ascon

What ascon does

Ascon Co., Ltd. (株式会社アスコン) is a privately held Japanese sales-promotion support company founded in 1986, headquartered in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, with 501–1,000 employees and a nationwide footprint of 24 domestic offices plus 5 group-company offices. The company's core business is comprehensive sales-promotion support for Japan's distribution and retail industry, anchored by eight integrated service domains — sales promotion, digital marketing, content creative, system development, device development, commercial printing, media (Wink local media and taxi digital signage), and brand licensing — offered through direct field sales and custom-quoted B2B engagements.

ASCON's technology stack combines proprietary hardware (Windows tablet lines AT-07, AT-07se, AT-08, and AT-09 built for the MEXT GIGA School Concept and certified as a Google Chrome Enterprise Recommended Device), in-house software (the to-link Adobe Illustrator plugin, POP-con POP-production platform, CRM, and help-desk systems), and a 300,000+ asset photo/video content database (太湖のたまご). The company also owns the BABY&Me hip-sheet carrier brand, distributed in 21 countries with four Kids Design Awards to its credit, contributing a consumer-product revenue stream distinct from its B2B promotion business.

ASCON generates revenue through a mix of professional services (campaign planning, creative production, digital marketing, and system development), hardware sales (education tablets, kitting services), advertising (taxi-monitor digital signage, Wink regional media in Hiroshima Prefecture), and brand licensing (BABY&Me), with sales executed through its nationwide direct sales force and supported by group subsidiaries including Aoyama Shoji, Okinawa Ascon, Ascon Shoji, Shoda Studio, and Philippines Blue Solution Network. Certifications including ISO 27001:2022, Privacy Mark, and Google Partner status underpin its enterprise and public-sector sales motion.

Name

ascon

Legal name

ascon co., LTD.

Website

https://ascon.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Ascon Co., Ltd. (株式会社アスコン) is a Japanese sales-promotion support company founded in 1986, serving the distribution and retail industry nationwide through 24 offices with eight integrated service domains spanning sales promotion, digital marketing, content, system and device development, printing, media, and BABY&Me brand licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fukuyama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sales Promotion Services: Comprehensive sales promotion support including campaign planning, execution, in-store promotion, and promotional merchandise — the core business since founding, primarily serving distribution and retail clients.
2. Digital Marketing: Digital marketing services including web analytics (WACA certified), SEO, UI/UX design, and streaming/e-commerce solutions for clients seeking online sales and brand growth.
3. Content Creative: Graphic design, photography, video production, and copywriting services for promotional materials, catalogs, corporate branding, logos, and packaging.
4. System Development: Custom software development including promotional apps, business management systems, CRM, help desk systems, and e-commerce platforms.
5. Device Development & Manufacturing: Proprietary Windows tablet devices (AT-07, AT-08, AT-09 series) for education and enterprise use, including hardware manufacturing and lifecycle management.
6. Commercial Printing: Large-scale commercial printing services plus on-demand one-to-one marketing printing, serving retail and corporate clients.
7. Media Operations (Wink, Taxi Advertising): Local media business (Hiroshima-prefecture dominant Wink media brand) and taxi digital signage advertising network for out-of-home advertising revenue.
8. Brand Licensing (BABY&Me): Proprietary hip sheet carrier brand BABY&Me sold globally across 21 countries, generating licensing/brand revenue for ASCON.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ASCON is a comprehensive sales promotion support company serving the Japanese distribution and retail industry across 8 integrated business areas: sales promotion, digital marketing, content creative, system development, device development and operations, commercial printing, media, and branding. It delivers end-to-end campaign execution from creative production and digital marketing through to in-store POP, system development, proprietary hardware (AT-series education tablets), and owns the globally distributed BABY&Me hip sheet carrier brand.

Product overview

ASCON is a comprehensive sales promotion support company offering a multi-service portfolio across 8 business areas: Sales Promotion, Digital Marketing, Content Creative, System Development, Device Development and Operations, Commercial Printing, Media, and Branding. The company's core offerings include taxi digital signage advertising (taxi monitor ad), POP production services (POP-con), regional media (Wink), and educational tablets (AT-07, AT-08/AT-09). ASCON also operates proprietary brands including BABY&Me hip seat carriers recognized globally in 21 countries. Additional services include an Adobe Illustrator plugin (to-link), kitting services, promotional banners, web analyst certification training, and a stock photo/video database. The company operates 24 domestic offices and 5 group company locations, primarily serving the retail distribution sector in Japan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BABY&Me: Next-generation baby carrier / hip seat carrier brand recognized in 21 countries worldwide, developed and sold by Ascon.

