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Kohaku Utagassen 2020

The 71st edition of Kohaku Utagassen was nothing but mediocre this year. As a show that reflects on society, its culture and its overall state of mind, this year we saw a rather emotional and overall well-delivered edition of the popular year-end contest that did not fall short on anything.

With no audience physically present at the NHK hall, a socially distanced theme that dominated all performances and spectacular used of technology, the tone was set right for something I knew was going to be interesting to watch to say the least.

Far beyond the framework, the question of how to make music performances attractive at a time when they have become quite the opposite, was properly answered. This time and age due to Covid-19 we do not have (or almost seldom have) people experiencing live music so, rather than delivering it to its audiences, we must bring audiences to the music while being as creative as we can.

Creativity took the shape of screens of all sizes playing performances of stages inside stages, several studios and locations made available remotely all delivered with superb MCing executed by the outstanding performance of Fumi Nikaido. She played a fantastic role at carrying the team forward in a very professional, consistent and strongly elegant manner.

On the performance side I must say that this is the year when the show organizers finally paid attention to what happened in the music scene throughout 2020 as opposed to resembling an oldies display of nostalgia. Immediately from the onset it was very clear that the Red team had a chance at winning with much stronger singers than their counterpart White team (shirogumi).

In general I saw both teams on an even note focusing on what each side achieved in 2020 and in this perspective we can say that the ladies in Red had a strong year with talented singers that were a delight to watch. The heavy hitters in Red were Foorin, Milet, The 46s groups, Little Glee Monster, NiziU, Baby Metal, Lisa, Miyon Ai, and Yoasobi, these latter two standing behind a record of strong success with the animation Devil’s Blade. The Heavy hitters in White were Eito, Greeeen, Official Hige Dandism, King & Prince, and Keisuke Yamauchi.

On an even stage, the usual wild cards were present with Fuyumi Sakamoto, Yoshimi Tendo, Perfume, and Sayuri Ishikawa for the Red side. The guys and their White side saw Arashi performing as a group for their last time, Yoshiki and his international collaboration, Hiroshi Itsuki, Hiromi Go, Yuzu, Mr. Children and Kiyoshi Hikawa.

While generally I was quite impressed with the tone of the show, the end started to resemble the usual kind of show with both teams putting their biggest names forward in hope to seal their win. The ladies played Seiko Matsuda as a prelude of the final fight between Masaharu Fukuyama and Misia. They all were good, but unlike previous years, they did not seal the win this time.

With a very-creative approach that focused on talent and attracting audiences not only to watch but to remain engaged, this year’s edition of Kohaku gathered a lot of attention from people who ultimately judged new and relatively new performances over long-lasting careers. Far from being disappointing, on this front as well the judging was done right with viewers finally voting from their homes more than ever at the press of a button (those colorful buttons in the remote control that are never used enough). And, rather than the voting happening at two specific times, it happened throughout the show at strategically well-positioned times to collect input more consistently and fairly.

Right about 15 minutes before midnight and as the music show prepared to give way to the transition to another year, the ladies and their Red team where crowned winners by a landslide of 2.6M votes. As they sealed their victory against the White team that achieved about half the votes gathered by the ladies, I could not avoid thinking once again how great this show was this time around and how exciting music can be again if the right thinking is put in place to deliver a wonderfully inviting experience.

Year in Review 2020

Without much doubt 2020 has not been a typical run-of-the-mill standard year for pretty much all of us (whole of the human raze) and if we got something very clearly this time around is quite possibly what we have always long expected, unprecedented change.

If anybody had told me that 2020 was going to pan out the way it did at the start of the year, I would have not believed it. But, let us face it, as somebody who is used to authoring his own destiny, I have always been prepared for any kind of unpreached predicament.

Covid-19 has been the main keyword of the year and while most of what happened in the world is attributed to it, we can also say that nothing positive was going to ever happen if all of us humans had not stepped in and proved again that we are at the top of the food chain for a reason. I followed suit.

In line with the premise that we are the strongest and more survivalist species, I quickly adapted to short time spans in an everchanging world. While the economy retreated to its online existence my companies were immediately well positioned for a remote-working world and without delay we started to tackle the uncertainties of our clients doing what we do best, Engaging More and Selling More.

As I lead my people and clients over countless sleepless nights early in the year, I realized that being a CEO puts me at the forefront of whichever fight I am up to fighting in the business world. This way I realized that when uncharted uncertainties arose, there was no manual to follow apart from my own leadership. So, I did exactly that, I lead by heart and secured a level of calm and optimism that became my own and subsequently shaped it into my learnings. I figured that when nothing is as ever more important than existing, putting things in perspective of my own existence is the only life-saving strategy that works. Fortunately, it did.

