Custom Media

What Custom Media does

Custom Media K.K. is a Tokyo-based full-service B2B marketing and strategic communications agency founded in March 2008 by Robert Heldt (CEO) and Simon Farrell (Publisher). The firm's core offering connects international brands with the Japanese market through an integrated services stack spanning strategy, branding, PR and communications, content and creative, digital experience, paid media and demand generation, account-based marketing (ABM/ABX), and marketing technology. It executes in both English and Japanese via an in-house multilingual team, applying a proprietary methodology called the AIM Framework (Adapt, Implement, Maximize). The agency is differentiated from typical B2B shops by its ownership of multiple publishing assets: it is the official publisher of the monthly flagship magazines for the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ ACUMEN), the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (The Journal), and the Tokyo American Club (INTOUCH); it also co-publishes Mansion Global Japan with Dow Jones and operates Business in Japan TV (BIJ.TV), described as Japan's only bilingual online video channel for business news.

The firm monetizes through project-based fees, multi-year retainers, and hourly consulting engagements targeting enterprise and mid-market B2B clients (e.g., Mori Building, Nordson, Etihad Airways, Greenpeace, Grant Thornton, Transmit Security, Sengan-en/Shimadzu Limited). Go-to-market combines consultative enterprise sales with partnership channels including the PROPLUS DATA ABM alliance (April 2024), Public Relations Network membership (September 2022), AMIN Worldwide (July 2019), and the Export to Japan Premium Partner designation (March 2017); event-driven demand generation is layered on through webinars and the Asia AIM Podcast. The agency has approximately 20 employees, registered capital of ¥23,000,000, and operates from the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) Tokyo workspace in Toranomon Hills Business Tower, with no disclosed outside funding and concentrated ownership among the founders and Director of Corporate and Business Development Masashi Kamimura.

Strategic expansion is underway: in June 2026 the AIM B2B sub-brand launched a South Korea office in Seoul's Gangnam district, the company's first geography outside Japan, and the agency has won consecutive Campaign Asia Agency of the Year recognitions (Bronze 2023; Silver plus Bronze 2024) plus prior honors including a 2013 BCCJ Company of the Year award and a 2022 Digital Impact Gold for the Shine On! Kids charity app.

Name

Custom Media

Legal name

Custom Media K.K. (カスタムメディア株式会社)

Website

https://custom-media.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Custom Media is a Tokyo-based full-service B2B marketing agency founded in 2008 that connects international brands with Japan and South Korea through bilingual integrated services spanning strategy, branding, PR, content, ABM, and martech, supplemented by publishing assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

B2B Marketing & Advertising Services

NAICS

Media Buying Agencies (541830), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Media Representatives (541840)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B/ABM Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technology & B2B PR (BPAFADAI), Technology & B2B PR (MPAAADAC), Product & Brand PR (Consumer & B2B) (BPAFADAH)

Keywords

• B2B marketing services
• Content marketing agency
• Brand localization Japan
• Account-based marketing
• Bilingual communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B Marketing Agency Services: Full-service agency providing integrated marketing solutions including strategy, branding, PR & communications, content & creative, digital experience, paid media, ABM, and marketing technology. Revenue generated through project-based fees, retainers, and hourly consulting arrangements.
2. Publishing Services: Official publisher of monthly flagship magazines for BCCJ (BCCJ ACUMEN) and ACCJ (The Journal), and exclusive advertising agency for Tokyo American Club's INTOUCH magazine. Also produces Business in Japan TV (BIJ.TV), the country's only bilingual online video channel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Custom Media is a full-service B2B marketing agency that connects international brands with the Japanese market, delivering integrated services spanning strategy, branding, PR & communications, content & creative, digital experience, paid media & demand generation, account-based marketing, and marketing technology. The agency operates in both English and Japanese, and additionally publishes chamber magazines (BCCJ ACUMEN, ACCJ Journal, INTOUCH), produces bilingual video (BIJ.TV), and runs sub-brands such as AIM B2B, Mansion Global Japan, and GoConnect.

