JaM Japan Marketing LLC

Highlighting JaM’s April activities, we started with supporting the group visiting from Japan who attended ad:tech san francisco held April 3-4. We reviewed the key points and background of the sessions and enjoyed some in-depth discussions with everyone. Thanks for the great feedback — that we were able to explain some difficult content when listening in English, as well as providing insights into the US market. The photo below was taken at one of these after-hours, “unofficial ad:tech” sessions. Kao’s Mike Homma and Sukedachi’s Nori Takahiro also provided compelling explanations.

On April 26, Hisami made another appearance on “KEYMAN” on Ustream. The episode was titled “Today in Silicon Valley” and had abundant discussions about the latest news from the US with Mother’s Mr. Yasozumi and White Knight’s Mr. Arai. One of the topics was about Facebook Fatigue happening in the US from a user’s perspective. Hisami will be in Japan until end of May, so please contact for F2F meeting requests.

Spring is here in San Francisco-Silicon Valley, with cherry blossoms and magnolias in full bloom. Hisami will be in Japan from March 7-29. She will be on the advisory board at ad:tech tokyo again, and will help plan the event held this year on Oct. 29-31, in addition to meeting with clients, companies and to give presentations. We’ve already had a very busy start this year at JaM, and here we are already into March. Please contact for meeting requests in Japan.

Einstein’s quote, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious,” will be the spirit in which we will work this year.

PS: We rarely update our website, but JaM’s Facebook page (in Japanese) and Pinterest, which has just caught on in Japan too, are where you can see regular updates. Please check them out.

2011 was a remarkable year for JaM Japan Marketing LLC. Since Hisami and Debbie entered this partnership in Jan. 2001, we’ve been continuously running forward and passed our 10 year mark last year. A lot of flowers have bloomed since we started planting the seeds with our business.

For that we owe a big thanks to everyone who has supported JaM. What matters most to us is to deliver valuable results for our clients, and we have been fortunate to have those wonderful clients who believe in us and have been with us throughout the years.

Here’s to another 10 years that JaM will continue to deliver on that promise, and wishing everyone a wonderful 2012!

Hisami’s one month Japan trip ended successfully. Including four speaking sessions at ad:tech tokyo, there were a total of ten speaking engagements, meetings with old and new clients, and an interview with Asahi Newspaper. An overall meaningful trip to wrap up 2011. Here are some scenes from the trip:

A wonderful quote which I noted during this trip got a lot of good feedback from many people.
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says “I’m possible!” (Audrey Hepburn) On this note, we wholeheartedly aim for the finish line of 2011.

The Bay Area’s weather has been rather stormy and unpredictable with the recent passing of Apple’s Steve Jobs, and believe it’s Steve’s way of telling us about his thoughts. Here is one:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” Steve Jobs

Japan Trip: Hisami will be in Japan from Oct. 21 to Nov. 20. She is already booked for about ten presentations, seminars and talks for specific companies, and while the schedule is looking tight, please contact us to request appointments.

Oct 27-28: ad:tech tokyo schedule of Hisami’s appearances:

• Oct 27 (Thurs) 1:40-2:30pm LeGrand hosted session titled “Communications in Social Media - Case Studies from the US”
• Oct 27 (Thurs) 6:00-6:50pm　Session E-3 Panel Discussion “Social Media vs. Privacy: How to balance opportunities with growing expectations“
• Oct 28 (Fri) 3:20-3:50pm Omnibus hosted session “Let’s go social! Social Media Marketing” (at Discover ad technology@Omnibus)

And ahead of ad:tech tokyo, here is the latest column (in Japanese), “ How Facebook’s new feature Timeline creates ‘oversharing’ ”

Also, going back somewhat further, another column from Hisami’s thoughts right after the Tohoku earthquake (in Japanese), “The Effect of Social Media as the Communications Lifeline” appeared on Ad Studies.

Hisami’s June-July Japan trip ended successfully, and the next Japan trip in October is starting to take shape. The main event will be Hisami’s participation in ad:tech tokyo Oct. 27-28, and she will be in Japan before and after that event. The panel session details are below, and will consist of a moderator and four panelists, including Saito-san from Looops.
Date: Oct 27-28 (Thurs-Fri) 2011, 6:00-6:50pm
Session: Social Media vs. Privacy — How to balance opportunities with growing expectations

The most recent Looops TV show recorded live on this past trip — “The second talk session by US-Japan Business Facilitator Hisami Ohshiba & Looops CEO Saito” — is archived (in Japanese): here.