As most of the storm brought upon us began to subside, I found myself hiring people and acquiring companies while unleashing my wildest entrepreneurial dreams. The more people, especially clients, realized that calm and growth can be delivered in an uncertain world and the more they saw I was authoring both, the more they came to me. Long story short, my teams in several countries have grown and I went from owning three companies to owning four, co-owning another two and managing another two ventures for which I am the hired CEO and managing director.

By all means, this kind of expansion is something I did not plan for at the beginning of 2020. And perhaps, moreover something I would not have done if 2020 had not been the kind of 2020 we all came to know. Somehow, I found a lot of motivation to grow in the deepest depth of uncertainty that became very fulfilling.

As another year comes to its end, I can only emphasize how important certain triggers are in life and while some are possibly not the best, it is up to us to make them work in our favor. While Covid will eventually either vanish or be put well under control, the behavioral changes it delivered this year are not going anywhere and will only develop into a progressively ever changed world once again.

Apart from the professional side of things, on the life side I can only thank 2020 for having grounded me in Japan for most of the year which as a result has brought me closer to my wife and children. As eventually 2021 and beyond will see me travel again, I am certain that the crazy travel schedule I was once engulfed in and the family distancing it forced me into for the best part of the last five years, will not likely return. Or at least not return in the same shape in much the same way all else changed in my life in this truly unforgettable year.

Kohaku Utagassen 2019

The 70th edition of Kohaku Utagassen was unlike previous editions quite appealing in its own unique way. With a Tokyo Olympics 2020 oriented theme there was a good degree of innovation followed by both musical talent and interesting performances.

Once again the White team represented by the gentlemen won, but not without facing great contenders and performances from the Red side that look like they were challenging them very closely.

The Red side shone in strength with Hinatazaka 46 and the 46 variations of singing girls who appeared to become much more visible in the void left by AKB 48 and the almost complete disappearance of its original members. On the particular case of AKB 48 and despite this fact, it is remarkable to see how well this AKB 48 brand holds. Especially so as they performed a more internationalized version of their hit “Koi suru Fortune Cookie” which was quite pleasant to see. Sang by several regional expressions of the group from China to India integrated with their Japanese expression, the group showed what it takes to go beyond Japan and crate hits.

Beyond the usually attractive feminine side, some remarkable top performances from the White side included the boy bands with all their variations, Jonny’s Junior, Kiss-My-Ft2 and Arashi. They as the usual suspects to carry results forward did exactly what was expected to win the scores. On the less quantifiable but more on the quality of performance side of things the gentlemen that strengthen the position of the White team were Miura Daichi, Hoshino Gen, and an upgraded Hikawa Kiyoshi and his new looks. King Gnu, a remarkable new band and the Yoshiki (X Japan) singing with Kiss performance pretty much sealed the prize for the guys.

Back to the Red side, the women continued their contest with a more emotional approach which kept them catching attention. However, individualities were not seen to the point at which they could have turned the score. A few names to keep in mind are Paprika, and Little Glee Monster especially the later which has an interesting appeal. Nakamoto Mizuki stole the night in her own right with her great performance of “Into the Unknown” Quite remarkable for a girl that a week earlier was working as a cashier in a supermarket. All the other performances on the red side were carried on by the usual suspects Perfume, Superfly, Matsuda Seiko, Sakamoto Fuyumi, Takeuchi Maria as well as Ikimono Gakari who appeared to be there to raise numbers for the Red team, but quite possibly not to stick out beyond their names with their performances.

On the wildcard side of things, Beat Takeshi did a spectacular job as a comedian and singer. This is a guy worth appreciating a lot more in every possible respect in the way that he continues to drive the pop scene in Japan. AI Misora Hibari on the other hand was controversial as she was brought to life by a humanoid robot which although it was good, it generated some mixed feelings. Perhaps we should let the dead rest in peace and not try to profit out of them next time.
Amidst all these the interval in between first and second halves of the show brought an unintended third wild card with the news of Carlos Ghosn fleeing Japan. It was almost as if he could have scored points against the guys with his performance reported by the news.

Overall a good show that carried a remarkable level of performance we should certainly not only continuously hope for but also to strive to maintain. As a changing society in a country that needs to express itself better and differently J-pop or better called pop Japan has to continue to look forward to the more there is to come in further editions of this traditional, New year’s eve White-Red contend in much the same way it was done this time.

Year in Review 2019

The year 2019 has been driven by an interesting mix of advice, opinions and great memorable events followed by calls from the life side of things that prompted me to realize my very own human factor.

Around February I was wondering if nomadism was temporary or a way of life. “You are never coming out of this lifestyle. Once you make your life being a nomad, it is your life.” Said a life mentor of my school days in Seattle I met this year when I visited the city after many years of not being there. She’s right and this cleared a very important aspect of my life. I have been a nomad for more than five years and now I can’t stand being in the same place longer than ten days. It is my life and nomadism is what keeps it going.

