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Interview

Working as an Advertising Producer at Kadokawa - When Money is not for Creating Content but for Making it Known

Article by: Aki Naoe

So you like anime and want a job in the animation industry, but you can't really draw? Fear not, as there are still tons of career options out there for you!


This time, we will be interviewing Beppu, an advertising producer at Kadokawa, a company that has brought many anime titles to the world. We asked them about their job, about the joys of advertising, and what's the secret to getting into the industry!

From copywriting to managing information

── Just what kind of job is "advertising"?

Our job is to make our work known to as many people as possible through various promotional activities.


For example, we decide on the main advertising visuals, create the official website and promotional videos, publish articles and ads in print and web media, and set up specials featuring the cast. We also coordinate collaborations and partnerships between the anime and corporations, as well as arrange events like stage greetings.


For works for which we are the coordinator of the Production Committee (*), we act as the advertisement contact, and the lead producer decides the publicity objectives and guides the various stages of planning. 


* Production Committee: A committee consisting of several companies that invest in the production of a film or anime.

── It sounds like the scope of your work is quite broad.

It's very diverse. Managing information about the product is also crucial: deciding when to unveil the cast, or in the case of original works, overseeing the materials to be released to avoid spoilers.

── When did you start working in advertising?

I joined this company right after I graduated three years ago. In my first year, I was assigned to the Planning Department, whose job is to create a work from scratch and follow each step until delivery. As an assistant, I followed my seniors around the production site for script readings and dubbing. After that, I was transferred (*) to the Advertising Department, and it's been two years now. 


In the Planning Department, you're in close contact with the original work's Editorial Department and the animation studio, while in the Advertising Department we work with our eyes on the end-user. We're involved with the anime in different ways; the best ideas for catchphrases and main visuals tend to come from people who are a bit far apart from the production side.


Being separated from the production team means it's easier for us to determine if a catchphrase fails to convey what its supposed to, or if the main visuals would look cooler another way.

(*)(Translator's note: Japanese companies often implement job rotation policies for their employees, and it's not uncommon to switch departments every few years.)

── So it's advertising team's job to come up with the main visuals and slogans.

In some cases, it's the advertising department that comes up with these ideas, and in others it's the planning producer. From time to time, the production studio and the producers even create promotional videos.
But I don't want to just promote what is supplied; I'd rather exchange opinions with the planning staff to create good promotional materials.

Good work comes from exchanging ideas

── Do the creators' ideas often clash with advertising's?

It happens. In such cases, I make a point of explaining the reasons behind the advertising objectives and strategy to the people in charge of planning, to get optimal results. My goal is to get the planners to say, "Yes, I want this person to take charge of the advertising!"

── I suppose planners also come up with ideas for the project. Negotiations must be hard!

When negotiations are tough, I bring to the planners' attention market analyses that were carried out from an advertising perspective.
For example, it's good to keep an eye on what's popular at the moment, but I think it's also important to come up with opinions and ideas such as, "In this particular field, this person works better than the alternatives." I also try to differentiate my work from others by identifying unbeaten paths that can be taken advantage of in the current production. 


However, it's essential to understand the intentions of a project rather than just expressing your own opinions. Good work comes from the agreement between both parties, reached after discussing points such as (for instance) the reason why there shouldn't be any spoilers, or why a certain character should be used in the main visuals.

── Earlier you mentioned that the production studio sometimes even creates promotional videos. Is that usually advertising's job?

Some advertising producers write the storyboards themselves and order the frames, lines of dialogue, music, and other materials from the animation studio.


In some cases, we work together with a promotional video production company. The first step is to think about the overall structure and flow of the video, e.g. "This line calls for an up-tempo song," and then discuss the details with the director. The details include, for example, where to place the dialogues and onscreen text, or things like "At this timecode, I want a 5-second cut of this character."

Children's TV show "Uchū Nanchara Kotetsu-kun" is here!

── You have a very wide range of work. How many titles are you in charge of?

