TOKYO, JAPAN — Creative agency TBWA\HAKUHODO has announced the appointment of Kyoko Yonezawa as Head of Innovation, a newly created role designed to deepen the innovative brand experience offering across the agency. Kyoko will be responsible for building on the agencyʼs existing foundation, fast-tracking and scaling current capabilities while developing and executing the agencyʼs plans to build new offerings with the objective
of driving growth for both agency and clients. Kyoko joins from Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo where she was
Creative Tech Director.
Takahiro Hosoda, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\HAKUHODO, said, “Technology has become our world.
We work, live, and play in an era where we are constantly connected to our devices, elevating the possibilities
for brands to create and engage on a deeper personal level with their audiences.
“While these devices, such as our smartphones and smartwatches, and the increasingly prevalent smart
infrastructure of cars, homes, and cities, challenge us as creatives to push into new spaces, they also allow
us to create a more engaging, dynamic, and purposeful experience for customers. Weʼre thrilled Kyoko is
joining us on this journey to continue creating ongoing value for our clients.”
As an agency, TBWA\HAKUHODO has a history of delivering innovative, purposeful campaigns through
creative versatility, storytelling, innovative design, and by challenging themselves to deliver category
disruptive communications across the entire customer journey, the recent partnership with Koushi
Chemical Industries to develop the Shellmet, and AIGʼs Pride Jersey are just two examples of disrupting
the category conventions through innovative brand solutions.
Chris Iki, Chief Operating Officer, TBWA\HAKUHODO, shared, “Innovative brand experiences have become
a priority within the marketing strategy, and as creative marketers, itʼs vitally important we provide a
cohesive lens with which to affect disruptive growth. As such Koyko will work across the entire agency,
to achieve greater creative synergy.”
After graduating from the University of Tokyo with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and an M.S. in
Computer Science, Kyoko joined Dentsu, later joining space startup ispace as a secondee from Dentsu. In
2020, she joined Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo as a Creative Tech Director.
Kyoko has been awarded at Cannes Lions Grand Prix, D&AD Black Pencil, and other world’s prestigious
awards, and has served as a judge for Japan and international advertising awards, attracting attention as
an innovation leader in the advertising industry in Japan.
Kyoko said, “In this age of unpredictable events, innovative solutions that are loved by people, add value, and take root in society are the keys to creating a bond between brands and the audience. In this exciting time, I am thrilled to create new value that the world has never seen together with the team at TBWA\HAKUHODO based on the method of Disruption.”
