In February 2021, it was announced that former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and economist Heizo Takenaka had been appointed as an outside director of XICA Inc., a company that utilizes data science techniques to conduct fair marketing evaluations.

Saikya's CEO, Yoshiaki Hirao, was inspired to found Saikya by the teachings he received from Takenaka when he was a student. What has Hirao learned from Takenaka so far, and what does he expect from him in the future? What role will Takenaka play as an outside director? The two men spoke frankly about this.

(Photo left) Heizo Takenaka

Professor Emeritus of Keio University
External Director of XICA

(Right) Yoshiaki Hirao

CEO of XICA Corporation

To better understand and enliven TV commercials

Yoshiaki Hirao (hereinafter, Hirao)　We will announce on March 3nd that Dr. Takenaka has been appointed as an outside director of our company, XICA. I am personally very happy that this day has finally come.

I asked Professor Takenaka to take up the position in the summer of 2020.XICA ADVA"This was a time when preparations for the announcement were reaching their climax.

We have beenMagellan(*Renamed "ADVA MAGELLAN" in September 2020) has been a service that has been focused on marketing due diligence, but with the announcement of ADVA, the company is expanding its service lineup to include the industry's first "performance-based" TV commercial placement agency service, "ADVA BUYER ", we have established a system that can not only analyze the effectiveness of advertising, but also properly evaluate the entire PDCA cycle of a company's marketing activities, including advertising placement.

Since its release in September 2020, it has already achieved results. To promote this ADVA, we need to work harder than ever.You will need the ability to dynamically grasp and influence the market, and the ability to understand the industry.With this in mind, I decided to contact you in the hope of getting your help.

Heizo Takenaka (hereinafter referred to as "Takenaka")　The role of an outside director is to bring diversity to the company.KY, not reading the atmosphereWhen you work with the same people every day, there are times when you are concerned about something but are unable to say anything. In those situations, I think it is my role to give my objective opinion, such as "What's going on here?" or "This is interesting," without reading the atmosphere.

In other words,It's my job to run up to the balcony."Run up to the balcony" is a phrase I love, written by Ronald A. Heifetz, who is known for his leadership theory, and it basically means to look at things from a high vantage point.

Hirao　As an economist, you have been grasping domestic and international trends and making recommendations for the future. At the same time, as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, you have also been involved with broadcasting and communications, the media that carry advertisements. I believe that the knowledge you have accumulated there is unparalleled, but what is your current view of the television industry as a whole?

Takenaka　Often"It's just TV, but it's still TV"It is true that television as a medium is no longer as highly regarded as it once was. However, most of the news and topics on the Internet are coming back to television.The influence of television, which is at the center of the industry, remains strong.It is

However, it is true that the TV industry is struggling because people are now less able to watch TV directly, which is causing the quality of programs to decline and making them harder to watch. In the US, AT&T has bought Time Warner, and Disney has bought CNN, and there are upheavals happening.

Japan also,Now that there are rumblings of tectonic shifts, it is extremely important to drive piles into the ground.I think that's the case.

Hirao　The year 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the start of television broadcasting, and we are hopeful that ADVA will bring about major changes to television commercials from this point on.

Takenaka　During those 80 years, companies have also changed. There are several roles for companies, but with the strengthening of corporate governance, the responsibility to maximize profits and return them to investors has become greater.How do you evaluate a commercial that makes people say, "That funny commercial, which company was it from?"

It may be evaluated as a wonderful piece of art.Companies must become more sensitive than ever before about whether or not this is leading to corporate profits.Also, viewers are changing. They are not just looking for something that is cheap and convenient, but also want a story behind it, such as the thought behind the creation of the product. This is something that Akira Takada, the founder of Japanet Takata, said, but without a story, the product will not sell.Companies can tell their own stories through TV commercials while at the same time assessing the cost-effectiveness and strengthening corporate governance.Based on this premise, the content of TV commercials itself will need to be improved to match the increasingly diverse values ​​of people.

Hirao　Services to help improve content"ADVA CREATOR" will also be released in December 2020This is a service that uses brainwave analysis and data science to scientifically analyze the creative aspects of TV commercials and quantify their effectiveness. By having clear indicators, creators can freely exercise their creativity without being bound by conventions or preconceptions. Thankfully, many creators have welcomed this service.

Learning from the Takenaka seminar led to taking on new challenges

Takenaka　When you try to do something new, you will be criticized. I have been criticized for various things.Whenever you take action to accomplish something, you will be criticized.The important thing isEven if you are criticized, overcome it and keep tryingThat is what I expect from young people. So when I returned to university as a professor after working as a member of the government from 2001 to 2006, I was happy to be able to use my experience to help young people again. When I set up my laboratory again at Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus,One of the students who came there was Mr. Hirao.でHe was always the first to raise his hand and speak up, to the point that I thought he was talking a bit too much, and he was the student who livened up the discussion.

There is a word called "provoke.""Provoke Your Thoughts"Hirao-san played the role of provoking me and deepening the discussion. When he pointed out that something was not right, he would study it further the next time.

