Asatsu-DK

ADK Holdings Inc.[2] d/b/a ADK (meaning: Asatsu Dai-ichi Kikaku Holdings Inc.), simply known as Asatsu-DK is a Japanese advertising agency. Headquartered in the Toranomon Hills building complex in Minato, Tokyo since June 2014 (previously in Tsukiji, Chūō, Tokyo), the firm is Japan's third largest advertising agency after Dentsu and Hakuhodo.[1] The agency has 80 offices in over 20 countries. One, Asatsu-DK Europe, was established in 1993 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Bain Capital has owned the company since 2018.

For the defunct game company, see ADK (company).
ADK Holdings Inc.
ADK
Native name
株式会社ADKホールディングス
Kabushiki gaisha EI DĪ KEI Hōrudingusu
TypePrivate KK
IndustryAdvertising agency
PredecessorAsatsu
Dai-ichi Kikaku Co., Ltd
FoundedMarch 19, 1956
FounderMasao Inagaki
HeadquartersToranomon Hills, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Key people
Kōichirō Naganuma (President and CEO)[1]
OwnerBain Capital Private Equity (87% as BCPE Madison Gaiman L.P.)
Number of employees
1,925 (Dec 2011)
WebsiteOfficial website
Asatsu-DK's previous logo (2002-2014)

History

Asatsu Inc. was established in 1956[3] by Masao Inagaki. In August 1998, it entered a business tie-up with the WPP Group. It soon merged with fellow advertising agency Dai-ichi Kikaku Co., Ltd. (established in 1951) to form Asatsu-DK (the DK stands for Dai-ichi Kikaku) on January 1, 1999. Masao Inagaki died on April 16, 2015.[4] In October 2017, it was reported that U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital was looking to buy Asatsu-DK for ¥152 billion ($1.35 billion).[5]

On January 1, 2019, it was reported that Asatsu-DK fully acquired d-rights. It had previously shared that company with Mitsubishi Corporation.[6][7]

Subsidiaries and interests

It owns a variety of interests, including production companies NAS and d-rights; animation studio Eiken; animation studio Gonzo; Nihon Bungeisha Publishing; film and print processor Taiyo Seihan; production studio Sun Artist Studio, Supervision Inc.; television commercial production house Prime Pictures; and creative services company Tokyo Ad Party.[8]

Asatsu-DK is also involved in producing and providing its services to numerous anime series, through itself as well as its subsidiaries, including recent installments of Sunrise's Gundam series, such as the latest series Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Turn A Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed and Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny, as well as several other anime titles.

References
  1. "Asatsu-DK Inc. Company Profile - Yahoo! Finance". Yahoo! Finance. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  2. 株式会社ADKホールディングス, Kabushiki-gaisha Ei Dī Kei Hōrudingusu
  3. "Company Overview of Asatsu-DK Inc". Bloomberg. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  4. "The announcement of the loss of the founder" (PDF). adk.jp. April 18, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  5. Fujito, Junko (October 2, 2017). "Bain aims to buy Japan advertising agency Asatsu-DK for $1.4 billion". Reuters. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  6. "Sunrights and d-rights Team up with Hasbro to Relaunch the Legendary Beyblade Franchise". hasbro.gcs-web.com. February 15, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  7. Ressler, Karen (January 1, 2019). "ADK Restructures, Acquires All of Anime Company d-rights". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  8. "Asatsu-DK - Advertising Age - DataCenter: Agency 2007". Advertising Age. 2007-04-22. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
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