Why hasn't there been a specialist in "the language of management" until now?

We live in an era overflowing with information, an era of rapid change. Precisely because of this, the importance of words that are uniquely a company's own, words only that company can say, words that reveal the company's essence, has grown significantly.

We at Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners were established as a specialized team responsible for crafting corporate philosophies—such as purpose, mission, vision, and values—as well as speechwriting for top executives themselves. Alongside copywriters, members with diverse backgrounds including PR planners and producers carry the title "Messaging Partner" on their business cards as they work.

In this series, we aim to carefully convey our team's originality and expertise, as well as the future direction of "top management messaging."

Corporate philosophies, top messages... These critically important words for management have been created without a "definite method," often "by trial and error each time."

Nice to meet you. I'm Kei Nakayama from Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners. I'd like to share with you the value of "top messages" as "management language," along with the uniqueness of Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners.

"Sales matter more than corporate philosophy," "Top messages are just empty words." I don't think any executive would say such reckless things these days.

In an era of ever-increasing change, the importance of corporate philosophy as the axis for decision-making grows. In an era where companies compete fiercely for top talent, the importance of top messages that boost employee engagement and unleash their potential increases. In an era demanding sustainability in management, the significance of purpose—which creates lasting value over the long term—rises.
Many executives likely believe that "corporate philosophy" and "top-level messaging" – the words of management, encompassing purpose, mission, vision, and values – are the driving force sustaining corporate growth for decades.

Yet, how many executives truly recognize the importance of the "process" for creating these words with high quality (where quality here does not refer to superficial polish)? And how many executives are truly proficient in the "method" for crafting these words?

"Six months into my presidency, I want to deliver a message to all employees as the new CEO, but I don't know whose help to seek." "I want to announce major policies at the start of the fiscal year, but should I have the management planning department draft them?" "I want to incorporate employee opinions, so should I gather young employees and try a workshop?"

We have frequently observed situations where developing the "top message" – a crucial "management agenda" for sustaining corporate growth – is handled far too haphazardly.Based on the belief that "important top messages for a company should be developed through a process and with expertise befitting their significance," we have organized 'Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners,' a team specializing in supporting the development of top messages. This team consolidates the know-how we have provided to executives at various companies over many years.

The value latent within a company is often difficult to discover from within the company itself. That is why Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners exists.

Some may imagine a "specialized organization" as people imposing polished, trendy phrases from outside the company, saying "Your company should deliver this message." That is a complete misunderstanding. Words that touch the core of corporate management must be born from within the company itself, grounded in its unique history, DNA, and its own distinct future potential.

At the same time, there's a structural problem: the value and treasures within a company are often difficult to see from within. It's also true that extracting the unique value inherent in each company and elevating it into a distinct philosophy requires an external professional perspective and specialized know-how.

"How did you pinpoint the core values that define us?"
We often hear this from executives and management teams we've supported after projects conclude. Yet what we do is not extraordinary. We simply carefully excavate each company's unique value and future potential—cultivated through its own journey—from buried strata, then make it visible through words. We unearth the valuable raw gems already present within each company from deep underground, polish them, and present them.What we do at Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners is akin to mining minerals or civil engineering work.

Over its long history in advertising, Dentsu Inc. has honed the skill and know-how to uncover the inherent value within products (value often unrecognized even by the developers themselves), make it visible, present it to the world with the question, "Isn't this what you're looking for?", and gain resonance from society.To put it simply, Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners applies this same approach not to individual "products," but to the entire "company" as it expands its diverse businesses, undertaking activities to visualize its inherent value.

Cultivating "invisible value" essential for a company's sustainable growth—such as "human capital" and "social capital"—is also part of the work of "Management Language."

We often hear terms like "human capital" and "social capital" these days. This likely reflects how the idea that "to sustainably grow a company, there are 'important invisible values' beyond money, and nurturing them is a key role of management" is becoming common sense in business.But how do you cultivate these "important intangible values"? We believe the key lies in the "empathy" of people, and the source that generates this empathy is the "top message" communicated by the company's leadership.

The power of the "top message" lies in its ability to transform employees' uncertainty—"I don't know where this company is headed"—into a positive sense of hope. It also dispels external stakeholders' apprehension—"I'm not sure if I can trust this company"—and turns them into supporters.

While we use the term "corporate entity," an excellent "corporate philosophy" and "top message" should vividly embody the company's "personality." Precisely because the "top message" embodies the company's "personality," it can strengthen the "connection" with employees and build "human capital." It can deepen "trust" with the diverse people living in society and enrich "social capital." That is what we believe.

A resolution for transformation unmatched by typical consulting firms. This stems from Dentsu Inc.'s unique approach, which is deeply committed to "moving people's hearts."

Dentsu Inc. is no longer merely an "advertising company." We have expanded our scope beyond simply supporting "product sales" into the realm of supporting "corporate growth" (that is, the consulting domain). This expansion is a reality (it now accounts for over 30% of our revenue).Our unique strength in this consulting domain lies with Dentsu Consulting Inc.'s relentless focus on questions like "How can we generate human empathy?" and "How do we move people's hearts?" combined with an approach that designs real-world change with high resolution.

Management, companies, organizations, society—all activities are carried out by "people." If the "human heart" isn't moved, nothing moves, nothing is created, and nothing changes. We at Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners know from experience that confronting this stark reality is what gives birth to "top messages" with the power to move people's hearts.

A single misguided statement from a self-absorbed executive who has lost touch with people's feelings can easily shatter societal trust. Precisely because we live in such times, the role and significance of "top messages" that spark human empathy and ignite passionate action will only grow. This is why we believe "empathy specialists" capable of fulfilling this role and significance are needed (which is why Dentsu Messaging Partners includes both copywriters and PR planners with extensive risk consulting experience).

By further refining "the language of management," we aim to enrich the "intangible capital" that companies possess. By pouring more energy into "the language of management," we want to unleash the potential lying dormant within companies and direct it toward the future."The true power each company possesses is far greater than this." Sharing this conviction, we at Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners believe in corporate potential and the future of this nation. Day after day, we diligently continue our work of "unearthing" the remarkable value that lies dormant within companies.

Dentsu Inc. Messaging Partners
Email:messaging@dentsu.co.jp