Activate Japan

Music meets manga with “www:sh.shinzou.jp” Shinzou Sound, a group of artists and musicians launched “Synesthesia” the interactive online manga on 12th of August 2006. “Shinzou Sound” is a group of creative collaborators sp specializing in manga, music, web design, and sub-culture. They joined forces with the simple concept of merging their talents in an effort to deliver the new entertainment of music and manga in an innovative way. Exclusive songs, inspired by the manga story have been commissioned for “Synesthesia” as well as playlist from international and Japanese DJ’s. The music, podcasts and playlists are available from iTunes Music Store Japan. Project members include leader Nick Wood, Simon Le Bon, Tatsuya Oe, DJ Sugiurumn, Alex Paterson, Detroit 7, manga artist Enka Sugihara and web designer Hideki Owa, with more names being added as each new episode is released. “Synesthesia*” has three main characters: Shinzou (main character), his sister Tamako, and DJ Karita (who they met when they accidentally swapped iPods on the train). These se 3 individuals form a band and begin a journey of musical inspiration. *Synesthesia is a neurological condition which causes ones sense to influence another sense, for example, people with synesthesia may see shapes or colors when they hear sound, or see colors or shapes, they might hear sounds. Some of the world’s most notable artist from Jimmy Hendrix to Mozart have been gifted with sy synesthesia, which could be one reason why they were able to erase boundaries between the senses and open perception to new possibilities. The story is split into 10 episodes with one new episode release every 2 weeks.. Each new episode co comes with an original new song, which can be downloaded free, from iTunes. Users can also so download Podca casts showing behind the scenes, interviews and more. Shinzou sounds are also planning a live event to merge the manga st storyline with an actual live event. They plan to invite artist who’ve contributed to the project to participate in bringing Shinzou’s world to the stage. Shinzou sounds plan to publish a physical manga book at the end of the “Synesthesia” series along with a full-length digital album featuring the entire soundtrack, this will be a true co collectors edition.

We have more choices than ever before. More careers, more lifestyles, more products, more information, more entertainment. We can even have more money. But, with more decisions to make, we also have less time. So we use technology. Now we can go shopping without leaving the house, we can work at home and socialize at work. We lead multiple lives within a global online community. It might seem revolutionary but today's children will never know anything different. And if you want to get close to tomorrow's customers, you have to operate in their world. Activate is creating the next generation communications agency which marries direct marketing and consumer insights with interactive principles to help you get closer to your customers in this new world. We are driven by the mission to bring brands closer to consumers. By understanding them better. By communicating with them more personally, by creating a dialogue not a monologue. If you believe in this New World let's begin a dialogue.

I think when a product or a service kindles an emotional dialogue with the consumer the product or service can qualify to be a brand. As advertising becomes more ubiquitous across the country, it's increasingly difficult for companies and products to stand out from the crowd and avoid being ignored by ad-weary consumers. The shift in thinking is from asking how a company can motivate consumers to buy a product to asking instead how the product can touch consumers' lives. My favorite brand is Apple ever since I saw that Super Bowl ad talking about how Macintosh would change the world. I was reminded about why I loved Apple when this copy was used when Apple launched its iMac with their famous "Think Different" ad campaign. I got a real feeling of the mission of the company as well as its vision so I kept it in my files. This also ran and worked well in japan. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? We make tools for these kinds of people. While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Copyright, Apple Computer 2001

Tokyo, Japan 26th March 2008 MasterCard’s sponsorship of Japan Fashion Week’s “3GTV Japan” has been the first to use the latest branded interactive mobile video service - Mobiactions. In a tie-up between Activate, KK, a Japan based advertising agency and McCann Erickson International, Sairis Group delivered an integrated Mobiactions campaign for Japan Fashion Week providing unique and compelling media access to live and archived video contents as well as a real-time videoblog for visitors. About the MasterCard Mobiactions IVVR promotion: Tim Smith (CTO of Urban Marketing) says, “MobiActions seamlessly integrates the mobile web experience with the 3G video experience providing advertising agencies a full featured, 360degree platform to present and manage integrated and interactive mobile media campaigns. Based on patented call-to-action-control, exclusive to Urban Marketing, the Mobiactions system guarantees that the viewers WILL experience not only the fun of a cool mobile interactive campaign, but also the BRAND messages which support it.” Mobiactions IVVR is also now available in Australia according to Sam Wilson - Urban Marketing’s Chief Operating Officer. “Now with the availability of interactive video and voice promotions & applications for Japanese and Australian brands, consumers can quickly interact with branded video and audio content via a 3G mobile phone. No longer do you have to wait for a WAP page to download, as the system uses video calling, which is available on 99% of 3G handsets.” “The ability to influence word of mouth communication is at the forefront of any communications strategy,” says Jerry Gentemann, Director of Activate Japan. “Once a big idea is identified, we look to leverage the digital media world and extend the creative concept online whether through digital media relations, 3G and mobile development, website development, or social networking. Activate and its technical partner Sairis have a crystal clear vision of what needs to be done to manage this evolution in the best interest of clients like MasterCard.” “We see this as initially very attractive to advertisers in the youth market, and as the acceptance of these interactive campaigns develops then industries such as music, automotive, real estate and health will demand this as an essential part of their mobile marketing mix,” says Wilson. Mobiactions enables brands to create an interactive mobile branding experience using branded video and audio media. Advertisers can run interactive mobile video and audio promotions for surveys, new product videos, movie trailers, music video voting and competitions as well as any business applications requiring video blogging from a mobile device. www.mobiactions.com