Hirao　It's embarrassing to say. But as you say, when Professor Takenaka returned to the university, I joined his lab as one of the first students and studied economic policy in general, especially statistical analysis, which I was particularly interested in. There were many other things I learned under Professor Takenaka, but I feel that there were three particularly important lessons that have connected to who I am today and to XICA's business.

The first one is"What's the problem?"This is what Professor Takenaka has been saying ever since the first class. When considering what measures to take, the first thing to do isFirst determine what the essential problem is, then think about it, and if you become lost in the process, go back to the essential problem.I remember my teacher asking me this question many times, and each time I would think about it and somehow come up with an answer.

Takenaka　I don't consider myself a particularly good educator, but I have always tried to be serious with my students, so I have always expressed my concerns and responded sincerely to what students have to say.

Hirao　That earnest "What's the problem?" is a lesson that has stayed with me ever since.“Make it your own”I learned to look at any problem from the perspective of a party involved.

The first one is"Encouragement"Instead of thinking, "We can't do it,""You can do it," inspire and encourage those around you, and move forward.That encouragement sometimes extends to myself as well. I believe that this is why I was able to found the courage to start XICA at a time when statistical analysis was not yet attracting attention. Professor Ito is truly my mentor, both in the sense that he taught me statistical analysis techniques and in the sense that he deepened my spirituality. In fact, I will never forget the words he spoke to me when we first met. I believe it was at the social gathering held on the night of the first class.

Takenaka　What did I say?

Hirao　"The economy is sad."When.

Takenaka　Ah, I said it. I remember.

Hirao　When I was 13 years old, a major domestic distribution company went bankrupt, sending shock waves through the world.The company was the one my father worked for.At the time, I saw my father devastated by the bankruptcy of the company he had entrusted his life to, and I realized that there are people in this world who cannot resist."Hopeless Sadness"I realized that there was a problem, and even though I was still young, I felt that doing something about it would be my life's theme."Analyzing bad loans with data"The content was as follows. While listening to the lecture,If he had made the right assessment and judgment based on the data, the company where my father worked might not have gone bankrupt.I thought, and at the same time,There are many untold stories behind the dataThis feeling grew stronger. So I told him about the company my father worked for. I was surprised to hear his heartfelt response: "The economy is sad, isn't it?"

Takenaka　The economy is truly sad. However, if we do nothing, it will become even more sad. Once something sad happens, it must not happen again. Economic policies exist for that purpose.

Now is the time to "run up to the balcony!"

Takenaka　When studying economics, you will come across the terms Cambridge School and Vienna School. The Cambridge School is ultra-elitist, and takes the position that any problem can be solved if you think rationally. On the other hand, the Vienna School is skeptical, and tends to question whether something is really true. Both are necessary. In particular,In this age when the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet ended, humans need to be both rational and skeptical.I think.

Hirao　The spread of the new coronavirus has had a major impact on the advertising industry.More and more companies are becoming aware of brand-based advertisingIt is

However, brand advertising, especiallyIt is difficult to see the effect of brand advertising on TV on business results such as sales.With these challenges and the future being so uncertain, companies areIt's time to rethink advertising without being bound by conventionsIt is

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, accelerating the pace of change. As consumer awareness is also changing rapidly, companies areIt has become necessary to speed up the PDCA cycle.As I mentioned at the beginning, I asked you to become an outside director while we were preparing to form ADVA, and as a result, you have helped us solve the problems I just mentioned, right from the time we stepped onto the balcony.

Takenaka　There is a word called "genba-shugi" (on-site approach). Japan loves this word, butTo be hands-on, you cannot remain on-site.Unless you run up to the balcony and get an overview of the situation, you won't know what needs to be repaired.

I like to stay on the balcony and not go up to the field."Non-intellectualism in the name of hands-on approach"There are many things that become clear when you take a bird's-eye view.

Hirao　Once again, I am truly pleased that you have accepted the position of outside director. To be honest, I was prepared for you to decline the offer, citing your busy schedule.

Takenaka　A few years ago, I asked Paul Krugman, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2008, "You're invited to a lot of conferences, but how do you decide which ones to attend and which not?" He was amused by the question and replied, "I attend conferences where I think I can have a good discussion." If I attend and discuss something, I think it will improve society and at the same time improve myself, so I will attend. I think it's the same thing.I accepted the position of external director at XICA because I believe it will improve society and myself.So you have to do a good job.

Hirao　Thank you. I imagine myself creating policies together with you from now on. Just like when I was a seminar student, we set a goal, identify the problem, create a hypothesis for solving it, analyze it with data, make a policy, and repeat the verification experiment. By doing so,We want to create a future in which everyone can be happy, not just the companies that advertise, but also the media, creators, and of course the consumers who watch the commercials..

Takenaka　Companies have always been the ones that change societyThat's because companies have money, people, and technology that the government lacks. The role of the government is to help companies operate more easily. There is a man called Godai Tomoatsu. During the Meiji Restoration, he was in the government for a time, but he felt a strong need to strengthen industry, so he returned to the industrial world and continued to take on new challenges. I want to be like him,I want to participate in building a new nation through my activities at XICAInnovation originally meant"New combination"In other words, it is born from new combinations. Managers must bring about the changes that will create these new combinations within the company.I hope that Mr. Hirao's decision to involve me in management will lead to new innovation.I think.