ABEMA Prime × PIVOT Producer Discussion ~ How Should Companies Engage with "Video Media"?

Guo: There's definitely room to be more creative in how corporate information is communicated. Companies are seriously tackling issues like SDGs, diversity, and work-life balance now, but depending on how it's presented, it can come across as insincere. From the consumer's perspective, it might seem like they're just spouting empty platitudes. That's a real waste.

By co-creating messages with us as a video media outlet, I believe we can make corporate initiatives more accessible to the general public—or rather, align them with the values of everyday consumers. I think that's what will be demanded of us going forward. Regarding how corporate information is communicated, corporate owned media often provides valuable reference points.

Kuniyama: I think corporate owned media will really take off from here. The video quality keeps improving, and it's becoming more like entertainment, right?

Guo: For example, on one automaker's owned media, engineers passionately discussed autonomous driving using their own words, based on their personal experiences. There are things they can't say in interviews with external media, but they can share on their own platform. That's where you hear the more genuine stories. Watching that, I realize, "So this company has people who can talk like this," and it gets me excited. If they're having such open discussions, I sometimes think, "I'd love to have them on our show next."

──So there's also a trend from corporate owned media to video media, right?

Guo: Mercari has dedicated videographers. They're essentially like in-house YouTubers. They create various videos for employees. For example, as Mercari has more Indian engineers, they made an MV-style video set to Indian music showing their arrival at the Japanese office. Initiatives like this boost morale internally, and the engineers featured in the video must be happy too. While these videos are also viewable externally, I believe they successfully convey the image of Mercari as an exciting company that takes on new challenges.

──Videos are really eye-catching, aren't they?

Guo: Mercari's owned media is great, both the videos and the text. It's really inspiring for us too. Even their internal content is properly edited and designed.

──That's interesting. Rather than advertising their own business to make it look good, they share behind-the-scenes information that was previously hard to convey. That might actually be more essential. Creating such projects could be effective for the company too.

Guo: I believe it is effective. The job-hunting site "ONE CAREER PLUS" had a feature where people who left Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) shared their honest thoughts directly with HR from their former employer. SMBC was actually sponsoring this feature. In this era where changing jobs is becoming commonplace, I think the intent was to communicate that even after leaving a company, you can leverage the skills you've cultivated, and also to share career information like, "If you join us, you can pivot to these kinds of career paths." It's not a typical form of corporate communication, but I thought it was very well done.

Kunioka: Corporate communication methods are evolving, aren't they? Video media directors who can create content conveying the "behind-the-scenes" or real side of companies are highly valued. Currently, there's a trend of terrestrial broadcast announcers and producers transitioning to corporate roles. I believe the mobility of broadcast professionals will increase further. Within video media, entertainment value and novel ways of conveying and presenting information will be increasingly sought after.

──Hearing both of you speak, it's clear that video media demands a different approach to conveying corporate information than traditional tie-ups or PR. There seems to be new potential in how companies communicate their information, including their products and services. Thank you both for today.