Press Release Activate K.K launches world premier of mobile phone technology at the Japan Fashion Week This spring's Japan Fashion Week from March 10th – 16th will see the latest use of mobile phone technology called 3gtv. The mobile site for the JFW will include a new split screen video call feature that allows viewers to review four different videos at once and select between them to see highlights of the previous days show. Also through the same video call, users can record a video message about their experience at the show and instantly post this video blog during the call to the JFW 3Gtv site. Access to the JFW official homepage and then to the Malibu 3G site, proudly sponsored by MasterCard can be reached here: http://www.jfw.jp/jp/index.html

activate “There are hundreds of ways to sell cars that don’t require TV commercials. We want an agency that understands that.” Daimler Chrysler “To build my brand I need communication that shows brand leadership but also increases transactions.” Visa Asia Pacific “To strengthen one of Volvo’s core values “Enjoy Life” we must increase lifestyle brand value as we build traffic to our dealers.” Volvo Japan Clients can no longer depend on their traditional advertising agency to communicate to consumers one to one. One to one in the client’s mind is communication anywhere the consumer meets the brand. Experience marketing, branded entertainment and even brand environments are “natural” chances for the consumer to meet the brand. Handled effectively these channels are often considered by the client to be the real “selling machine” for their brands.

The mobile telephony landscape in Japan is very sophisticated and changes more rapidly than in any other country in the world. New technologies have been introduced so that customers can use the phone almost with the same functionality of a credit card and certainly vendors have made mobile phones as functional as cash earning the nickname “e-wallet.” A case in point the extensive train system throughout the country now allows its riders to board the train and pay for his or her fare at the seat. Scanning devices are above each seat next to the reading lamps. Even the common Coca-Cola vending machines accept the e-wallet that can be embedded in every mobile handset in Japan. There are over 1.5 million of these type vending machines. The “Smart” pumps at Exxon Mobile stations, toll-booths on the freeway, theater tickets and so on are all mobile phone payment accessible. Clients cannot afford not to explore this opportunity before their competitors embark on a faster track to potential consumers. Toward that end it is extremely important that brands deliver a snapshot of the relevant mobile or m-commerce and securities technologies and how they could impact the future development of their businesses. Craig Courter, COO of Baker McKenzie, said, “We live in an ideas jungle…. the most important skill a project manager can bring to bear is the ability to sort, categorize and prioritize all of the ideas…only then can you implement a change that truly advances your strategy.” In the mobile telephony industry there is truly a jungle of new ideas.

GE’s learning organization has a very strong if not “ideal” corporate culture. Jack Welch, Chairman and CEO of General Electric said, “The best companies know, without a doubt, where the real productivity comes from. It comes from challenged, empowered, excited, rewarded teams of people. It comes from engaging every single mind in the organization, making everyone part of the action, and allowing everyone to have a voice in the success of the enterprise.” The concept that stuck in my mind most from looking at GE’s coporate structure would come directly from Welch’s quote, “…engage every single mind in the organization…” Even in a very domestic Japanese firm where there are more formal organizations and extreme resistance to change a lesson can be learned, engage every mind and listen to every single mind even when they are resisting change is critical to initiating change. The power of volition. One suggestion in Japan would be to prepare people for obstacles. This approach in Japan is helpful because many times Western companies undertake challenges that are incredibly tough and team members are often ready to give up on an idea at the slightest sign of difficulty. Help to exploit choices…a manager’s team has to know they have permission to stretch and the license to dare even though they may fail…with that license they can commit to a task with no reservation.

