C Channel

What C Channel does

C Channel株式会社 (C Channel Inc.) is a Tokyo-based, TOKYO PRO Market-listed influencer marketing company founded in April 2015 by Morikawa Akira, former president of Hangame Japan (now LINE). The company operates two principal business lines: (1) an influencer business built around the Lemon Square matching platform, which connects brands with approximately 23,000 registered micro/nano influencers (average ~8,500 followers) on a gifting-based model for authentic word-of-mouth content, and (2) a cross-border China marketing business operated through its Shanghai subsidiary (上海露隅網絡信息有限公司), delivering RED (小红书) KOL promotions, Tmall/JD e-commerce operations, and live commerce support for Japanese brands. The firm also runs the original C Channel vertical short-video media brand on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, and offers dedicated TikTok Shop operational services (live commerce production, creator coordination, UGC amplification).

Revenue is generated primarily through enterprise project-based services and multi-year influencer marketing campaign contracts (quote-based pricing), supplemented by platform access on Lemon Square and TikTok Shop support retainers. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales in Japan, an on-the-ground Shanghai subsidiary for China, and a regional entity (PT CChannel Media Indonesia) in Southeast Asia. GTM is supplemented by webinars, co-hosted events with platform partners (Tmall Japan, CyberAgent, Adinte, MindFree), and the self-service Lemon Square platform for mid-market brands. The company holds a JIS Q 15001-aligned privacy management certification and is a member of a JIPDEC-recognized privacy protection body.

C Channel supplements brand-side services with a 2025-launched retail media agency partnership with Adinte that integrates Lemon Square influencer content with POS/ID-POS purchase data from Welcia Holdings and Tsuruha Holdings, enabling purchase-intent targeting. Operational footprint spans three markets (Japan, China, Indonesia) with approximately 70 employees.

Name

C Channel

Legal name

C Channel株式会社

Website

https://corp.cchan.tv

Company type

Public

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

C Channel operates Lemon Square, an influencer matching platform with ~23,000 registered creators, and cross-border China marketing services via its Shanghai subsidiary, serving Japanese beauty and lifestyle brands with TikTok Shop, RED, and Tmall commerce support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Influencer Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Network/Studio Streaming Channels (MPABAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Channel Marketing (Distributor/Reseller Programs) (MPAAAJAK)

Keywords

• Influencer marketing services
• Cross-border e-commerce
• Social media marketing
• Influencer matching platform
• China market entry

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Influencer Marketing Services: C Channel provides comprehensive influencer marketing services including talent cultivation, management, and brand matching. Revenue generated from service fees for connecting brands with influencers for promotional campaigns.
2. Lemon Square Platform Services: Platform connecting brands with influencers operates on gifting model. Influencers receive products free and create organic reviews, generating value through high-engagement authentic content creation.
3. China Market Entry Services: Cross-border EC support through C Channel Shanghai including RED KOL promotion, Tmall operations, Douyin marketing, and inbound tourism support for Japanese beauty brands.
4. TikTok Commerce Services: TikTok Shop operational support, live commerce production, and creator activation services. Includes shop setup, content production, and ongoing optimization support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

C Channel is an influencer marketing company that operates (1) the C Channel vertical short-video media platform focused on beauty and lifestyle content, (2) the Lemon Square platform connecting brands with approximately 23,000 registered micro/nano influencers through a product-gifting word-of-mouth model, and (3) China marketing support services delivered through C Channel Shanghai covering RED KOL promotion, Tmall/JD e-commerce operations, and Douyin/live commerce for Japanese brands.

Product overview

C Channel株式会社是以「人之力量与技术创造笑容，让世界充满活力」为企业理念的网红营销公司。主要运营（1）美容·生活方式领域的竖屏视频媒体「C Channel」，（2）连接企业与网红的匹配平台「Lemon Square」（约23,000名网红注册），（3）面向企业的中国市场营销支援服务（通过当地法人C Channel上海提供RED运营、KOL推广、越境EC支援）。这些服务从网红培养管理、匹配平台运营到TikTok Shop等EC运营，全方位支持企业的网红营销和中国市场进入。

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lemon Square: Influencer marketing platform operated by C Channel that connects companies with micro-nano influencers for product promotion and word-of-mouth marketing.
• C Channel上海

Products and services

• C Channel Vertical Video Media Vertical short-video media platform focused on beauty and lifestyle content distributed via TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. Provides makeup tutorials, beauty information, and styling tips to viewers and serves as a content engine and influencer cultivation channel for the broader C Channel business.
• Lemon Square Influencer Marketing Platform Self-service influencer matching platform connecting companies with approximately 23,000 registered micro/nano influencers specializing in beauty and lifestyle categories. Operates on a free product gifting model where influencers receive products and create organic reviews. Includes an analytics dashboard tracking influencer demographics, genre categories, and engagement metrics, with an average unit price of 1 yen per follower.
• LemonSquare TikTok/Reels Video Promotion Service Video promotion service leveraging up to 50 top creators on TikTok and Instagram Reels for brand campaigns, including TikTok Shop-compatible video posting and sales funnel design support.
• China Marketing Service (C Channel Shanghai) B2B marketing support service for Japanese brands targeting Chinese consumers, covering cross-border e-commerce operations, Douyin and RED (小红书) KOL promotion, Tmall and JD platform operations, and live commerce enablement delivered through the C Channel Shanghai subsidiary.
• TikTok Shop Operations Service End-to-end TikTok Shop commerce support service covering shop setup and operations, LIVE streaming support, short video production, UGC amplification, and affiliate marketing strategy. Delivered as part of the live commerce business led by the Service Business Development Department and in collaboration with MindFree, a TikTok Shop Official Partner (TSP).
• RED x Inbound Tourism Strategy Service Strategy service combining RED (小红书) KOL promotion with Chinese inbound tourism touchpoints (pre-trip 旅マエ, during-trip 旅ナカ, post-trip 旅アト), co-developed with CyberAgent to help brands capture Chinese tourist demand.

