History

Hakuhodo founder Hironao Seki

October 1895

Hakuhodo founded by Hironao Seki at 22 Kanda-Nabecho, Tokyo, as an advertising space broker for educational magazines.

Nishikicho Headquarters: A modern 3-story Western-style building

October 1914

Headquarters relocated to Kanda-Nishikicho.

Naigai Tsushinsha Inc. (1925)

February 1924

Company reorganized as a stock company (kabushiki kaisha).

Hironao Seki becomes first President & Member of the Board.

New Nishikicho Headquarters

June 1930

Construction of new offices (Nishikicho Headquarters) completed.

Inaugural issue of The Hakuhodo Geppo

September 1948

The Hakuhodo Geppo (later Kohkoku) first published.

Company nameplate

April 1955

Company name changed to Hakuhodo Incorporated.

June 1957

Account executive (AE) system introduced, pioneering cross-disciplinary teams responsible for specific clients.

President Hironobu Seki reading out the Hakuhodo Declaration

January 1960

Hakuhodo Declaration announced.

Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living logo (at time of establishment)

September 1981

Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living, Inc. established.

June 1982

Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival Grand Prix awarded to “Menu of Lights” TV commercial for Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

President Ritsuo Isobe declaring Hakuhodo's Second Stage

May 1991

Grand Design Partner corporate philosophy announced.

June 1993

Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival Grand Prix awarded to “Hungry?” TV commercial for Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd.

New logo introduced to mark Hakuhodo's centenary

October 1995

Centenery of Hakuhodo's founding.

December 1995

Market Design concept introduced.

Hakuhodo Global Brand Force Session 2002

May 2002

Powerbranding corporate philosophy announced.

Board Member Susumu Miyazaki (left) receiving a special Lion at Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival

June 2003

Hakuhodo awarded special 50th anniversary Lion at Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

Hakuhodo DY Group formed

October–December 2003

Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc., a joint holding company, established with Daiko Advertising Inc.and Yomiko Advertising Inc.

Hakuhodo made a fully owned subsidiary of Hakuhodo DY Holdings through a share transfer.

Hakuhodo DY Media Partners Inc. established.

President Toshio Miyagawa at a ceremony to commemorate Hakuhodo DY Holdings’ stock exchange listing

February 2005

Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc. listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

May 2008

New Group logo adopted.

Current Akasaka Headquarters

May 2008

Headquarters relocated to 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo.

April 2014

New shared vision, Inventing the future with sei-katsu-sha, formulated by Hakuhodo and Hakuhodo DY Media Partners.

October 2015

120th anniversary of Hakuhodo's founding.

July 2019

The Central Dot introduced as new visual identity.