Product overview

Custom Media is a full-service B2B marketing agency headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, established in 2008, offering integrated marketing solutions that connect global brands with the Japanese market. The core offering spans strategy, branding, PR & communications, content & creative, digital experience, paid media & demand generation, account-based marketing (ABM/ABX), and marketing technology. The agency operates several named product lines: AIM B2B (an integrated PR and marketing sub-brand with a South Korea office); Asia AIM Podcast (a thought leadership podcast series); GoConnect (a digital marketplace platform, originally Connect by CM launched March 2020); and Mansion Global Japan (a luxury property magazine in partnership with Dow Jones). Custom Media also publishes three flagship magazines — BCCJ ACUMEN for the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, The Journal for the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and INTOUCH for Tokyo American Club — and produces Business in Japan TV (BIJ.TV), Japan's only bilingual online video channel. The agency complements its agency services with proprietary research (Content Marketing Report), ABM/ABX services powered by PROPLUS DATA partnership, and marketing technology including chatbot solutions and LINE social media channel management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Service B2B Marketing Agency Services

Quantifiable outcome

• ¥6.2 million raised for Shine On! Kids charity through EFN event app
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PROPLUS DATAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2024Strategic partnership between Custom Media and PROPLUS DATA to improve delivery of account-based marketing (ABM) and account-based experience (ABX) services. PROPLUS DATA provides ICP/TAM identification, contact/technographics/intent data, and Next Tech Purchase technology. Partnership enables Custom Media to offer precise data targeting for personalized ABM campaigns in Japan as industry moves toward first-party data.
• Public Relations Network (PRN)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 September 2022Global collective of owner-managed PR agencies providing local support for international PR campaigns. Network spans Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, UAE, UK, USA, Vietnam.
• AMIN WorldwidecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 July 2019Global alliance of 50+ independent marketing agencies providing international reach through localized expertise and strategic partnerships. Custom Media serves as the Japan representative in the network.
• Dow Jones & Company Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2019Publisher partnership to launch Mansion Global Japan, a Japanese-language version of the luxury property and lifestyle quarterly magazine. Custom Media produces content while Dow Jones provides brand licensing and editorial standards.
• Export to Japan (E2J)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 March 2017First-ever Premium Partner for Export to Japan platform, a not-for-profit partnership between UK Government's Department for International Trade, British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ), British Airways, and Business Link Japan. Custom Media supports UK firms through marketing content and social media promotion.
• Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) TokyominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-working space partnership at Toranomon Hills Business Tower; provides hybrid work environment and networking opportunities with startups and entrepreneurs
• American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial publisher of ACCJ Journal, the official monthly magazine of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan
• British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial publisher of BCCJ ACUMEN, the business, culture and lifestyle magazine for the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan since 2009
• Tokyo American Club (TAC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive advertising agency for Tokyo American Club's membership magazine INTOUCH and associated digital platforms
• MoleskineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial agent offering customized Moleskine notebooks and related items to companies in Japan
• Public Relations of Japan (PRSJ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional public relations association partnership supporting industry standards and professional development
• Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerChamber partnership providing networking and business development support
• Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent venue partnership for report launches and industry discussions

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FleishmanHillard: Global integrated communications agency with deep APAC presence, including Japan. Directly competes with Custom Media on B2B PR, content marketing, and integrated communications for multinational technology and enterprise clients.
• Edelman: Global public relations and communications firm with a substantial Japan office serving enterprise and B2B clients. Direct comparable to Custom Media's PR & Communications offering, especially for multinational clients needing cross-border campaigns anchored in Japan.
• WE Communications: Global communications agency with strong APAC footprint and a technology/B2B focus. Direct peer to Custom Media for B2B PR, content, and integrated marketing engagements with multinational technology clients expanding across Asia.
• Allison+Partners: Global communications agency with operations across APAC including Tokyo. Comparable to Custom Media on B2B PR, technology marketing, and content-driven campaigns for global brands entering Asian markets.
• Hotwire: Global technology and B2B communications agency with offices across Asia. Closely comparable to Custom Media's positioning as a B2B PR and content agency serving technology, fintech, and innovation-sector clients.
• Archetype: Global B2B marketing and communications agency with strong technology focus and Asia presence. Directly comparable to Custom Media for integrated B2B campaigns, thought leadership, and PR for enterprise technology brands.

Broad incumbents

• Hakuhodo: Japan's second-largest advertising agency group, offering full-service creative, digital, and media services domestically and across APAC. Comparable to Custom Media as a Japan-based full-service marketing partner but at vastly larger scale, with deeper media-buying and martech capabilities.
• Dentsu: Japan's largest global advertising and marketing services group with extensive APAC and global operations. Overlaps with Custom Media on integrated B2B marketing, content, and digital experience, but operates at incumbent scale across all major service lines.

Regional players

• Sunny Side Up: Japan-based PR and integrated communications firm serving consumer and B2B clients domestically. Comparable as a Japan-rooted competitor to Custom Media's PR and content services, though more consumer-leaning.

Others

• Hubspot Agency Partner Agencies (e.g., Heidrick & Struggles / regional martech consultancies): HubSpot's Solutions Partner ecosystem includes marketing automation and martech consultancies operating in Japan. Adjacent to Custom Media's marketing technology and HubSpot partnership capabilities, often competing for the same mid-market B2B marketing technology implementations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/custommediakk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Custom Media