
Robert Heldt Returns to Scaling Japan Podcast to Discuss Content Marketing
Dive into this insightful conversation on content marketing and discover what surprised our CEO most about Custom Media’s industry-leading survey.
At Custom Media, we’re committed to sharing our expertise and insights to help businesses navigate the complexities of the Japanese market.
Recently, we had the opportunity to do just that when our CEO Robert Heldt appeared on a leading podcast dedicated to exploring the Japanese business landscape. Hosted by Tyson Batino, a well-known figure in the entrepreneurial community, the Scaling Japan Podcast provides valuable discussions with industry leaders who share their experiences and strategies for success in Japan.
During the conversation, Robert shared key findings from Custom Media’s content marketing report, highlighting the growing importance of robust content marketing strategies in the Japanese market and the B2B sector at large. The survey captured insights from companies of all sizes—27% of respondents represented organizations with more than 5,000 employees globally, while 42% came from small to medium-sized businesses with 1 to 500 employees.
Robert and Tyson discussed the surprising insights from the report, the power of storytelling and the role that Generative AI is poised to play in content marketing moving forward. The survey revealed that 50% of Japanese companies are not yet utilizing generative AI tools, primarily due to concerns over accuracy, brand reputation and cultural nuance. Japan’s cautious approach stems from its strong emphasis on quality and precision, as well as a focus on regulatory compliance and data security.
One of the most surprising insights was that brand awareness ranked as the top objective for content marketing among Japanese businesses. This aligns with the fundamental marketing funnel, where awareness is the first step in engaging potential customers. Despite this emphasis, only 58% of respondents were fully convinced of the importance of storytelling, even though 95% agreed it is relevant. Storytelling is crucial in shaping brand identity, conveying a company’s values and fostering trust with audiences.
Robert shared his insights into how storytelling plays a unique role in Japan’s business culture, where credibility, trust and long-term relationships take precedence. Unlike Western markets, where storytelling often focuses on innovation and bold transformation, Japanese companies prefer narratives that emphasize reliability, quality and a commitment to supporting clients. A softer, more relatable storytelling approach that highlights incremental improvements and collective success resonates more with Japanese audiences.
The discussion ended with Robert sharing his thoughts on how to balance content quality with scalability—one of the most significant challenges digital marketers face today. Considering the increasing number of channels marketers have to manage and the diverse audiences that need to be reached, Robert explained his take on how to achieve both quantity and quality without sacrificing consistency, brand integrity or audience engagement.
Be sure to tune in to the podcast, available now on these platforms:
Spotify┃Apple Podcasts┃Castbox┃Player FM┃Radio Public
For more insights into B2B marketing in Japan, check out Robert’s previous episode with the Scaling Japan Podcast. He and Tyson discussed account-based marketing (ABM) in Japan and how businesses can strategically target key accounts to drive growth. You can listen to that episode here.