CIC Tokyo
Fostering innovation and supporting Japan’s crucial startup ecosystem
Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) is a groundbreaking co-working space provider that has become a hub for fostering innovation. The company offers flexible office spaces and meeting rooms that facilitate collaboration among startups, entrepreneurs and established businesses. Furthermore, partnerships between CIC and local governments, including those from Tokyo, Hamamatsu and Fukuoka, as well as a collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, highlight the Japanese government’s commitment to boosting entrepreneurship and innovation. CIC’s first Japan location, CIC Tokyo, has been instrumental in supporting the revitalization efforts of Japan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. By creating an environment where networking and idea exchange thrive, CIC Tokyo plays a crucial role in promoting innovation across sectors such as technology, healthcare and sustainability. They provide essential resources such as mentorship, access to funding and connections to industry experts, while also hosting events, workshops and networking sessions that help build a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and thought leaders. Through its global network, CIC Tokyo connects Japanese startups with international partners and markets, playing a significant role in enhancing Japan’s startup ecosystem and addressing various societal challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship.
Reaching new audiences with Custom Media
While CIC Tokyo had successfully attracted entrepreneurs, small businesses and governmental organizations, they sought to bring in larger companies with 20 to 50 employees as tenants. Their internal digital marketing efforts needed innovative marketing ideas and campaigns to effectively reach these businesses and generate quality leads. CIC Tokyo needed an established and trusted digital marketing agency to boost their online visibility and achieve their goals, which is why they turned to Custom Media. With extensive experience in the B2B marketing landscape and firsthand knowledge of the coworking space, Custom Media was uniquely positioned to help CIC Tokyo overcome this challenge.
At the time, Custom Media had already moved its own team to CIC Tokyo. “In 2020, when we decided to move out of our traditional office space to a shared workspace in keeping with the trends, I researched all available options in the market and was quite impressed with what CIC Tokyo had to offer,” explains Robert Heldt, CEO and co-founder of Custom Media. “Their concept was innovative, the space and amenities superior and their staff warm and friendly. Moving to CIC Tokyo was a good decision for our business and our team. We were excited to help CIC Tokyo grow and reach its next phase of success.”
During Custom Media’s three-year tenure at CIC Tokyo, we were able to experience the benefits of the space firsthand. Our team was thrilled to collaborate with CIC’s marketing teams to develop a deep understanding of both the coworking space and the marketing landscape. This allowed us to create a tailored digital advertising strategy to increase CIC’s exposure to medium-sized businesses. The strategic approach involved a combination of search engine marketing, display advertising and ongoing campaign optimization.
Custom Media’s personalized process
To begin, we closely consulted with CIC to get a better sense of their short- and long-term goals in regards to reaching their targets. After establishing a clear understanding of their needs, we created an approach to get in front of the key decision makers who lead the medium-sized businesses that CIC Tokyo was determined to attract. We generated a stream of qualified leads through an always-on search inbound marketing strategy.
Next came the implementation phase. This involved strategic digital promotions via Google search and display advertising on Facebook and Instagram. In the beginning, the display advertising focused on two aspects of the business that were most beneficial to promote: the sense of community that CIC fosters and the spaces themselves, both of which we were experiencing first-hand. In combination, the appeal of these elements would be strong for business owners–particularly when it came to the community aspect, as it can boost the morale of a company’s teams to attend events, network and potentially develop new business leads.
As part of our comprehensive digital marketing strategy for CIC Tokyo, we launched a Google Search Ads campaign designed to engage key audiences. The foundation of this strategy involved ongoing research into relevant keywords, ensuring that ad copy aligned with the most current and impactful search terms. We continuously optimized our bidding strategy to secure prime ad placements, driving higher visibility. Throughout the campaign, we made data-driven adjustments based on performance and CIC’s evolving needs. For instance, we refined the focus of the ads to target international and women business leaders, addressing specific audience segments that aligned with CIC Tokyo’s goals.
Beyond campaign optimization, we prioritized refining the user experience. We mapped the journey from ad interaction to website engagement, ensuring a seamless transition from search or display ads to CIC Tokyo’s newly revamped website. Additionally, we collaborated with CIC Tokyo to create event-driven campaigns, capitalizing on timely opportunities and content ideas, further enhancing brand engagement and conversion rates.
This holistic approach not only maximized ad performance but also delivered a tailored experience for CIC Tokyo’s target audience, ensuring sustained growth and engagement.
Working with Custom Media for our digital advertising was a great experience. Their team was professional and engaged, and we appreciated being able to collaborate with them closely. Their campaigns boosted traffic to our website, generating quality leads that converted to business and improved our overall brand awareness.
A successful partnership driving growth
Custom Media worked closely with CIC Tokyo to understand their goals and craft an approach that targeted decision-makers at medium-sized businesses. Through always-on search marketing campaigns and display advertising on platforms such as Google, Facebook and Instagram, Custom Media increased CIC’s brand visibility and drove qualified leads to their website. The initial focus was on promoting CIC’s sense of community and its top-notch facilities, both of which resonated strongly with potential tenants.
Throughout the campaign, Custom Media made data-driven adjustments to improve performance, refining keywords, targeting international business leaders and women entrepreneurs and optimizing ad placements. As a result of the ongoing strategy, CIC Tokyo saw a significant boost in website traffic, and their brand awareness within target audiences grew. This successful collaboration not only helped fill spaces with larger companies but also sparked interest in potential new CIC locations in Japan. CIC’s digital presence is now stronger than ever, supporting their long-term vision of enhancing Japan’s startup ecosystem.
