#Japan #Tokyo #Retail Media #DearOne #USEN MEDIA

USEN MEDIA PROMOTION and DearOne: A Pioneering Partnership in Retail Media

In a significant move set to reshape the retail landscape, USEN MEDIA PROMOTION has announced a strategic partnership with DearOne, a subsidiary of NTT Docomo. On September 16, 2023, both companies formalized an agreement to co-develop and market a cutting-edge retail media platform. This initiative aims to harness the strengths of each organization to deliver targeted advertising solutions that address the evolving needs of the retail sector.

The Rising Significance of Retail Media

In recent years, retail media has gained considerable traction as companies seek to leverage consumer purchasing data and engagement points to deliver advertisements closer to where purchasing decisions are made. However, tracking the complex journey consumers take from engaging with multiple advertising mediums in-store—such as digital signage and mobile apps—to actual purchases has posed significant challenges for brands. This gap highlights a pressing need to visualize the direct impact advertisements have on consumer buying behavior.

Partnership Objectives

The partnership between USEN MEDIA PROMOTION and DearOne seeks to create a comprehensive retail media platform that integrates USEN's digital signage and in-store audio broadcasting with DearOne’s retail app advertising network, ARUTANA. This unified offering will enable companies to track and analyze customer behavior from ad exposure to purchase, thus providing a model for quantifying advertising effectiveness.

Roles of Each Company

USEN MEDIA PROMOTION: Established in July 2025, this company capitalizes on the extensive customer base of 860,000 retail stores within the USEN & U-NEXT GROUP. USEN specializes in digital signage and in-store audio broadcasting, offering products that support promotional efforts across food and retail establishments. Through this partnership, USEN will manage the provision of digital signage devices, installation, CMS, and content creation, along with capturing data related to customer attributes using AI technology.

DearOne: Functioning as a new business subsidiary under NTT Docomo in the marketing solutions domain, DearOne operates the ARUTANA platform. This platform enables cross-promotional advertising for over 50 retail official applications, ensuring that advertisers can reach numerous retail apps simultaneously. DearOne will leverage its expertise in customer relationship management (CRM) and acquisition of purchasing data to open new channels for out-of-home advertising.

Product Offerings

Together, USEN and DearOne will offer three tiers of integrated products designed to meet diverse retail needs:

1. LITE: Aimed at small to medium-sized retailers that lack digital signage, this package combines USEN's signage and CMS with app coupon and push notification features.

2. STANDARD: This solution targets retail businesses focused on data-driven promotions, incorporating insights from customer traffic, purchasing patterns, and point-of-sale information.

3. PREMIUM: Designed for businesses with multiple locations and looking to monetize their ad space, this model allows for the sale and management of advertising slots based on audience engagement metrics collected through camera technologies.

Future Prospects

Looking ahead, both companies intend to progressively expand their collaborative endeavors. By the end of 2026, they plan to establish a solid cooperative framework, finalize product pricing, and test KPIs in initial rollout locations. Starting in 2027, they will aim to extend their unique solutions to existing retailers while ramping up advertising acquisition initiatives, all while addressing crucial concerns regarding the visibility of ad effectiveness and purchasing incentive measures.

Overview of Services

USEN Signage: This service integrates digital signage and audio broadcasting, enabling simultaneous engagement through visual and auditory channels. The technology includes capabilities for content management and customer attribute data collection, thereby providing retail businesses with a means to visualize their promotional outcomes effectively.

ARUTANA: This innovative platform allows advertisers to disseminate content across various official retail applications, reaching active consumers who are ready to purchase and are likely to engage with advertisements more readily. The simplicity of platform integration ensures that retail businesses can achieve monetization through their existing applications with minimal overhead.

Company Profiles

USEN MEDIA PROMOTION: Located in Shinagawa, Tokyo, and driven by a commitment to enhancing retail promotions through innovative media solutions.
DearOne: Situated in Minato, Tokyo, DearOne's mission lies in creating impactful customer engagement solutions and leveraging data analytics to support brands in achieving growth.

For further details about their services, visit USEN MEDIA PROMOTION and DearOne.