PIF

What PIF does

PIF (Pay It Forward Co., Ltd., 株式会社PIF) is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese entertainment consulting firm founded on June 2, 2006. It delivers a one-stop suite spanning PR planning, digital marketing, branding, talent and model casting, event planning and production, visual direction, and media relations, serving consumer brands, local governments/tourism boards, and entertainment-industry clients. Service delivery is project-based and B2B, leveraging a multi-channel marketing approach that combines owned channels (corporate website, Instagram @pifpress, note.com blog), PR distribution, and direct enterprise sales.

The business is operated through a group structure: wholly-owned TRAPEZISTE provides talent and model production, wholly-owned OZU Inc. provides video production and creative studio services (with stated generative AI integration), and wholly-owned BUNGY UNIT handles TV and radio program production. A related-company affiliate, Asob System, focuses on Harajuku-culture artist management and event promotion; a jointly established subsidiary, Asobidus (formed July 2025 with Midas Capital and GENDA), operates a fan-business and AX support platform. PIF also operates a regional office in Osaka (2-1-1 Awaza, Nishi-ku), enabling Kanto and Kansai coverage.

The commercial model consists of fees for four revenue streams: event planning and production, casting services, digital marketing and branding, and visual production. Pricing is custom and project-based across multi-year contracts. Customer logos span beauty (BOTANIST, SALONIA), sportswear (On, DESCENTE), fashion (Tabio), food and beverage (Nisshin Foods, Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo), entertainment (ROUND1), and government/cultural (Agency for Cultural Affairs), with select marquee relationships recurring across years. The company employs 45 people as of July 2018 (the most recent disclosed figure) and is privately held with no parent or funding rounds disclosed.

Name

PIF

Legal name

株式会社PIF（Pay It Forward Co., Ltd.）

Website

https://p-i-f.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PIF (Pay It Forward Co., Ltd.) is a Tokyo-based Japanese entertainment consulting firm offering event planning, talent casting, branding, and visual production services to consumer brands, local governments, and entertainment clients, operating through subsidiaries TRAPEZISTE, OZU, and BUNGY UNIT.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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

Revenue model

1. Event Planning and Production: Project-based fees for planning, producing, and executing events including fashion shows, concerts, festivals, corporate events, and broadcast programs
2. Casting Services: Fees for talent and model casting services across entertainment, advertising, and events
3. Digital Marketing and Branding: Fees for PR planning, digital marketing, social media management, and branding services for products and companies
4. Visual Production: Fees for video production, visual direction, and creative content creation through group company OZU Inc.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PIF is an entertainment consulting company that plans, produces, and executes events, campaigns, and broadcasts for brands, corporations, and government clients. It provides integrated services spanning PR planning, digital marketing, branding, talent and model casting, event direction, and video/visual production through its wholly-owned group companies TRAPEZISTE (talent/models), OZU Inc. (creative studio/video), and BUNGY UNIT (TV/radio program production).

Product overview

PIF (Pay It Forward Co., Ltd.) is an entertainment consulting company offering a comprehensive suite of services including PR planning, digital marketing, branding management, talent casting, strategy development, and media relations. The company operates through its group companies: OZU Inc. provides video production and creative services; BUNGY UNIT handles TV/radio program production; TRAPEZISTE manages talent and model services; and Asob system focuses on artist management and event promotion. Together, they deliver integrated entertainment solutions from strategy through production and talent deployment under the PAY IT FORWARD philosophy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TRAPEZISTE: タレント・モデルプロダクション、クリエイタープロダクション。東阪に多数モデルが在籍し、各種媒体や広告、イベントにて活躍している。
• OZU Inc.
• BUNGY UNIT

