ASIA-PACIFIC – TOKYO, JAPAN, OCTOBER 1, 2010 – Masahiko Yasuda has been appointed executive creative director of beacon communications k.k. The hire is expected to boost creativity in developing human centered brand ideas, gestures or experiences that can transform thought, feeling and behavior
Yasuda, a graduate of Kyoto University, joined Dentsu as a copywriter in 1982. After working as a CM Planner, he worked as a Creative Director with many prominent clients including both domestic and global clients such as Panasonic, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Canon, Asahi Beer, Toto, NHK, among many others.
His works have been recognized in many award shows including Clio, London International Ad Awards, AdFest, IBA, Dentsu Award, TCC Award, ACC CM Festival, Galaxy Award, Asahi Advertising Award, Nikkei Advertising Award and Yomiuri Advertising Award.
Nicolas Menat, president of beacon commented, “Yasuda’s role with us is to lead our creative team, around 80 creative talents, combining different expertise from advertising in all kind of media, to digital or retail focused execution. But, they are all working together towards one goal: Develop single-minded, breakthrough ideas, creating a meaningful human purpose at the center of our brands. Ideas that engage the public’s imagination; we call them Acts at beacon. And, making sure that these brilliant ideas are brilliantly executed.”
Upon his appointment, Yasuda said, “There is an ancient Japanese word: ‘bon-noh’. I would interpret it as ‘the core human driver for taking actions’. At Dentsu, I have enjoyed solving this equation of ‘what is the bon-noh?’ ‘What is the best way to tickle people’s bon-noh?’ hundreds of times. We live in an age when ‘the bon-noh itself increases’ and when ‘the diversity in communication brings an infinity of possibilities to stir the bon-noh.’ I am looking forward to working with beacon team to proudly surprise the world by discovering new answers to the bon-noh equation and developing ideas that truly engage people.”
beacon communications k. k., established in 2001 from the mergers of Leo Burnett operations in Japan, with significant equity, talent and resources from Dentsu, is a member of the Paris-based Publicis Groupe S.A.