Products and services

• Sales Promotion Services (セールスプロモーション) Comprehensive sales promotion support services including campaign planning, execution, in-store promotion, POP displays, promotional merchandise, instant-win campaign tools, and 販促マネージャー (sales promotion manager) integrated campaign support, primarily serving distribution and retail enterprises in Japan.
• Digital Marketing Services (デジタルマーケティング) Digital marketing services including SEO, web analytics (WACA certified), UI/UX design, website construction, streaming/e-commerce solutions, and help desk systems for B2B clients seeking online sales growth and brand engagement.
• Content Creative Services (コンテンツクリエイティブ) Graphic design, photography, video production, and copywriting services for promotional materials, catalogs, corporate branding, logos, packaging, and all customer touchpoints.
• System Development Services (システム開発) Custom software development including promotional apps, business management systems, CRM, help desk systems, and e-commerce platforms for enterprise and government clients.
• Commercial Printing Services (商業印刷) Large-scale commercial printing plus on-demand one-to-one marketing printing, supporting catalogs, flyers, posters, packaging, and personalized marketing materials.
• AT-07 / AT-07se Windows Education Tablets Proprietary Windows tablets developed for the Japanese K-12 education market, suitable for interactive and streaming online classes. AT-07se is the specialized model for online education. Sold to schools and education institutions.
• AT-08 / AT-09 GIGA School Education Tablets Education-use Windows tablets compatible with Japan's GIGA School Concept, developed by ASCON for K-12 digital infrastructure under the MEXT national education digitization initiative. AT-08 is Google Chrome Enterprise Recommended Device certified.
• to-link Adobe Illustrator Plugin Proprietary Adobe Illustrator plugin developed by ASCON to streamline design and production workflows for sales promotion materials. Sold as a standalone plugin to designers and production teams.
• BABY&Me Hip Sheet Carrier Brand Proprietary registered trademark hip seat / hip sheet carrier brand for babies, sold globally across 21 countries, including the award-winning BELK model. Recognized with the Kids Design Award four times (2024 being the most recent) and the Parenting Award.
• Taxi Monitor Digital Signage Advertising Digital signage advertising service installed in taxi rear seats, delivering video and still image advertisements to passengers, primarily deployed in urban areas of Japan. Sold directly to advertisers.
• Wink Regional Media Advertising Local media advertising service in Fukuyama and Binhai areas of Hiroshima Prefecture, with top-ranked brand recognition in the region. Sold directly to local advertisers.
• POP-con POP Production Service In-house POP production service for creating in-store promotional materials, point-of-purchase displays, signage, and かんばんの救急車 (sign rescue) services. Supports design, production, and deployment of POP materials.
• Promotional Banner (販促のぼり) Production Service Promotional banner (noren/vertical banner) production service for retail and event advertising. Production page released in October 2022.
• Device Kitting Service (キッティング代行サービス) Device setup and kitting service for configuring and preparing devices (including ASCON's own tablets and third-party hardware) for enterprise deployment. Service page released September 2022.
• Sales Promotion Manager (販促マネージャー) Integrated promotional campaign management service supporting retail and distribution clients with end-to-end sales promotion execution, including integrated help desk capabilities.
• Web Analyst Certification Training (ウェブ解析士認定講座) Web analyst certification training courses (Web Analytics Professional and Senior Web Analytics Professional) accredited by the Japan Web Analytics Certification Association (WACA), offered as paid training programs.
• Website Construction Service (WEBサイト構築) Website construction service incorporating content planning, SEO measures, and UI/UX design as pillars of marketing strategy for B2B clients.
• Promotional Material Stock Database (写真・動画素材データベース) Database of approximately 300,000+ photos and video materials (太湖のたまご / sozaitamago.com) licensed for promotional materials, flyers, posters, banners, and POP items.

Quantifiable outcome

• ASCON's BABY&Me hip sheet carrier won the Kids Design Award (2024, 4th time) — a major consumer product safety and design quality recognition.
• +1 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 3社共創プロジェクト (3-Company Co-Creation Project)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2023A three-company collaborative project initiated in March 2023. ASCON serves as the coordinator, partnering with two other companies to develop and deliver integrated sales promotion solutions combining technology, content, and execution capabilities.
• 株式会社グーフ (GooF Co., Ltd.)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 August 2021In August 2021, ASCON partnered with GooF Co., Ltd. to launch a service on the 'cozre Magazine' parenting web media platform that delivers personalized digital DM (direct mail) triggered by user engagement on the platform, targeting parenting consumers.
• アイマッチング株式会社 (I-Matching Co., Ltd.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2020In November 2020, ASCON received the transfer of substantially all business operations (excluding certain specified businesses) from I-Matching Co., Ltd., assuming all rights and obligations and continuing operations smoothly. This acquisition significantly expanded ASCON's business scope.
• 一般財団法人ウェブ解析士協会 (WACA — Web Analytics Certification Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerASCON is an authorized hosting organization for WACA-certified Web Analyst and Senior Web Analyst training courses, promoting digital marketing expertise in Japan.
• Philippine Blue Solution Network (PB Solutions)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGroup company フィリピンブルーソリューションネットワークス operates in the Philippines, representing ASCON's international expansion through a group subsidiary for Philippine market operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ascon.japan

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about ascon