Oct 31 (newsonjapan.com) - Japan is a hotspot for international brands seeking to expand new markets. This country has the third largest economy in the world, making it a haven for global businesses.
Don’t get us wrong, though–entering a competitive market like Japan is not an easy task. Thus, you need to stand out, to use the right channels, and to implement the best strategies. This is where the help of digital marketing agencies comes in.
Japan is a heavily-digitized country, with 94% of its entire population being internet users. Japanese consumers use the internet to discover new products and services, and to research different brands. The main sources of brand discovery in Japan are search engines like Google, TV ads and shows, websites, and word-of-mouth. Social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok also heavily-influence purchase decisions.
You now know that the best way to implement marketing and advertising campaigns is through digital channels. The next step is to determine your content and form, since Japan's marketing habits are different from the rest of the world. To do this, you’d have to collaborate with Japan marketing agencies for localization and for a more effective grasp of your target audience.
In this list, we already compiled a list of the best digital marketing agencies in Japan you might work with on your next campaign. Let's take a look!
The 30 Best Digital Marketing Agencies in Japan
URALA International
AJ Marketing
Pulse Advertising
Reprise Digital
Netwise
InfoCubic
Bruce Clay
MWI
Boomachine
Mount
Digital Crew Agency
Ozma PR
Breaker
Beacon
Le Grand
Nippon Agency
R-TG Agent
Digital38
Comnico
Candee
Krows Digital
IMJ
Kaikoku
Orizo
Quaras
Hashi Media
Tokyu Agency
Digimarl
Zo Digital
Verticurl
URALA International is a versatile and innovative marketing and PR agency headquartered in Tokyo, known for its expertise in delivering high-quality, bespoke events tailored to a diverse international clientele. Specializing in corporate events, exhibitions, and private functions, URALA International leverages its deep understanding of the unique cultural and business landscape of Tokyo to provide seamless event experiences. Their services span the complete event management spectrum, from conceptual design and venue selection to logistics, execution, and post-event analysis. The company is known for its comprehensive language solutions and regional reach, with additional offices in Jakarta, Manila and HCM City.
Their team is well-versed in managing the complexities that come with large-scale events, including navigating language barriers, cultural differences, and the logistical challenges of Tokyo's bustling urban environment.
Inquiry: build@uralaverse.com
Website: www.uralaverse.com
AJ Marketing is the best digital marketing agency in Japan and in the whole APAC region. AJ Marketing offers various services like influencer marketing, marketing strategy, online advertising, social media marketing, digital billboards, SEO, press release, and celebrity licensing.
Working with AJ Marketing means having a team with great English support, making communication better. Its local office in Japan also ensures that brands get the best insider information that other agencies can’t offer.
AJ Marketing has over 7,000 influencer networks around Asia. It has worked with big names such as BMW (MINI), Bytedance (TikTok), AMD, and Adobe. To find more information about the Japan market, check the AJ Marketing Blog.
Contact: info@ajmarketing.io
hotice specializes in Influencer Marketing in Asia.
Based in Tokyo, Hotice reaches out to creators to accomplish brand needs.
hotice strategically plans social media campaigns and enables brands to reach customers on social media.
hotice has more than 10,000+ influencer network in Japan and Asia, they can handle YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Twitter strategies and influencers.
Reprise Digital is the world’s largest performance marketing network, with over 3,000 experts in 68 offices in 48 markets. It offers a complete suite of crafts designed to deliver customer-centric performance marketing. Reprise offers various services such as Strategy, Search, Social, SEO, E-commerce, Creative, CRO, and Analytics.
Leading brands that trust Reprise Digital include Johnson & Johnson, Lego, LG, Coca-Cola, Spotify, and Unilever.
Netwise is a creative agency in Japan for digital marketing and e-commerce. Netwise has deep local expertise, a global mindset, and the ability to communicate with clients in their chosen language. It has gained experience in marketing since 2001.
Its services include Web Design, E-commerce and Web Development, Digital Marketing, Consultation, Consultation, and Support. Netwise is trusted by Dickies, Bobbi Brown, Pioneer, Triumph, and many others.
InfoCubic prides itself with its world-class customer service that helps clients avoid pitfalls, its transparency, and its ability to keep its clients’ ROI in mind. It provides multi-channel online marketing solutions for Japan and other markets.