Products and services

• Event Planning Comprehensive event production service covering exhibition videos, fashion event videos, live event videos, anniversary events, and corporate events, including on-site direction, MC dispatch, and overall event management for corporate clients and brands.
• Casting Talent booking service that provides models, artists, entertainers, and influencers for event productions and advertising campaigns across Japan, leveraging group company TRAPEZISTE's roster in Tokyo and Osaka.
• Digital Marketing Online PR, social media operations, advertising operations, and influencer casting services designed to spread awareness of events, products, and brand campaigns for client companies.
• Branding Management Branding service for local governments, facilities, and organizations targeting specific audiences, with emphasis on appealing to international tourists and supporting regional revitalization initiatives.
• Visual Direction Creative direction service spanning video production, graphic design, web design, and editing for online PR, social media, and advertising, delivered via group company OZU Inc. with generative AI integration.
• Product Management Co-development of products, brand design, and PR planning service that helps create marketable products tailored to client needs, bridging product ideation and brand communication.

Quantifiable outcome

• Japan Heritage partnership with cultural venues achieving sold-out premium seating at traditional festivals

Named customers10 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• 文化庁 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025Japan Heritage Official Partnership program - cultural庁 and companies cooperate to promote Japanese cultural heritage domestically and internationally, connecting cultural resources to experiential tourism and regional activation
• アソビシステム株式会社coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Related company/affiliate engaged in artist management, casting, and entertainment production with focus on Harajuku culture
• 株式会社アソビダスminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Newly established company (July 2025, capital 150 million yen) for fan business platform and AX support, jointly with Midas Capital and GENDA
• OZU Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup company specializing in video production, creative direction, and visual content creation with generative AI integration
• 株式会社TRAPEZISTEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup company providing talent and model management with Tokyo and Osaka presence for advertising, events, and media
• 株式会社オマツリジャパンminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for festival and event production, specifically for Nebuta Festival premium seating operations

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hori Pro (Horipro): Major Japanese talent management and entertainment company with model, actor, and artist rosters plus event production. Directly comparable to PIF's TRAPEZISTE talent/model division and event planning operations.
• Oscar Promotion: Established Japanese talent and model management agency with Tokyo and Osaka presence, active in fashion, advertising, and media. Directly comparable to PIF's TRAPEZISTE talent division serving advertising and event clients.
• WOW Inc. Tokyo-based integrated production company specializing in TV program production, live events, and branded content. Comparable to PIF's BUNGY UNIT broadcast production and event planning service lines for enterprise brand clients.
• Asobisystem: Tokyo-based talent management, casting, and event promotion company focused on Harajuku culture and kawaii/idol content. Direct peer to PIF's TRAPEZISTE and BUNGY UNIT, and an existing JV partner (アソビダス) — explicitly comparable in scope of talent-and-event services.
• SUN (Sun Music Group): Japanese talent agency and entertainment group with music, idol, and actor rosters plus event production capabilities. Comparable to PIF's TRAPEZISTE (talent) and event planning services, particularly in idol and live entertainment.

Broad incumbents

• Hakuhodo: Japan's second-largest advertising agency with extensive PR planning, digital marketing, and event activation capabilities. Comparable to PIF's PR/digital marketing/event planning service lines, but operating as a broad incumbent across all of APAC.
• CyberAgent: Japanese digital media and advertising conglomerate with strong event activation, influencer casting, and digital marketing capabilities through subsidiaries like CyberZ and ABEMA. Comparable to PIF's digital marketing and casting services as a broad incumbent.
• Yoshimoto Kogyo: Japan's largest entertainment conglomerate spanning talent management, event production, and content. Comparable to PIF as a broad incumbent offering talent + event services to enterprise brands and government bodies at much larger scale.
• Dentsu: Global advertising and marketing services giant with significant Japanese event production and brand experience operations. Comparable to PIF across PR, digital marketing, and event activation, though at vastly larger scale and global footprint.
• Avex Group: Japanese entertainment conglomerate with talent management, music, video production, and live event operations. Comparable to PIF's combined TRAPEZISTE/OZU/BUNGY UNIT stack under a corporate umbrella, focused on music and idol verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/pifpress

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 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 PIF