I am currently in charge of So I'm a Spider, So What?, a double cour series that has been airing since January. And of Uchū Nanchara Kotetsu-kun, a children's TV show that started in April on NHK.

As for film productions for movie theaters, I am in charge of Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Licht - The Nameless Girl which is scheduled to premiere in the summer of 2021.

── Have you ever tried out an unconventional advertising strategy?

When I am in charge of advertising, I always try to work on strategies that are tailor-made for that particular work.


Recently, as a pre-broadcast advertisement for So I'm a Spider, So What? we decided on a collaboration project with That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, as both share the isekai setting. We held a cross-promotion Twitter campaign, created illustrations of the main characters side by side, and broadcasted a joint special live stream on YouTube.


In the YouTube stream, the main cast members introduced each other's works to the audience. The script was the result of a tag effort with the director who produced the program and the scriptwriter. There are also many publicists who write their own scripts for events and stage appearances.


On top of that, we planned and produced some goods for the cast to wear for promotional purposes.

In advertising, money is for making a work known

── Are there any differences between working on TV anime and films for movie theaters?

There are more things to do and more people involved in productions for movie theaters. Some films have larger budgets, and the more money you can spend, the more you have to do.


When it comes to films, the advertising budget that the advertising producer is entrusted with depends, for example, on the amount of money that has been set for box-office revenue. We use a much larger budget compared to a TV series and we try to spread word about the work as much as possible.

── It must be a challenge to spend all of it.

You would think so, wouldn't you? At first, I was also excited to be able to work with such a big amount of money. However, I'm now keenly aware that if you don't allocate and manage your budget properly, you'll run out pretty quickly... (laughs)


The budget that can be used for advertising in a theatrical film is called P&A (Print & Advertising); it has to cover the cost of the printed materials (leaflets, pamphlets, etc.) for theatrical screening and the advertising and promotion costs for the film to be released in theaters.


If the film is going to be screened in a large number of theaters, we'll need an equally large number of printed materials, and those alone can be quite expensive. In addition, the cost of the free novelties we hand out to the audience with admission is also quite high, so we have to decide whether we will distribute freebies, and if so, when, what kind, and in what quantity.


To avoid exceeding the allocated budget, we need to manage it carefully and spend only what we can afford. We set aside part of the budget just in case something happens, but it'd be a total disaster if we forgot about it and failed to advertise a title properly. That's why it's mandatory to check it often and keep track of how much is left to spend.

── Do you have a set percentage of how you will spend your advertising budget?

How we spend the money depends on the advertising guidelines for the film.


The budget can vary greatly for promotional videos alone, and for advertising, we have TV spots, transit ads, web ads... There is no one answer.

── So it's up to the advertising producer to decide.

Yes, and that's why I do research on what other titles are doing. I look at other works' official websites, Twitter feeds, and special features as much as I can, to gather more knowledge.

The sense of fulfillment that comes with a successful campaign

── What do you enjoy about working in advertising?

I enjoy the fact that advertising comes with so many different types of work. I can try out various strategies, such as interviewing the cast and staff, posting on Twitter every day, and thinking about visual materials. Being able to get involved in a wide variety of things and people in a short span of time is also stimulating.


Anyhow, to be honest, it was hard at first. I joined the company thinking that I wanted to be a producer of live-action films, so I actually knew nothing about animation. But after working as an anime planning assistant for a year, I came to enjoy it. Then, just as I began to think that I would've liked to take charge of a project, I was transferred to advertising, so I ended up lost in the metaphorical sea again. (laughs)

── Is there a particular job that you remember fondly?

Definitely Deca-Dence, the first time I was head of advertisement!

Deca-Dence is a work with a big twist in the second episode. After discussing with the planning and production companies, I decided to advertise it by only using materials from the first episode, until the second episode was broadcast.


I was excited, wondering how the audience would react. When the second episode aired, I felt relieved that I had managed to prevent any plot leaks.


With the second episode, we also released a new main visual. When I saw how great the response was, I learned just how fun it is to work in advertising.


