Hakuhodo DY ONE and Info Cubic Japan Launch i CROSS BORDER JAPAN to Support Cross-Border Marketing

Tokyo, July 1, 2025 – Hakuhodo DY ONE Inc. and Info Cubic Japan Co., Ltd. have jointly launched i CROSS BORDER JAPAN, a new service brand dedicated to cross-border marketing. Designed to strengthen support for Japanese and international corporate marketing, the Japan-based brand offers a comprehensive suite of marketing services. It integrates the capabilities and expertise of over 60 specialists across Group companies inside and outside Japan, creating a robust team structure to help clients succeed in global markets.

https://www.icrossborderjapan.com/en

Background: Understanding Market Needs

In today’s digital era, the daily lives and behaviors of Japanese sei-katsu-sha (a Hakuhodo-coined term referring to people as multidimensional individuals, not just consumers) have become increasingly digitalized. This shift elevates the importances of designing marketing communications that place client at the center.

Japanese companies expanding overseas must navigate not only the commercial norms, regulations, and cultural values of local markets, but also maintain consistency in corporate and product branding. They often face challenges managing diverse, multilingual teams with different cultural backgrounds.

On the other hand, foreign companies entering Japan must craft meticulous communications aligned with the distinctive expectations of Japanese sei-katsu-sha while staying consistent with global headquarters strategies.

For both inbound and outbound efforts, success requires a deep understanding of market environments and consumer behavior─especially the nuances of sei-katsu-sha. This is why choosing a partner with sharp local insight is essential.

To meet these demands, Hakuhodo DY ONE and Info Cubic Japan have built an agile support framework that integrates the assets, expertise, and knowledge of Group companies both in Japan and abroad, ensuring timely and flexible solutions tailored to client needs.

About i CROSS BORDER JAPAN

i CROSS BORDER JAPAN was established to address the challenges of global marketing from two directions:

• Outbound support for Japanese companies expanding overseas
• Inbound support for overseas companies entering the Japanese market

By leveraging the capabilities and expertise of Hakuhodo DY Group companies, both inside and outside Japan, we provide integrated solutions centered on sei-katsu-sha insights, helping clients maximize global business opportunities.

Support for Japanese Companies Expanding Overseas (Outbound)

• Market, competitor, and customer research; strategic planning in over 20 global markets
• Digital ad planning,  operation, and reporting tailored to local markets
• Multilingual influencer campaigns (KOL marketing)
• Media planning and collaborations with local social media platforms
• Multilingual content production by native speakers, with enhanced AI efficiency
• E-commerce support, including mall operations, advertising, and sales in China, ASEAN, and beyond
• CRM strategies and automation leveraging first-party data
• Website and ad effectiveness measurement, with proposals for improvement
• Local marketing strategy support, including collaboration with overseas Group company offices

Support for Overseas Companies Entering the Japanese Market (Inbound)

• Market research, marketing strategy development, and communications planning for Japan
• Ad  operation support optimized for the Japanese market (digital, ATL, and production)
• Website development and localization

Key Features of i CROSS BORDER JAPAN

1.Leveraging Knowledge Across the Group

Through horizontal partnerships with Hakuhodo DY ONE group companies inside and outside Japan, we mobilize the expertise, technologies, and solutions held by the partner companies. This enables AI-powered planning and highly accurate analyses based on sei-katsu-sha data.

2.Multinational and Multilingual Expertise

Our multinational team, comprised with 40% international employees,  operating in 20 countries, provides support for global and local communication that reflects cultural and commercial practices.

3.Extensive Global Network Through H+ Partnership

As a member of H+ (Hakuhodo DY Group’s cross-border strategic network), i CROSS BORDER JAPAN offers comprehensive support as a point of contact for international business in Japan. H+ connects Hakuhodo Inc. and Hakuhodo DY ONE to drive clients’ marketing and digital transformation (DX) across the APAC region. With offices in North America, Europe, Greater China, ASEAN, and beyond, we provide local ad operation and management support for Japanese companies expanding overseas, as well as for foreign-affiliated companies targeting Japan. Our end-to-end support covers everything from planning to execution of cross-border marketing strategies.

Aspirations Embodied in i CROSS BORDER JAPAN

Leveraging the group’s capabilities, knowledge, and experience, i CROSS BORDER JAPAN pursues innovative solutions to maximize client performance. By delivering brand-new value in cross-border marketing─both outbound and inbound─we aim to establish a leadership position in the industry.