PEOPLE
03
What Is Behind
An environment where one can take on ambitious challenges, where “common knowledge” in various fields is applied.
Today, Dentsu Runway has free spirited work culture that makes it easy for those who want to take on ambitious challenges to seize opportunities. We also have the exciting task of establishing standards for our future work.
Like me, many of my colleagues have changed careers, and we come from many different backgrounds. There are as many kinds of “common knowledge” as there are people. I have learned a lot from hearing everyone’s perspectives based on their unique experiences.
Working with my colleagues, I have truly learned about the strength of cooperation. I am always impressed to see team members engage each other in relationship-building processes while leveraging our individual skills and knowledge stemming from our various backgrounds. Through multitasking, we learn about each other’s mindsets and attitudes as we work in our respective fields, consequently making us stronger.
The craft that enables a glamorous job.
My job involves working in a wide range of areas, from client services to analysis, strategy development, and media planning. I have worked with clients in the IT, travel, medical, and various service sectors, among others. They require omni channel advertising proposals involving television, digital, outdoors, and more.
For the most part, advertising agencies do humble, behind-the-scenes work. In the case of a TV commercial, for instance, the initial stages involve extensive data analysis, planning and optimizing strategies, and simulating how well an idea connects with people. Behind the glamorous image we project to the world lies steady, dedicated work.
I like this kind of work; I am committed to and passionate about the craft of drawing ideas from data analysis. Dentsu Group’s data analysis tools are extremely useful in the planning stage.
Preparing pitches, while challenging, is interesting and rewarding. We draw up proposals by forming teams and dividing the work among members. It feels good to work toward a shared goal—the atmosphere reminds me of participating in club activities or getting things ready the day before a school festival. We are happy if we win, of course, but even if we lose, we can reflect and find points for improvement, using that knowledge in our next proposal and advancing our skill levels.
Finding Answers Through Insight to Complex Questions.
Whether with clients or with colleagues, communication is crucial in every step of the way. I always aim for proposal-based communication that does not seek answers from the other party. If I ask others for their opinions of what I should do, I would then be expected to do as they suggest. Doing things this way is no fun, and I think it lowers my value.
Instead, I throw out a proposal, such as “How about this idea?” and recommend the decision I think is best. This makes it easier for the other party to make a decision, and the value of my work shines as a result. It also allows me to ensure that other parties and I use our time efficiently.
Of course, for this process to work, I have to face every problem head on and thoroughly ponder it. To me, deeply and critically analyzing something allows me to learn new skills. Here at Dentsu Runway, when something is on my mind and I’m dealing with a particularly perplexing problem, there are many colleagues I can ask for advice. I can actively learn from them to reliably improve my abilities.
I am in my mid-thirties, and the skills I want to improve to enhance my work going forward include my analytical skills and ability to develop novel strategies. I try to learn anything I can from anywhere I can, and I am taking online English conversation classes twice a month through the company’s skill-building support program.
I believe that encouraging knowledge-sharing throughout the company and creating frameworks for practicing and mastering the acquired knowledge and information will lead to progress for both individuals and the company as a whole.