Its digital marketing solutions include SEM, Display Advertising, SEO, Content Creation, Video Marketing, and Social Media. In its project with Microsoft Development, InfoCubic provided market research solutions by creating design mockups that reflected the cultural and traditional customs of each country where Microsoft wanted to expand.
Since January 1996, Bruce Clay Inc. has been helping websites rank in search engines. Founder and president Bruce Clay programmed the first web page analysis tool. He created the Search Engine Relationship Chart®, which earned 300,000 downloads in the first month.
BCI has grown into a leading search marketing company providing SEO services and consulting, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising management, content development, and social media marketing services.
MWI is a digital marketing agency that creates customized strategies for every client. With each strategy, its principles remain the same–communication, goal setting, execution, and accountability.
MWI’s solutions are always custom-tailored and never off-the-rack. Its services include SEO, SMM, Content Marketing, Design and Development, Conversion Rate Optimization, and Paid Media. MWI has worked with big brands such as Sony, LG, and Sennheiser.
Boomachine is an integrated creative agency with in-house high-quality cinematography, photography, sound engineering and design capability. It provides a full-service solution to developing its clients’ visual identity.
Its services include branding strategies, website design, social networking strategies, cinematography, color grading, sound engineering, photography, and high-end live streaming.
In the video above, Boomachine created a presentation for the Mitsubishi Mirage and Delica D:2. The music track was custom-made to match the tone of the cinematography. The video now has more than 25,000 views on YouTube.
Mount is an award-winning marketing agency centering on website production. It produces promotion sites, corporate information sites, fashion brand online shops, and many more.
It has been trusted by numerous Japanese brands such as Shiseido, Mitsui & Co., and Otsumo, as well as international brands like McDonald’s, rouge a levres, and Uniqlo.
Digital Crew is a multi-award winning multicultural digital agency that specializes in offering Japanese digital marketing services for brands looking to connect to Japan or the local Japanese in the U.S.A. Digital Crew's Japanese digital specialists speak English and Japanese proficiently.
Its services include SEO, PPC, Facebook and Instagram Ads, and Content Localization. Brands that have worked with this agency include Lancome, Study Perth, and Cebu Pacific Air.
Ozma PR provides comprehensive public relations services, from planning to implementation, to corporate, government agency, and public organization clients in Japan and overseas.
Its services include Integrated Communications, PR Creative, Marketing PR, Digital Communications, and Inbound and Outbound. It also offers services on Corporate Communications, Healthcare Communications, and Social Change Communications.
Breaker offers cross-border marketing which connects the world and Japan. Utilizing overseas influencer marketing, it produces various products, online stores, activities, and events for brands from all over the world.
Breaker offers Japan’s largest overseas influencer network who come in a variety of nationalities, languages, and channel categories. It also offers content production planning and event production planning.
Beacon is a one-stop-shop agency, with a breadth of in-house capabilities including consumer engagement, CRM, social, content development, media, data-driven marketing, UI/UX design, shopper, experiential events, and advertising. Beacon believes in harmonizing the strengths of the East and the West in order to introduce a foreign brand to a local market.
Beacon has worked with various international brands such as McDonald’s, Marlboro, Oral-B, KraftHeinz, and Visa.
Le Grand conducts digital marketing as its primary service. It conveys information and culture which are both necessary for conducting business in Japan, while proposing marketing activities geared appropriately for the local Japanese market.
Le Grand offers Localization Services, Designing User Experience, and Data-Driven Marketing Strategies.
Nippon Agency provides comprehensive digital solutions that “make things easy and interesting.” It believes that the digital evolution is fast-paced, and traditional marketing strategies are no longer enough.
Nippon Agency offers Branding services, Digital Marketing services, Media/Content Creation, Creatives, and Sales Promotion.
R-TG Agent is a “co-creation” marketing company, which creates value through co-creation with customers. It pursues top quality services, to be the best creative group, and to provide an astounding growth impression for its clients.
Its services are Listing, Facebook and Instagram Ads, Line Marketing, SNS Operations, Creative, and EC Support.
Digital 38 is a 360° Digital Marketing Agency with a strong presence in Southeast Asia and Greater China. With experience in digital marketing since 2006, it has 100+ digital specialists that cater to its clients’ diverse digital needs.