Back then, I really did the best I could with Deca-Dence, but the realization that I would've been able to perform way better with my current set of skills has left me with a lingering sense of regret. That's why I'm working extra hard to be able to give 120% or even 500% in the future. That is my motivation for my daily work.


Uchū Nanchara Kotetsu-kun, which has started in April, is the first children's anime I'm in charge of. The original author, Yuji Nishimura, has also many fans in their 20s, so I am thinking about how to connect with them.

── Is there anything that you keep in mind when you work?

I make sure to think like an advertiser.


For example, when recording a special feature, we need to keep in mind when it will be aired and what will be happening in the anime at the time of airing. Otherwise, if a cast member asks us whether they can or cannot say something about the story, we won't have a clear answer, and as a result, we might have to cut a lot of material during the editing process and end up with something with no substance.


To prevent similar situations, we need to be able to give clear directions: "Spoilers are okay, but please don't mention this or that word." This kind of consideration is essential to advertisers.

Balancing university and night classes at a vocational school

── How was it like looking for a job? When did you realize that you wanted to work in the film industry?

I've wanted to work in film ever since I was in high school. I considered attending the cinema department of an art university, but eventually, I chose a different path. Sometimes I think that I should have picked the art school, but I'm happy with the job I have now.

── What steps did you take to get a job in this industry?

In my third year of university, I attended a night school for film advertising called New Cinema Workshop for one year. It's a night school where you can learn about the film industry, and they hold a workshop once a week for about two and a half hours. I learned how to advertise a film and the know-how behind it, and actually made flyers, main visuals, and pamphlets.


The workshop allowed me to talk with strangers, and it was a good experience to be exposed to other people's perspectives, such as different ways to look at the same visual or different opinions about a slogan.


Since I wrote about my experience at the vocational school on my job hunting resume, at interviews I was rarely asked about my motivation for applying. Instead, I talked about my personality and what I liked, and I somehow managed to get the job.

── Why did you decide to join Kadokawa?

I joined the company because I thought there was a high chance that I would be able to work directly in entertainment. I had heard that even in major film distribution companies, new graduates are often assigned to human resources or general affairs (*) and that they're not involved directly in entertainment, so I was glad to join Kadokawa.


Overall, when searching for a job I focused on general entertainment companies. At first, I also applied to TV stations, but I was rejected by all of them!

(*)(Translator's Note: in Japan, mid- and large-sized companies often hire a group of new graduates and assign them to departments based on internal need for additional hands rather than the strengths of the individual hire. It is not uncommon to be assigned to a department that is completely different from one's degree, and new graduates rarely get a say in where they'll be placed.)

── Is there any way to get a job in advertising other than joining a major company right after graduating?

Many roads lead to advertising.


There are many different types of advertising companies, such as web, print, and companies that specialize in movies and events, so I think you'll have no issue finding a job advertising some sort of work. Some of our senior advertising staff, who were hired mid-career (*), have also worked similar jobs.

(*)(Translator's Note: unlike the system for new graduates, mid-career hires are usually hired for a specific role in a specific department, and they're usually between their late-20s and early-40s. These jobs are based on work experience, so older hires are more common.)

── Do you have many new graduates working in advertising?

It's mostly mid-career hires.

── What about freelancers?

It's a job you can do as a freelancer, yes. In the end, how to use the advertising budget entrusted to you by the production committee is a task that depends on the person, not on the company.


I don't have any experience yet, so I'm taking advantage of the company's help, but I'm aware that I'll have to acquire the ability to advertise on my own in five to ten years.

── Do you have any advice for young people who are interested in working in advertising?

When looking for a job, you will probably be asked why you want to work in this industry. If you can answer with specific anecdotes, such as with the measures you liked in a specific title, then you'll be able to convey how serious you are about it.


It's critical that you have the passion to recommend a title to others, and not just be satisfied with liking it yourself. A good anecdote shows you are a person who has the power to get others involved. For example, you could tell interviewers about that time when your recommendation got your friends into a certain title.


I think it's also important to think about your favorite creative works on a daily basis and reflect on how you would promote them if you were the one in charge.

── Thank you very much!

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