Another interesting piece of advice came from my wife when I asked why we don’t have many friends. She said, “We don’t need many friends. People who have a clearly defined professional mission in life feel that they are better off by themselves. Let’s face it, we can’t stand certain people.” Very true and to clear something that had been troubling me for many years, I realize that we really don’t have many friends and that we only create relationships with the people who contribute something meaningful to our lives. Later I read that Steve Jobs thought the same way, he only had relationships with people who shared his vision and worked with him to accomplish it. On this note I realized that the prospect of spending my older years alone will be minimized so long I have my wife and my companies.

The third driving piece of discovery came somewhere in the 2nd half of the year when I had to deal with the issue of envy and some people basically having a rather hateful attitude towards me for being who I am. Undisclosed quotes, facebook and E-mail episodes left aside, I realized once again that toxic people are not good so, I went on to cutting toxic people out of my life and the results have been great. By letting them go I felt I took a huge weight off my shoulders and this made me happier to say the very least.

Along the way and past beyond the point of advising, I was confronted with illness outside of Japan where my options of health coverage are limited. Beyond the threat of financial disaster, there have been positives. In July I got sick in New Zealand and spent a couple of days dealing with hospitals. Later in November, a similar situation of more gravity took me to a hospital in Singapore. Beyond the pain and the discomfort of having to deal with not being in good health temporarily, I rescued some positives. I had to deal with those situations alone and this was very important since it made me realize how essential the people in my life are. Also I realized how important the people outside of Japan are for me and while these are clients and work peers, I was very impressed to see how they immediately dropped everything they were doing when they learned about my condition to come over to my assistance. For this I am immensely grateful and as I rescue a big lesson learned I say to myself: YOU are 50 Adrian, and despite looking younger, you have to introduce changes in your life to keep living it well.

Later in the year and after having learned a lot about my evolving health, I went on to strengthening my body in ways not previously done before. While I am a regular gym goer, I have doubled my efforts and in two months I am lifting double my usual weights, enduring more cardio, sleeping more, drinking less, and enjoying an overall better quality of physical life. Yes, I have followed the advice of family and friends on this and made time for myself. You guys are great!

On the professional side of things, this year I focused on building more excellence, in doing what we have been doing as a company but a lot better with a lot more of insight and returning on the promise of Engaging More and Selling More with a much more aggressive mind set. As a result we achieved great outcome and more importantly big tangibles in the shape of financial benefit for clients that they appreciate. Meanwhile and as this happened, I found time and opportunities to keep learning and have therefore put myself ahead of the crowd with every deeper insight delivered.

On the life side of things, the most important moment of the year belongs to September when I spent a great few days traveling with family from Argentina in Spain. By all means great quality time which I hope I can repeat in a near future with family from Japan. This explains the photo of this posting, my little daughter at some point before my trip imagined how it would be for me to travel to meet my father.

For all this I am once again on the last days of December 2019 writing about the tales of satisfaction in a year where the human factor contributed by others has not only been important, but greatly gravitational towards making me a better person.

To all of you who have been part of this journey in whichever way you find yourselves on this writing, and to all of you who find something positive to take away, thank you for being there.

Kohaku Utagassen 2018

This year’s 69th edition of Kohaku Utagassen went on with a higher degree of coherent entertainment and with a theme that was consistently kept the whole show. Japan is entering a new era in 2019 and as such Kohaku has reflected on the past 30 years. As somebody who has grown most of his adult life in Heisei I found this quite amusing.

On the musical side of things, there were no particular individualities and as is always the case in recent years, we are lacking big stars and highly talented people in the Japan music industry and this went to show. There were a few highlights however that were delivered by a few artists.

The first half of the show had Ai Miyon, an interesting new voice that has potential; Yoshiki featuring Hyde and then Sarah Brightman; and a remarkable performance by Sakamoto Fuyumi. The main song of the first half was Jidai by Shimazu Ami which pretty much drove a good closure, but not enough for the red team to lead the score.

The second half had more excitement with the heavy hitters in place. Da Pump and their USA hits was good, Ikimonogakari was OK, but why while being a relatively young band sing a very old song? The same applies to AKB48 although in their case they did it with more style by inviting their Thai expression to join them. The rest of the artists kept a good standard with all the remaining big names doing their best possible performance for the theme in place. The song of the 2nd half was Amagigoe by Ishikawa Sayuri with the impeccable performance of Hotei playing guitar to match Koto tones.

In all, the white team won, there were no surprises and frankly not a whole lot of excitement around the show in a way that indicates that something is about to change in the Japan music scene. Once again, there’s good content and good intention in place, but as this type of uneventful Kohaku continues to happen year after year, there isn’t much to look forward in the year ahead. Or better, said, there isn’t much to look forward in the sense of artist discovery which is where real change must be delivered to reinvigorate and literally rejuvenate our musical expression.

Year in review 2018

When I look back in time as a transition to a new year is about to start, I focus on what is most important, most relevant and most gravitational.
This year is no exception although I must say that the more I relentlessly do this, the better I become at picking “the most important,” especially so at the time when some of “the most” means that I am becoming better and wiser at saving myself from headaches and preventing myself from falling into rather unfavorable situations.

This year 2018 has been quite stable on all fronts of life although I must say it has been especially good and mature on the business side of things. In very concrete terms this is the year when I finally learned how to better control and manage situations which often and in other times would have been toxic. To begin with, I completely ended a business relationship very early in the year that could have severely damaged my companies if it had continued another year. Later, I continued on to end a business relationship with people who presented themselves as a growing risk. In return and having cleared my life from toxicity I gained better, more genuine, honest, nicer, and bigger clients. I also went as far as taking clients from competitors without remorse in much the same way other competitors had no remorse in doing the same to me in the past. It was a great year to grow and also to get even, not with competitors, but with certain emotions at the time of facing them as a CEO.
Along the way of earning and terminating relationships and winning over competitors, I learned how to manage people in more just terms I can now accept. I realized that keeping people in the wrong job is wrong so, this was the year when I fired people without guilt and with the conviction that my actions were only for their benefit. In all I have strengthened my standing as a business leader and this has not only increased the good performance of my companies, but it has also made me a better and, needless to say, less stressed person.

As another vibrant year goes by I find myself once again writing this writing after my usual more than 100 flights per year, surrounded by my loving family and above all happy to be alive for having taken further and more genuine control of all the relationships I can actually control. On this latter particular note the big takeaway for my readers this year is, be genuine, be good to the degree that you believe that you are, and act accordingly. It will save you from all headaches that blurry your ability to be happy and live a fulfilling life.

Kohaku Utagassen 2017

The 68th edition of Kohaku Utagassen went by on a rather conservative and predictable note. This year, the men (white team) won but as is my impression in recent years with every winning team, they won for the lack of better competition from the other side.

This year the highlights go to the opening of the program with an interesting use of the whole of Shibuya to feature the artists disguised in common, every day places. I have never seen anything of that magnitude done previously and for this I thought we were set for a good ride. Later on, reality settled in.

As the night progressed the peering of the teams was somehow predictable and not-exciting. The generally old men sang old songs that were mostly at least 15 years old. The women had better and newer songs, but in general weak hits. The unbalanced match between old guys and young girls made the girls look uninteresting, perhaps unattractive.

All things considered, the stars that shone are: Mai Kuraki, Superfly, Perfume, and an impeccable Namie Amuro on her way out from the music industry. On the side of the men, I was only impressed with X-Japan and Ken Hirai with a song I thought was out of the ordinary and quite motivational.

The sad reality of the Japanese music industry continues on a rather somber note without new shinning starts coming in to actually shine. It is not that I don’t think there are good artists out there who can revive the industry and change its reality, what I see that this is merely happening because the industry itself is literally growing old and old executives seem to have lost their interest or appetite to discover the new stars.

Year in review 2017

January, sometime in the morning of the early days of 2017, I am sitting by the pool in my home at Ho Chi Minh and I was stricken with the idea of reading The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump. Despite the initial realistic confrontation with the fact that this book is not for everybody, I decided that I wanted to make it work for me. Later in the year this proved to be a right move.

Off I went mid January and so on onwards with the idea that I can put together, close and execute the best win-win deals in advertising while growing my companies. In that favor I started working with my people providing the best possible experience on the ground on all the many countries where we do business. All this while, I wasn’t really spending much time on the ground and focusing on the core of what runs my business, flying.

With more than 100 individual flights this year I have been and done business in 10 countries. While now officially living in Japan, Singapore and Vietnam, I have also strengthen the likes of the UK and France, re-endevoured myself in the beauty of Malaysia, continued to grow my presence in Hong Kong and China and then returned to the place that has a special place in my heart, The United States. In addition I also made a stop-by to Canada for also other projects that occupy a place in my heart. All in all, I have met many diverse kinds of people, created unique networks of highly influential individuals and consolidated my position as an internationally acclaimed professional in advertising beyond my local surroundings. I have made of myself somebody who can make anything happen anywhere for any commercial reason that requires that a product or service is advertised. And more importantly, I can do this cross-boundaries.

On the personal side of things, life continued on the high motivational pace, sometimes pulled back by the sadness of not being in Japan as much as I wanted for my daughters. All things considered in perspective however, this sadness didn’t last long since it is all driven by them, and let’s face it, otherwise I could not be doing what I do each month, day, and second of my life.

As 2017 comes to a close, I can proudly said that I have cracked the hidden code in The Art of the Deal. The powerful message reserved to the few who can understand it, has given me a better approach to feelings applied to the work place, how to communicate with people, how to literally deal with them and fundamentally, it has made me a better business leader and dealer.

Kohaku Utagassen 2016

The year 2016's 67th edition was once again won by the ladies (Akagumi) in what I have to call, a very disappointing win.

I am traditionally more leaned to the performances of the ladies and while this year the gentlemen did not do great, a win was clearly defined on their side. But, the judges thought otherwise.

This time I was finally under the solid impression that NHK took things seriously in digital with well used projection and reality enhancement technologies as well as with offering people the ability to vote after each individual competition. This latter new feature I thought was really good since it kept people engaged and watching the show.

Performance wise, I have to say that 2016 was a year when the Japan music scene didn't grow. There were almost no new artist and really no impressive big names. Apart from AKB 48 with a very digital touch that involved people defining their performance, all else was on the expectable side.

AKB 48 had the most mature performance ever, E-girls was also good with more grown-up girls on stage. The usual suspects on the side of the ladies did well with Utada Hikaru, Nishino Kana and others. The gentlemen had a few shiny moments with AAA, J Soul Brothers, Arashi, and Radwimps. In all, nobody really stood up on either side.

All the way to the end and despite the fact that the gentlemen (Shirogumi) won by a margin of more than 2M votes from the audience at home and more than 400 votes at the NHK Hall, the judges gave the win to the ladies. All said, I have nothing else to say but, what was the point in giving power to the people if this power was going to be absolutely ignored?

In a way I am pleased to see a changing show, at the same time I am left with a bitter feeling that I am sure most people share with me today.

Year in Review 2016

This year has been great in many respects on the professional side of life, or on the life side of work. Yes, it gets a tiny bit converged to both sides for somebody like me, with no clear distinction or sense of work-life and needless to say, absence of balance.

In another 12 months I travelled internationally in average twice a month, I also covered many domestic miles as well. With a total number of more than 60 individual flights, it is safe to say beyond any expectation that flying became a good commodity defining my life in 2016. Added to the mix, the affordable fares we enjoyed this year have helped the growth of my companies and this is something I particularly appreciate, especially when my companies pay for my tickets.

A process of decentralization of business that started after 2011 has seen me travel progressively more over the years. In 2016, Adrian Roche Co., Ltd has strengthen its presence in all the countries we do business in with a more consolidated regional zone in Asia. This year, we grew in all our major countries and entered others which once were likely seen as difficult. We have acquired new relationships and now, my companies work with the talents of about 20 people who do their best and deliver their best on a daily basis. They work with us due to a style that keeps them fascinated, that relates well to all they do and helps them grow professionally. We are now companies that attract people in several countries.

Along the way I must say that while we created good relationships there have been some sour moments, but that’s OK, success is not created without struggle and when enemies arose, they were clearly identified and gracefully lead in their own direction. When and where they thought they were causing harm to my companies, we knew and looked at them with maturity while being elsewhere they don’t know or suspect. We learned in my companies that fighting fights against enemies doesn’t return good results so, we let them go their own ways and allowed them to take care of themselves.

Personally, in all the travel covered, my driving principle has always been the same “Land, get the job done and fly.” This constant iteration of motivational passion has exceeded the level of expectations of the people who need me and has driven me to go beyond the extra mile. Yes, once again I have worked very hard and this year was a year when absolutely no effort was spared in the pursue of solid quality. Doing what is right for clients took a new dimension and investing in growth by recognition of effort was never questioned. This year, I said thank you as much as I could, even when I didn’t have to and it is due to this reason that in 2016 I stand prouder than ever for all achieved.

Leaning towards the life side of things I must say that the year went fast, perhaps faster than previous years. With no difference between weekday and weekend, life was a healthy mix of great moments intermingled with work. I have no clear recollection of having taken a vacation, but there were vacation-like moments in work moments that amounted to the same outcome and provided some rest.

Seeing my daughters grow another year and planning for the next steps in all dimensions of life around a multidimensional work reality, has given me great joy. Whenever I had a moment to look at life in my half-day off Saturdays I did and reflected on a future that continues to deliver happiness to all my valued people in life. They are my highest motivation to keep going, keep flying and keep developing great thinkers who deliver great work.

As 2016 gives way to another year, I am grateful to all people who have been with me this year and who read me for all their many reasons. Whatever they may be, thank you.

Kohaku Utagassen 2015

The 66th edition of Kohaku Utagassen was won by the ladies (Akagumi) after four years of losing to the guys (Shirogumi).

We are in a time in Japan when there are no majorly outstanding stars in the music scene and both teams had to play strategically to make the most out of their chance to win. With the lack of new talent, once again the reliance on the long-standing stars was the only resource both teams had at hand.

The show started with an immediate loss from Shirogumi when Go Hiromi took the stage and was paired with Sakurako Ohara. If there were major highlights, this was a moment to point out. A 19 year-old girl took winning points from a long-standing veteran.

As things continued, Shirogumi recovered and gained some ground in the first half of the show, but they did so with no highlights and while using the boy bands with boys who are no longer boys. Kyoshi Hikawa scored with a good performance and everybody else didn't stand out apart from Arashi who did well.

On the side of the ladies there were a few performances that scored the winning points. Kana Nishino, Nogizaka46, and Miwa provided that overall higher ground Akagumi needed to win, but the people in charge of delivering the win are: E-girls with a good performance that could have been better, Ikimonogakari, and NMB48. Perfume can counted in the winning team, but they could have delivered a better performance with a better song. The definite moment when Akagumi won was when AKB48 performed and brought back Atsuko Maeda and Yuko Oshima. Everything else is really history that was enhanced by Seiko Matsuda and Akiko Wada as the show came to its final stages.

Other highlights that are important and worth mentioning are, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi in the stage as occasional MC and the Anime Kohaku which is something quite innovative for a show of this magnitude. This was a very good move that caught the attention of animation fans and therefore more votes.

A good strategic game dominated the whole show and in a way this year's Kohaku was matched in favor of the changing social reality of Japan. It was thought out to drive people to vote with timings that matched when both young people and the elderly were going to be in front of the TV with their remote control to vote. In a country that has more women than men, getting them to swing their vote to Akagumi was key for the latter to win. All timings were provided equally to the two teams at all the different stages of the show giving the highest moments of opportunity to vote for one or the other team. A good combination of young and old stars at strategic times during the first and second half of the show with a heavy focus during the golden time drove the overall activity towards deciding the win of Akagumi. At the end, especially the last hour, it was almost not necessary to watch the show with all the stars from 35 years ago performing and this is what made the decision in favor of Akagumi peak before the show concluded.

Congratulations to the ladies for winning the show and for doing so strategically and carefully turning obstacles in their favor.

Year in Review 2015

This year is all about numbers and meaningful statistics that have seen me in the air very often.

In 2015 I lived in many countries for short and long periods of time. With a total of more than 200 nights at hotels and over 6 months outside of Japan, I have been in Singapore, Hong Kong, The US, The UK, The Philippines, Malaysia and also in Korea.

With more than 80 individual flights boarded, 165,000 miles flown and 23 times outside of Japan, I can say that this is the year when my company has become truly global.

Looking after client relationships in many countries has opened new horizons that followed my overall trend in personal perspective and for all of you who know what I mean, changing places is not something I refer to as an unusual trend in my life.

As 2015 transforms itself into 2016, I here thank all of you who have made my own transformation possible. Both good and not so good relationships established this year allowed me to conquer the enormous achievements of 2015 that now take me to a new perspective in life.

Kohaku Utagassen 2014

For as long as there are more women than men in Japan Shirogumi is likely to continue to win, but this doesn't mean they have what it takes to do so.

This year's Kohaku can be defined in two ways. Originality and new songs in part of the ladies behind Akagumi and old songs represented by the gentlemen's side which at times resembled the return of the walking dead due to how old some of the selections made for them where.

The highlights were delivered by Yuriko Yoshitaka and her brilliant MCing for the ladies and all songs played by them. In a year where Ayumi Hamasaki was not in the show, the 48 formula delivered in all its variations was great. In addition, Miwa, E-girls, Ikimonogakari, Kana Nishino, Sayaka and Carry Pamyu Pamyu carried all scores.

On the men's side the only few highlights were delivered by Sekai no Owari and AAA. All else was old and boring.

The downsides and the wrongly done. Nagabuchi and his disaster appeals, Hiromi Go.....Why? Yakishimaru Hiroko...Why? And more importantly why was Seiko Matsuda paired against Arashi at the end of the show?

While rather entertaining, the 2014 edition of Kohaku tells us that the ladies drove the music industry in Japan last year, but once again the effortless have been rewarded for not having done much with a great appeal to the mass of voters.

Year in Review 2014

I always tend to think that a year is only 12 short months long and that in simplistic terms little change happens from start to end. While this may hold true for most people I must say that if there’s been a year defined by change this year has got to be it.

From the start of 2014 my company and I started at full speed being very active from the very first week of the year. As work got progressively busy, the company grew and the more it grew I made the decision to invest growth in more growth. Truth to the fact, a lot of money was invested in this and in what I now call the year of internationalization.

Always never comfortable sitting at a fixed place I made the most of my inherently nomad capability by working from anywhere anytime literally round the clock and of course having fun along the way. All this while keeping some sort of work/life balance in place for the sake of good sanity.

This year I travelled out of Japan 8 times for work and this tells a great story. It also goes without saying that the results behind the story have been great.

London, of course London to get started with travel and while in there my wifey and I got to see the football (soccer) world cup from different perspectives while of course being engaged in a dynamic business life.

London Technology week brought me to international stages by the hand of partner company Emarsys (that absolutely loves Adrian Roche KK). This propelled my exposure while my wifey and I strengthen new bonds in a city we absolutely love in much the same way we love Tokyo.

My later travels took me to Singapore and ad:tech ASEAN, to another stage with my partner company where my international exposure continued. From then on, Mumbai was next for busy work at beloved partner company Neosoft Technologies.

It was great to be in Mumbai and meet in person the best developers (on earth) I’ve ever had and it was even greater to feel welcomed with open arms to a city I never thought I was ever going to visit. Great admiration goes to Mumbai and his great people. And it goes without saying again and on this particular note that my passion for very spicy curry got on me like never before.

Soon after the start of the great discoveries that took place in mid year, a bumpy road arose. In looking back today I’m glad the bumpy road presented itself when it did since otherwise I would not have the life I have today.

At the end July 2014 I ended the relationship with my primary shareholder and regained control of my company giving me 100% of Adrian Roche KK. After a buy-back of shares we became privately owned and after the bumps, I can say things will stay this way for a long time and of course this is all in the spirits of no hard feelings to the former shareholder who so much had done to bring this company up to existence.

Summer found us in a great position to make things better and new markets opened in Hong Kong with new clients. Later on new opportunities in Ho Chi Minh, a city of dreams I deeply enjoyed which I am now bound to revisit because of the quality of work our design partners produce there.

From then on I re-discovered my passion for teaching and started developing the business of a Japanese client entering Singapore and this way Singapore has become my 2nd home.

With three more visits in the year to Singapore and now with real business connections driven by tangible results at a regional level, I am truly established as an international regional player. Adrian Roche KK is now a company that exists in other parts outside of Japan and my name is now being more recognized in the markets where I work today.

What a year this has been! I am deeply grateful.
I have put my name and the name of my company on the map, people in many countries and cities love us and I feel welcomed to tears every time I travel to all my countries.

As 2014 draws to an end I must say THANK YOU! Thank you, Japan, Singapore, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong and a very special thank you for all else said in the personal heart front to London! And also to the very many Brits who stood behind Argentina in the World Cup final game!

Kohaku Utagassen 2013

The 64th edition of Kohaku Utagassen held no surprises. The show was rather plain and less exciting than previous years. The gents won again and this time I give great respect to them for having delivered a win with nothing.

In general the music scene in Japan was rather boring in 2013 with no new artists standing out, no big-hit songs and no raise of existing artists. Perhaps all due to some structural changes at giant Avex Tracks.

Kohaku Utagassen reflected the industry trend and it was all up to the marketing efforts of each team to deliver an appealing show. The ladies made their effort with a good lineup which was not properly matched by their host Ayase Haruka who put a very tense performance filled with mistakes in enunciation and timings.

Overall and once again Kudos go to Arashi for great MCing, but that's to expect after four years in the job. Ayase made her effort, but in humble opinion, she lost in landslide the moment she cried when presenting the story she chose to produce and cover.

Emotional moments on both sides, Arashi delivered the goods and certainly a high number of votes with their story "furusato" which was one of the best moments in the show.

This year white won again with a conservative and safe approach filled with the right emotions at the right time and with great hosts. The ladies put a great show of innovation, new songs and effort, but were greatly not managed well by a host who seemed sometimes lost and full with hesitation.

Looking forward, we should expect the music industry to come to life again in 2014. For now, good job boys on having done it again!

Year in Review 2013

Anything that falls short of “Wow” with all that “wow” entails is an understatement at the time of defining the year in simple terms.

This year is full of learnings and professional development filled with great surprises.
Although with “downs” quickly turned into “ups,” 2013 was especially fantastic on the life side of things with of course the usual healthy mix of work intermingled heavily at all times.

Around March I discovered that I was going to become a father again later in the year. This was a pleasant surprise and everything that happened from that moment onwards took new meaning. It all went with a sense of urgency, a healthy sense of urgency filled with love and renewed passion for all things, passion I applied to every moment.

In April I traveled to London for Internet World 2013. This was a fantastic event where I discovered new knowledge and created new business relationships. I was also blessed with the longest sunny week in London which apparently doesn’t happen very often over there. I also reconnected with a friend I had not seen in a long time. This set the tone for a year filled with lots of international travel.

A week in Hong Kong in July followed London. I spent a good amount of time learning a great deal of Big Data and behavioral marketing there. Australia and the Gold Cost were next just to prove that a weekend escapade to Australia from Japan is possible. That is, if there is a three-day weekend. Later in the year my work took me to Hong Kong again for more business and learning.

In all I have been outside of Japan 4 times this year and this is a record in all my 14 years in Japan, especially so considering that in general I dislike flying.

My 2nd daughter Mine was born in November and with her my latest life of the last four years makes sense. With her I discovered more than ever than following my heart is not just something nice to do, but my human duty.

This year 2013 is a great year filled with great events and feelings, a great year to remember.

Kohaku Utagassen 2012

The 2012, edition 63 of Kohaku Utagassen ended with the win of Shirogumi.

Shirogumi won just barely and in a show that from the start set a rather strange retro tone.

Hamasaki Ayumi playing a medley of songs from ten years ago started a retro flavor that continued throughout the whole show and for both teams.

In this 63rd edition of the show, all performers were confined to one scenario that resembled a tunnel which was kept stable for all. With the exception of choreography, the singers did not have many possibilities of individualization and as a result all performances where rather plain and almost forcibly standardized.

In a year when women performed their best and sold records in high numbers it was quite puzzling to see some of the things that happened in the 4.5 hours of performances. Why were there artists like Nakajima Mika, Yuki, Ayaka and Koda Kumi in the show when they clearly were not top selling artists in 2012? Why was the whole Enka category so weak? and why was Missia in the show when she clearly did not exist in 2012?.....and why sending her to perform from a desert in Namibia?

On the side of the men things were slightly different and equally puzzling with songs being performed not by non-existent performers, but by current artists who appear to have benefited by the retro tone. This comes as no surprise since they never had a chance to win in the first place. Their overall performance and track record of 2012 was quite weak and there was clearly no real winner in their team. They all had to relate to old songs to make an impact forward.

Good performers from Akagumi with great performances this year were: AKB48, Momoiro CloverZ, Yui, Ikimono Gakari, Carry Pamyu Pamyu, Perfume, and Sakamoto Fuyumi.
Good performances from Shirogumi: Arashi, NYC, Golden Bombers, Sato Kazuyoshi, AAA, Naoto Intiraimi, and Tachi Hiroshi.

In summary, the overall retro trend helped the men and hadn’t it been for it Akagumi would have won rightly as they deserved.

Year in Review 2012

If there’s one word that defines the year correctly, clearly and precisely is the word Happiness. While in the overall framework of happiness however, the year started not so much on a happy tone, but progressed upwards along its way, the way I pursued.

In the earlier months of 2012 I was working for the wrong people after forcing myself into a work relationship I didn’t want to have. Around that time the biggest event of the year, Social Media Week New York took care of this initial bad move and it was from then on that things started to move on the upbeat side of the happy spectrum.

It was in New York, in the night of Valentine’s day and on top of the Empire State building when I decided that I wanted to do better. It was then that I realized that my life is precious enough to waste it doing what I didn’t want to do so, I started a genuine change by once again going after my dreams and the pursue of happiness.

Things were not easy, but everything done from the end of February onwards was done with and by the heart. I pursued the work relationships I wanted to have, created the kind of business I wanted to create, worked with the people I have always worked with and later on in the year established the advertising agency I always wanted to run.

Adrian Roche KK, born in October is the kind of agency that works driven by passion and genuine admiration for what advertising is about, having the real intention to deliver success for clients. By all and every means, my company is the biggest and most significant professional move in my career and a significant bundle of happiness.

Spring was great, Summer was better and Fall - Winter 2012 are even greater in all aspects of life. At the end of 2012 I am happy and find myself left with once again an important lesson (re)learned, never betray your heart. Life is short, don’t waste it, and never postpone your pursue of happiness.

Social Media Week

Social Media Week came and went very fast. It extended from February 13th to February 17th in many cities around the world. I had the extreme pleasure to attend the whole week in New York and went there from Tokyo. While one may say that Tokyo has nothing to envy New York in many respects that hold the statement true, in this particular topic there was certainly quite a lot to envy.

All New York sessions were packed with leading content and advise to put knowledge into action right away. Knowledge that made people like me discover that Japan is still behind when it comes to social media marketing when compared to the US.

The dominating discussions were centered on engagement and how to conquer audiences with content that is not brand centric. Let me pause for a second and spend time on the audience, yes we learned in New York not to ever assume who they are and what they do and how to go about identifying your people. We also learned that big data plays a big role in everything we do, just think about it, between 2003 and now we created more data than in the previous 20,000 years and that tells us quite a lot about how big this thing has become.

In all, Social Media Week was a fantastic opportunity to learn and share thoughts with people from a very vibrant industry in one of the most vibrant digital markets in the world. As trends shall be making their way to Japan in what should not be a very distant future, I am starting now with new, more creative ways to generate engagement for the people who matter, the behaviors that matter and the channels that matter.