Quantifiable outcome

• 304% sales growth for 松山油脂 through RED marketing (2023-2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• マインドフリー株式会社 (MindFree)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 July 2026MindFree is TikTok Shop Official Partner (TSP) and Kalodata authorized partner in Japan. Joint webinar with C Channel covers TikTok Shop setup strategies from monthly sales of 3 million yen, combining MindFree's data-driven approach with C Channel's creator activation capabilities.
• 株式会社サイバーエージェント (CyberAgent)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026C Channel Shanghai and CyberAgent's Inbound Business Division co-host webinars on Chinese inbound tourism strategies. Partnership focuses on helping brands optimize pre-trip (旅マエ), during-trip (旅ナカ), and post-trip (旅アト) touchpoints for Chinese tourists using RED and other platforms.
• Tmallジャパン株式会社 (Tmall Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2025C Channel Shanghai and Tmall Japan jointly host webinars on cross-border EC trends and W11 (Double Eleven) sale results. Partnership provides Japanese brands with Tmall operations support integrated with RED KOL marketing for Chinese market entry.
• 株式会社アドインテ (Adinte)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2025C Channel and Adinte established agency partnership for retail media business. Integration combines Lemon Square influencer content with Adinte's retail media buying data from Welcia Holdings and Tsurha Holdings, enabling targeted advertising to high-intent shoppers based on purchase data.
• ウエルシアホールディングス株式会社 (Welcia Holdings)supportingOthers · 8 July 2025Welcia Holdings provides POS and ID-POS purchase data used by Adinte for retail media targeting. C Channel accesses this data through Adinte partnership to deliver targeted advertising to high-intent consumers based on actual purchase behavior.
• 株式会社ツルハホールディングス (Tsurha Holdings)supportingOthers · 8 July 2025Tsurha Holdings provides retail purchase data to Adinte for consumer targeting. C Channel benefits from this partnership through Adinte's retail media integration, enabling precise advertising based on pharmacy and retail purchase patterns.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• BlueFocus Intelligent Communications Group: China-headquartered digital marketing and communications group with cross-border capabilities. Comparable to C Channel Shanghai in China market operations and KOL marketing, but operating primarily in China rather than the Japan-China corridor.

Direct peers

• BitStar: Japanese influencer marketing agency and MCN with a large roster of multi-channel creators, providing talent management and brand matching. Direct competitor to C Channel's Lemon Square in the Japan beauty/lifestyle influencer marketing space, though BitStar monetizes creator fees more aggressively.
• Find Model: Japan-focused influencer matching platform connecting brands with micro/nano influencers using a gifting-based model. Closest functional analog to Lemon Square, with overlapping customer base among Japanese beauty and lifestyle brands seeking cost-effective word-of-mouth campaigns.
• UUDS (formerly RIZAP Influencer): Influencer marketing agency under the RIZAP Group operating in Japan with focus on beauty, lifestyle, and fashion verticals. Comparable to C Channel in target verticals and enterprise brand-matching services, with stronger corporate backing via RIZAP.
• AnyMind Group: Tokyo-headquartered APAC digital marketing and influencer platform operating across Japan, China, Southeast Asia. Highly comparable to C Channel's multi-market influencer + cross-border EC services model, with established China and Indonesia operations.
• E-DGE (エッジ): Tokyo-based digital marketing agency with influencer marketing capabilities, including TikTok and short-video platform expertise. Directly competes with C Channel in Japan enterprise influencer marketing campaigns, particularly for beauty and lifestyle brand clients.

Emerging players

• CreatorIQ: Enterprise influencer marketing platform used by global brands for creator discovery, campaign management, and analytics. Comparable to Lemon Square in the brand-platform category, though serving primarily large Western brand budgets vs. C Channel's Japan mid-market focus.
• Aspire (formerly AspireIQ): Global influencer marketing platform focused on creator-brand partnerships and commerce integration. Comparable platform business model to Lemon Square, with stronger US/English-market footprint but less Japan/China depth.

Broad incumbents

• CyberAgent (AbemaTV / CyberZ division): Major Japanese digital advertising and media conglomerate whose CyberZ division operates influencer agency services and AbemaTV streaming. Already a C Channel Shanghai webinar partner, but as a broad incumbent offers overlapping capabilities at much greater scale.
• Hakuhodo DY Holdings: Japan's second-largest advertising agency group with full-service influencer, digital, and cross-border capabilities. Serves as a broad incumbent against C Channel in Japan enterprise brand marketing, with much larger scale and integrated media planning services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CChannel_info
• Instagraminstagram.com/cchannel_lemonsquare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c-channel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 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 C Channel