Being in a variety of environments is what makes you a "bridge" -- Interview with Toru Watanabe just before "Web Industr
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 6:49 am
On Tuesday, November 30th, Mynavi Creator will be holding an online seminar, Web Industry Evolution Practical Course #12, "How to navigate the web industry from a web director with experience in business companies, production companies, and advertising agencies."
The 12th installment of the "Web Industry Evolution Practical Course" is aimed at web directors who want to acquire new skills for their careers. Toru Watanabe , a freelance web director with experience in both the advertising and production industries, will be the guest to talk about the perspectives web directors should have and how to combine skills.
In this interview just before the event, we spoke to Watanabe about his diverse career and what he has been able to see by being in a variety of different environments.
Profile Introduction
Toru Watanabe,
Self-employed, SPINE
Web Director
Web director born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1983. After graduating from university, he worked at an advertising agency, a bartender, and a web production company before becoming a self-employed person in 2015. Utilizing his experience in both the production and advertising industries, he takes a cross-sectional approach to solving his clients' business issues in the digital domain. He works as a web director for "SPINE" and plans and produces radio content for "Sunday Kikaku."
Mr. Watanabe's Twitter account is here
Advertising sales, bar management, web direction... "Taking stock" of disparate careers
- First of all, please tell us about your career history.
Watanabe: After graduating from university, I joined an advertising agency as a salesperson. Because it was a small company, even as a salesperson, I was involved in the production process, such as dealing with media companies after receiving orders, communicating with designers, and submitting manuscripts.
After working there for three years, a friend invited me to join him in running a dining bar, so I quit. I think I had a strong desire to do something new when I was in my 20s. While running the bar, I also made drinks behind the counter.
Running the bar gave me a first-hand feel for the reality of running a small business. I tried to attract customers online but it didn't work, and it became difficult to find the money to pay for myself and my staff... Two years later, I started working part-time as a web director at a web media company while also working at the bar.
- Did you have any experience in web direction up to that point?
Watanabe: No, not at all. I had no experience, so I just learned by watching. I think I managed to do it because I had experience directing advertisements. Since we had a small staff, I was involved in a wide range of tasks, including website production progress, update work, and the creation of media materials.
However, after a year, the company went bankrupt. The bar also had no sales, so he considered changing jobs. However, his previous experience had been in advertising sales, bar management, and web direction. He had no consistent career and looked like he had changed jobs a lot in his 20s, so he had a hard time finding a new job.
The turning point here was when I consulted a recruitment agency.
What advice did you receive from the recruitment agency?
Watanabe: First, they suggested that we take stock of our careers. I have experience in advertising sales, I understand the management of small and medium-sized businesses, I've been involved in the web... I had them take stock of those experiences and abstract them.
Until then, I only had the perspective of "Do my skills and experience belgium phone number data match what is required?" I was thinking about which company would accept one of the cards I had. Of course, there is also the option of nurturing one card and advancing your career. But if you combine multiple cards, it can become a different skill.
I realized this when I was taking stock. I interviewed at a major online advertising agency introduced by a job-hunting agent, and was hired as an account planner. I was able to gain experience in the front lines of the web, including digital marketing and SEO.
The 12th installment of the "Web Industry Evolution Practical Course" is aimed at web directors who want to acquire new skills for their careers. Toru Watanabe , a freelance web director with experience in both the advertising and production industries, will be the guest to talk about the perspectives web directors should have and how to combine skills.
In this interview just before the event, we spoke to Watanabe about his diverse career and what he has been able to see by being in a variety of different environments.
Profile Introduction
Toru Watanabe,
Self-employed, SPINE
Web Director
Web director born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1983. After graduating from university, he worked at an advertising agency, a bartender, and a web production company before becoming a self-employed person in 2015. Utilizing his experience in both the production and advertising industries, he takes a cross-sectional approach to solving his clients' business issues in the digital domain. He works as a web director for "SPINE" and plans and produces radio content for "Sunday Kikaku."
Mr. Watanabe's Twitter account is here
Advertising sales, bar management, web direction... "Taking stock" of disparate careers
- First of all, please tell us about your career history.
Watanabe: After graduating from university, I joined an advertising agency as a salesperson. Because it was a small company, even as a salesperson, I was involved in the production process, such as dealing with media companies after receiving orders, communicating with designers, and submitting manuscripts.
After working there for three years, a friend invited me to join him in running a dining bar, so I quit. I think I had a strong desire to do something new when I was in my 20s. While running the bar, I also made drinks behind the counter.
Running the bar gave me a first-hand feel for the reality of running a small business. I tried to attract customers online but it didn't work, and it became difficult to find the money to pay for myself and my staff... Two years later, I started working part-time as a web director at a web media company while also working at the bar.
- Did you have any experience in web direction up to that point?
Watanabe: No, not at all. I had no experience, so I just learned by watching. I think I managed to do it because I had experience directing advertisements. Since we had a small staff, I was involved in a wide range of tasks, including website production progress, update work, and the creation of media materials.
However, after a year, the company went bankrupt. The bar also had no sales, so he considered changing jobs. However, his previous experience had been in advertising sales, bar management, and web direction. He had no consistent career and looked like he had changed jobs a lot in his 20s, so he had a hard time finding a new job.
The turning point here was when I consulted a recruitment agency.
What advice did you receive from the recruitment agency?
Watanabe: First, they suggested that we take stock of our careers. I have experience in advertising sales, I understand the management of small and medium-sized businesses, I've been involved in the web... I had them take stock of those experiences and abstract them.
Until then, I only had the perspective of "Do my skills and experience belgium phone number data match what is required?" I was thinking about which company would accept one of the cards I had. Of course, there is also the option of nurturing one card and advancing your career. But if you combine multiple cards, it can become a different skill.
I realized this when I was taking stock. I interviewed at a major online advertising agency introduced by a job-hunting agent, and was hired as an account planner. I was able to gain experience in the front lines of the web, including digital marketing and SEO.