: I see. I imagine the lyrics embody the company's philosophy and spirit. How did you convey that to Captain Uchida?

Hashimoto: What's amazing about Captain Uchida is that he personally visits our sites to gather inspiration. Of course, we explained things verbally, but he actually went to various locations—senior care facilities, the central kitchen, the bakery, the fields—and wrote the lyrics after gaining a deep understanding.

Irie: I was in the position of escorting Captain Uchida during his research. He truly went to many places and interviewed the staff members. He didn't just observe the workers; he also saw with his own eyes how the diners were enjoying their meals.

Morimoto: That's amazing. Having an artist engage that deeply feels quite unusual for creating a company song. Did you feel the song's "Happiness, Let's Deliver It!" captured our company's essence?

Hashimoto: Absolutely. Especially the part, "Right beside 'Let's eat!' / Right beside 'Thank you for the meal!' / May everyone's smiles be there." It perfectly captures our sentiment, and the way it's set to such a catchy melody is truly impressive.

Irie: I was deeply moved too. I knew our staff would be thrilled, and I was delighted they crafted such an energetic song—like a cheerful anthem for everyone.

Company anthem contributes to increased new graduate applications and reduced client churn rate!

Morimoto: Could you tell us what prompted you to enter the company song contest?

Hashimoto: Captain Uchida found it and said, "Since we have this opportunity, why don't we make a video and give it a shot?" I think there were less than three months until the submission deadline, but we decided to go for it.

Irie: From there, we worked at a breakneck pace. Captain Uchida created the story, and we gathered members from within the company. We practiced the dance during breaks and then filmed it. Wanting to do it all in Tochigi, we enlisted the help of Shimotsuke TV Video, which is involved in Tochigi TV's production, for the editing.

Morimoto: The video was full of energy, with not just the captain but all the employees dancing with such lively expressions. Why did you decide to apply despite the tight schedule?

Hashimoto: While the company song serves the major purpose of instilling our management philosophy, it's actually also part of our support activities for "Singing Pirates!". We deeply resonate with their vision of creating a future free from abuse. To realize this, we need more people to learn about the Singing Pirates' activities. If the company song and video created by Captain Uchida become the best in Japan, the Singing Pirates will gain more recognition. Their increased activity should ultimately lead to a reduction in child abuse. That sentiment was also behind our decision to enter the company song contest.

Morimoto: So, rather than just promoting your own company, you incorporated elements into the company song that benefit local people and the businesses you support. I thought this approach to creating a company song, where it ultimately leads back to company growth and building a fanbase, is perfectly suited to today's times. And then, that song made it to the finals and ultimately won second place. Did you expect this result?

Hashimoto: On the final day, the rankings were announced starting from 10th place. As they called out the names up to 3rd place without mentioning ours, the excitement reached its peak. When our company was called for 2nd place, rather than disappointment, my heart was filled with the thought, "Wow, we made it this far." For the voting to advance to the finals, we received tremendous support not only from our employees but also from our business partners and their families. I truly believe it was thanks to everyone.

Irie: After securing the runner-up position, we received many flowers and congratulatory telegrams, and all employees shared in that joy. The contest fostered a sense of unity within the company. It also led to increased communication, like the creation of new chat groups. Subsequently, we saw over double the usual number of new graduate applicants through our website, and we had zero client cancellations due to company reasons. We feel the company song has indirectly had a positive impact on both recruitment and business.

Morimoto: That's amazing. Beyond just creating a company song, what's the secret to nurturing it to the point where it contributes to business growth?

Irie: With 1,000 employees, differing levels of enthusiasm for the company song are inevitable. To foster a sense of connection, we created an internal-only music video using photos and videos collected from facilities across the prefecture. We continue to promote the song in various ways—sharing the video during internal communications, not just during the voting period, and regularly introducing it alongside company updates. We also actively share phrases from the song.

By supporting the company song contest, we want to energize the region and Japan

Morimoto: Given that context, could you tell us why you decided to sponsor the company song contest?

Hashimoto: We often hear about the era of diversity these days, and I resonate with that concept. At the same time, companies must pursue their "uniqueness" – the answer to "Why does our organization exist in the world?" – to survive and grow. Thanks to encountering the company song contest, our "uniqueness" has grown stronger, positively impacting our recruitment and business. We believe that increasing the number of such companies will invigorate local communities and ultimately revitalize Japan as a whole, which in turn will contribute to our own growth.

Irie: Recently, the "Singing Pirates!" held a concert at an event commemorating Tochigi Prefecture's 150th anniversary. They sang our company song as their second song. Then, children in the audience stood up, danced, and sang along, while their parents responded with smiles. I was deeply moved to see our company song beginning to permeate the community beyond the confines of our company. Small and medium-sized enterprises like ours in the region might also contribute to revitalization through their company songs. We want to contribute to such a movement, even if only a little, through our sponsorship.

Morimoto: I think it's rare for a company anthem to permeate the community this deeply and contribute to revitalization. This should be very instructive for the companies participating this year. I'd be delighted if everyone, including the other sponsors and judges, could help make the company anthem contest a success. Thank you very much for today!

The official website for the "NIKKEI Company Song Contest 2024" is here.

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