Sogo & Seibu buys 51% of a small Tokyo video and branding agency
Sogo & Seibu has taken majority control of Wild Tame, a small Tokyo video-production and branding agency, in a rare acquisition for the department store operator that its own release leaves largely unexplained.
Sogo & Seibu has acquired 51% of the issued shares of Wild Tame K.K., a small Tokyo video-production and branding agency, the department store operator said in a release.
Wild Tame, based in Chiyoda Ward and led by president Joseph Peter Tame, works in video production, branding and social-media consulting, according to the release. The stake took effect on 27 July, making Wild Tame a group affiliate. Sogo & Seibu did not disclose a purchase price or state a reason for the deal.
A department store operator taking majority control of a content agency, rather than commissioning one, is a notable move — it points toward building video and social-media production in-house rather than buying it project by project, at a time when department stores are competing harder for attention on digital channels than in their stores. With the release silent on both price and rationale, though, how large a bet this really is remains to be seen.