Below are scenes from the JaM 10th Anniversary Party. JaM’s latest news are found on our Facebook page.

Already Hisami is halfway into her Japan trip. So far the advisory board meeting for ad:tech tokyo, one seminar at a company, InterFM radio program recording is finished. Next up is a seminar in Sendai on June 27. After that are four more seminars at companies, a Looops TV appearance at UST on June 28, a presentation on July 4 for JMAA (Japan Magazine Advertising Association), and finally our JaM 10-Year Anniversary Event on July 5. Below are links to more info (in Japanese).

June 27 US Social Media & Net Business event in Sendai from 5-7pm at the Japan Oracle Touhoku office. The free event put together by ad:tech’s Taketomi san and TripodWork’s Sasaki san, has already maxed out at 40 attendees.
June 27 from 1am for four consecutive nights, InterFM’s “Almost weekly Facebook Night!” will air. Via Suda san at Hakuhodo, Sato (Satonao) san, Looops’ Saito san, and Hisami will talk about Facebook.
June 28 from 7pm at UST Looops TV appearance. Hisami had a previous appearance and this time she will discuss social media among other topics with Hakuhodo’s Suda san and Looops’ Saito san.
July 4 1:30-3:00pm presentation at JMAA (Japan Magazine Advertising Association) hosted event, “Latest US Marketing Trends: Perspectives on Magazine Advertising in the changing media consumption behaviors by Social Media.” Over 150 have registered already.

Will report back later.

ad:tech san francisco was a packed 3-day schedule held over April 11-13 at Moscone West, ending everyday meeting F2F with many colleagues from Japan until late into the night. There was a Japan desk set up in the conference lobby for donations to the recent disaster, and people were given their name written in kanji characters in calligraphy as a token of appreciation. The impression of the conference was that it was rather “back to basics” and easy to understand for newcomers to this industry. Details are outlined in Hisami’s blog (in Japanese). Hisami has been appointed advisory board member for the upcoming ad:tech tokyo on Oct. 27-28 and will be traveling to Japan again June 6-July 7, to include the board meeting. Please contact us for requests for meetings and seminars in Japan.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11, and sincerely wish for healing, rebuilding and hope. Hisami experienced the earthquake firsthand while on a business trip to Tokyo, and returned to the US later that month. Putting aside the sensationalism of some US media, ordinary Americans have shown an outpouring of sympathy and support to Japan, as chronicled in Hisami’s blog (in Japanese).

This Japan trip included attending the ad:tech tokyo event October 28-29, 2010, and the appointment of Hisami as an Advisory Board Member. Then on March 8, a lively discussion with Toru Saito on Looops TV via Ustream, along with TechDoll’s Yukari Mihashi. Archived here, and tweets from the broadcast here (in Japanese). Topics centered around differences in social media and social networks in US vs Japan, including users’ and marketers’ perspectives.

Almost 70% of people online in the US use social networks, so even earthquake news was obtained real time from people in Japan through their connections, and not relying solely on mass media.

In those exchanges, Americans have expressed their admiration for the Japanese — their stoicism, their generosity in helping each other, and their strength of character — a degree to which would be unimaginable in any other country. As one of the worst disasters in history, no mass chaos ensued, but rather an immediate focus on relief and recovery in an orderly way. This could not have happened in the US.

The world is rooting for Japan. Every individual effort and continuing that effort is what’s really important right now.

This year marks JaM Japan Marketing’s 10th anniversary of becoming an LLC partnership in January 2001, after its founding in 1998. Thanks to everyone for helping us get here to celebrate this milestone!

Reflecting on the past 10 years, there has been a paradigm shift in communications and how we use the Internet, changing how we do business and marketing at every level. The way everyone is “connected” amplifies their voices, and people are indeed participating and enjoying this new sphere of influence.

The value that JaM provides is to always look at things through the lens of users. We look forward to the next 10 years on that challenge, building upon our experience and knowledge that comes from our role of bridging the US and Japan.

Thank you & Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

Announcement: Hisami Ohshiba has been appointed Advisory Board Member of ad:tech tokyo held in October 2010.