ADK ADK

  • NEWS

    News

    News

    • Back

    • News Top
    • News
  • ABOUT ADK GROUP

    ABOUT ADK GROUP

    ABOUT ADK GROUP

    • Back

    • ABOUT ADK GROUP
    • OUTLINE
    • PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
    • HISTORY
    • ACCESS
    • OFFICES IN JAPAN
    • OVERSEAS OFFICES
  • FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    • Back

    • FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    • EARNINGS PRESENTATION
    • ANNUAL REPORTS
  • CSR

    CSR

    CSR

    • Back

    • CSR
    • CSR PHILOSOPHY
    • ENVIRONMENT
    • WORK STYLE
    • SOCIETY
    • ADK Purpose, Action Report
    • CODE OF CONDUCT
  • 日本語
  • ENGLISH
  • Home
  • ABOUT ADK GROUP
  • HISTORY

HISTORY

Our late founder, Masao Inagaki, founded ASATSU (Asahi Tsushin-sha) in 1956 with only 4 employees. This small advertising agency with a challenger spirit grew rapidly to become the third largest agency in Japan. And in 1999, the merger with Daiichi Kikaku formed ASATSU-DK (ADK).

Starting January 2019, ADK will transform into a holding company structure with ADK Holdings Inc. (ADKHD) as a pure holding company. ADK will become a collective group of business entities in which each operating company will strengthen professional areas and increase productivity, optimising the output we can offer.

ASATSU INC. (1956-1998)

1956 March Established headquarters in Mejiro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, led by current Chairman Emeritus, Masao Inagaki. Began operations as advertising agency in Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, primarily to handle magazine advertising
1967 May Head office moved to Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
1984 Janualy Resource and professional tie-up with BBDO International, Inc. (currently BBDO Worldwide, Inc.) of USA
1987 October Listed on second section of Tokyo Stock Exchange
1990 June Elevated to first section of Tokyo Stock Exchange
1991 May Establishment of strategic business alliance with Xinhua News Agency of China
1994 February Establishment of joint-capital venture in Beijing, China, with umbrella company of People’s Daily
1995 July Head office moved to Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
1998 August Resource and professional tie-up with WPP Group plc, one of the world’s top three advertising organizations

Dai-ichi Kikaku Co.,Ltd. (1951-1998)

1951 December Establishment of Dai-ichi Kikaku Senden Co., Ltd., at Ginza 7-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, led by Naoya Sakai and Saburo Hotta. Began operations as advertising agency, primarily to handle radio advertising
1958 Janualy Growth necessitates moving head office to Ginza 8-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
1961 September Moved head office to Ginza 7-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, and changed name to Dai-ichi Kikaku Co., Ltd.
1962 September Merged with Futaba Kigyou Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) and Keishin-sha Co., Ltd. (Edogawa-ku, Tokyo)
1974 June Created “DIK Network Partners”, a business tie-up with local agencies
1976 June Business tie-up with Doyle Dane Bernbach, Inc. (currently DDB Needham Worldwide, Inc.)
1981 November Moved head office to Ginza 7-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, and administrative office to current location in Uchisaiwaicho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
1988 October Merged with Dai-ichi Ad Board Co., Ltd.
1996 September Went public

ASATSU-DK INC. (1999-2018)

1999 Janualy ASATSU Inc. and Dai-Ichi Kikaku Co., Ltd., merged, marking the beginning of ASATSU-DK
2002
July ADK Acquires Equity Stake in Animation Studio Eiken
November Head office moved to “ADK Shochiku Square” Tsukiji,Chuo-ku,Tokyo
2003 April 2003 Establishment of ADK Arts Inc.
2005 August Establishes The University of Tokyo Asatsu-DK China Education Fund
2011 August Establishment of ADK Digital Communications Inc.
2014 June ADK has relocated its head office to “Toranomon Hills” in Toranomon, Minato-ku
2017
December Completion of TOB by Bain Capital Private Equity
December Termination of the Capital and Business Alliance with the WPP Group
2018 March Delisting from the first section of Tokyo Stock Exchange

ADK Group (2019-)

2019
Janualy Transformed into a holding company structure with ADK Holdings Inc. (ADKHD) as a pure holding company
April Establishes Data Chemistry Inc. with JR East Marketing & Communications, Inc. and Tokyu Agency Inc. as an affiliated company of ADK Marketing Solutions Inc.
May Establishes FACT Inc. as an affiliated company of ADK Creative One Inc.
June Establishes Studio KAI Inc. as an affiliated company of ADK Emotions Inc.
July Establishes navy Inc. as an affiliated company of ADK Creative One Inc.
July Establishes ADK Digital Operations Inc. with Northern Lights Inc. as an affiliated company of ADK Marketing Solutions Inc.
July Establishes Croco Advertising Co., Ltd. as a joint venture with MicroAd China, Inc. as an affiliated company of ADK Marketing Solutions Inc.
October ADK Emotions Inc. makes d-rights Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary and Sunrights Inc. changes its name to ADK Emotions NY Inc.
2020
Janualy ADK Holding Inc. acquires shares of Vietnamese independent digital agency, VietBuzzAd in Ho Chi Minh City
July Changes the name of Asatsu-DK Singapore Pte. Ltd. to ADK Connect Singapore Pte. Ltd. in Singapore and establishes PT. ADK Connect Emotions Indonesia in Indonesia
November Changes the name of IMMG Beijing Co., Ltd to ADK Emotions Beijing Co.,Ltd.

ADK

News

  • News

ABOUT
ADK GROUP

  • OUTLINE
  • PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
  • HISTORY
  • ACCESS
  • OFFICES IN JAPAN
  • OVERSEAS OFFICES

FINANCIAL
INFORMATION

  • EARNINGS PRESENTATION
  • ANNUAL REPORTS

CSR

  • CSR PHILOSOPHY
  • ENVIRONMENT
  • WORK STYLE
  • SOCIETY
  • ADK Purpose, Action Report
  • CODE OF CONDUCT

  • ASK
  • WEBSITE MANAGEMENT POLICY
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COOKIES POLICY
  • ASK
  • WEBSITE MANAGEMENT POLICY
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COOKIES POLICY

©ADK Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved.