- About us
- About ADK
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)
(1956-1998)
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 |
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1967 May | Head office moved to Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
1984 January | 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)
(1951-1998)
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 |
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1958 January | 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)
(1999-2018)
ASATSU-DK INC. (1999-2018)
1999 January | ASATSU Inc. and Dai-Ichi Kikaku Co., Ltd., merged, marking the beginning of ASATSU-DK | ||||||||
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2000 November | Establishment of ASATSU-DK VIETNAM INC. | ||||||||
2001 September | Appointment of Koichiro Naganuma as President & Group COO | ||||||||
2002 |
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2003 April | 2003 Establishment of ADK Arts Inc. | ||||||||
2004 November | Establishment of Drill Inc., a joint venture with Dentsu | ||||||||
2005 August | Establishes The University of Tokyo Asatsu-DK China Education Fund | ||||||||
2006 |
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2009 |
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2010 March | Appointment of Yoji Shimizu as Representative Director, President & COO | ||||||||
2011 August | Establishment of ADK Digital Communications Inc. | ||||||||
2013 March | Appointment of Shinichi Ueno as Representative Director, President & Group CEO | ||||||||
2014 June | ADK has relocated its head office to “Toranomon Hills” in Toranomon, Minato-ku | ||||||||
2017 |
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2018 March | Delisting from the first section of Tokyo Stock Exchange |
ADK Group
(2019-)
(2019-)
ADK Group (2019-)
2019 |
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2020 |
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