The mobile telephony landscape in Japan is very sophisticated and changes more rapidly than in any other country in the world. New technologies have been introduced so that customers can use the phone almost with the same functionality of a credit card and certainly vendors have made mobile phones as functional as cash earning the nickname “e-wallet.” A case in point the extensive train system throughout the country now allows its riders to board the train and pay for his or her fare at the seat. Scanning devices are above each seat next to the reading lamps. Even the common Coca-Cola vending machines accept the e-wallet that can be embedded in every mobile handset in Japan. There are over 1.5 million of these type vending machines. The “Smart” pumps at Exxon Mobile stations, toll-booths on the freeway, theater tickets and so on are all mobile phone payment accessible. Clients cannot afford not to explore this opportunity before their competitors embark on a faster track to potential consumers. Toward that end it is extremely important that brands deliver a snapshot of the relevant mobile or m-commerce and securities technologies and how they could impact the future development of their businesses. Craig Courter, COO of Baker McKenzie, said, “We live in an ideas jungle…. the most important skill a project manager can bring to bear is the ability to sort, categorize and prioritize all of the ideas…only then can you implement a change that truly advances your strategy.” In the mobile telephony industry there is truly a jungle of new ideas.

Even though passenger rail is supported by national governments in the rest of the world, the Bush administration proposed shutting down U.S. intercity passenger rail service by zeroing out funding for Amtrak in fiscal year 2006. The Bush budget proposal came during a fierce debate over how to reform the U.S. passenger-rail system. Some proponents of privatizing Amtrak have pointed to privatization efforts in other countries, including Japan, as proof that Amtrak could also be privatized. Are there lessons U.S. policymakers can learn from the Japanese experience with privatization? In the mid 1980s, Japan National Railways (JNR) was a monolithic national monopoly with an operating deficit, huge debt, declining ridership, high fares, poor service and political interference. In other words, JNR had many of the same problems that plague Amtrak today. In its place, the Japanese government created six separate private passenger-rail companies to serve different regions of the country. Three of the six companies that served rural areas would be eligible for a yearly operating-deficit subsidy from a revolving government fund. The other three companies, which largely served urban areas, were expected to cover their operating costs. Each private company would be responsible for both rail operations and infrastructure management. By most measures, privatization in Japan has been a success. Since privatization, yearly profits for the three main companies have increased to between $600 million and $2 billion, accidents have decreased by close to 50 percent, fares are stable, the number of rail employees has been reduced by 50,000 and ridership as measured by passenger-kilometers has risen by nearly 20 percent. However, any discussion of Japan’s privatization efforts must also note the Japanese government’s role in financing rail infrastructure projects and the operating deficits of rural railroads. While the Bush administration’s proposal would effectively destroy passenger rail in the United States, the Japanese government has launched an ambitious effort to expand high-speed rail service over the next 10 years. The cost, close to $30 billion, will be funded by the national government, local governments and revenues generated from existing high-speed lines. When construction is complete, the new lines will be owned by the government and leased to the rail companies. The same private rail company that manages operations will also manage maintenance for the new high-speed lines. Obviously, there are limitations in comparing the U.S. and Japan rail systems. Japan is especially well-suited for rail because of its high population density and short distances between major cities. Furthermore, in the current budgetary climate it is impractical to believe that the United States could build the type of dedicated high-speed rail network in its high-density corridors that Japan possesses. Yet the main difference between the Japan and U.S. rail systems is political. The United States has never had the political will to make the necessary infrastructure investments to create a competitive rail system. Instead, from the time Amtrak was created in 1971, Congress has given the struggling railroad barely enough to survive from year to year. As a result, Amtrak does not have enough money to fix its growing backlog of capital maintenance or promote a true high-speed rail system. In the Northeast Corridor alone, it is estimated that $28 billion is needed for rail infrastructure over the next 20 years, and billions more would be needed to implement higher speed rail. As U.S. highways and airspace become more and more congested, the lack of investment in rail infrastructure has made it difficult for passenger rail to compete successfully with these other transportation modes (all of which receive much more federal subsidy). By contrast, Japan has consistently poured billions of dollars into its rail infrastructure (even after privatization) and has created a competitive transportation alternative to plane and automobile travel. The lesson from Japan is obvious: Intercity rail systems, whether private or public, need stable sources of public investment to be successful. Unfortunately, this simple fact is often ignored by advocates of privatization in the United States. The administration’s legislation to privatize Amtrak does not guarantee any specific amount of federal funding for rail infrastructure. Without a specific dollar amount of stable, guaranteed funding, promises from the administration to rebuild the nation’s rail infrastructure ring hollow. An empty federal financial commitment in the name of “flexibility” for the states is a recipe for disaster. As Japan has shown, successful passenger rail systems need more government investment, not less.