Its services are E-commerce Advertising, Shopify Partnerships, Search Marketing, ATC Smart Retail, Line and Naver Marketing, and Influencer Marketing.
Comnico is a social media marketing agency in Japan. It offers solutions and assists brands with their social media needs, including consultation, set up, management, operation, ads and reports.
Comnico is trusted worldwide, and its previous partners include Pocari Sweat, Toyota, and Nifty.
Candee is the middle ground between advertising agencies and production companies. Candee mainly plans and produces video advertisements and LIVE contents, as well as various brand activations, such as campaign development and real events directions.
Its specific services include SNS AD Creatives, LIVE Marketing, Game Marketing, and Creative, Activation, and Planning.
In its project with KidZania, Candee created a concept movie to be played in-flight. It was an emotional video that conveyed the excitement that parents and children get when going to KidZania.
Krows Digital was created with one idea in mind–develop the visibility of small & medium businesses, and also young talents online. Its team is multicultural and possesses a certain experience of international growth projects.
Its main services are providing Online Advertising Campaigns, Social Media Marketing, SEO, Web Design, and Search Engine Marketing for the Japanese Market. It has done over a thousand ad campaigns since its inception.
IMJ utilizes the comprehensive strengths of the Accenture Group which enables it to meet all the business challenges of client companies. It combines the power of consulting and creativity, and uses solutions that combine data analysis and the latest technology.
Its services include CX, UX, Web and App Development, PR, Events, Data Analytics, and many others. Pfizer and Coca-Cola have trusted IMJ for its digital marketing strategies in the past.
Kaikoku helps companies based overseas who wish to engage with the Japanese market. Its vision is to be a bridge for Japanese companies bringing their brands abroad and international companies bringing their brands to Japan.
Kaikoku offers various services such as Video Content Production, Written Content and Media Production, Social Media Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Artist Management, and Japan Market Support.
Orizo believes in spinning and defining the future of marketing. By “spinning,” it means creating a campaign by connecting the stories of different people. Orizo creates advertising campaigns optimized for each medium and each client.
Orizo’s services are Web Marketing, Creative, SNS Optimization Services, and EC.
Quaras solves business problems through out-of-the-box thinking. It believes that creativity must always come first, because creative outputs generate unique value, and ensure customer satisfaction and positive impressions.
Its services include anything under the sun, from art gallery installations to TV commercial productions. Quaras also produces video content for brands, just like in its Fujiya Smile Switch Campaign.
Hashi Media is led by a team of marketers based in Tokyo, Japan. Its services are designed to take its clients’ social media content performance to the next level. It provides engaging content, influencers, and expert-level marketing strategies.
Hashi Media offers SMM, Influencer Marketing, and Video Production. Its previous clients include AMD x MSI, VIllage House, and Subway.
Tokyu Agency swears to undertake creations that answer to what the time demands. It offers all-around business solutions, such as advertising, information collection, publishing, photography, film production, events planning, and even design construction.
One of its main niches is sports advertising and marketing, being capable of promoting sporting events and managing professional athletes.
Digimarl is a data-driven team centered on operational advertising. Its team is made up of professionals in Yahoo! and Google Advertising, as well as specialists in banner ads, video production, and landing pages. Aside from these, the team also has data analytics experts.
Digimarl offers ad listing services on various platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Amazon, TVer, and SmartNews.
Zo Digital means “vision or creation,” which this marketing agency lives by. Zo believes that through creativity, logical thinking, intelligence, and problem-solving, it can deliver top-notch business results to its clients.
Zo Digital offers various digital marketing services such as pay-per-click advertising, conversion optimization, SEO and SEM, landing page development, A/B Testing, social media growth, and many more.
Verticurl’s team is built on deep and wide expertise in marketing, sales, CRM, technology, CX, loyalty and data. It addresses marketing’s most pressing challenges - be it improving customer experience or achieving better ROI.
Verticurl’s services are Data Management, Marketing Automation, Telemarketing, Reporting and Metrics, Media and Social Marketing, and Creatives.
Conclusion
Japan’s prospering economy makes it a great venue for international business expansion. Generic marketing strategies, however, won’t work in this market due to its unique consumer behavior, culture, and marketing habits. To pass this hurdle, one would need the help of digital marketing agencies who are experts in Japan marketing and advertising.
We hope this list helped you find the perfect marketing agency for your next brand campaign in Japan. We wish you the best of luck!
