Nikkei Cross Trend Announces Winners of 'BtoB Marketing Awards 2026'

Nikkei Business Publications, Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Tetsuya Iguchi), through its marketing and innovation-focused media platform 'Nikkei Cross Trend,' announced the winners of the 'Nikkei Cross Trend BtoB Marketing Awards 2026' on June 15, 2026.

The awards aim to highlight insightful and impactful marketing initiatives, sharing exemplary domestic corporate cases with the broader society.

The judging categories include 'Strategy,' 'Branding,' and 'Demand Process,' with the addition of a new 'Inside Sales' category introduced in 2026. From approximately 60 applications, winners were selected separately for 'Large Enterprises' and 'Mid-to-Small Enterprises' within each category. Additionally, six companies were honored with the 'Special Jury Prize.'

The winning companies are as follows:

· Strategy Category – Large Enterprises

Hitachi Solutions "Marketing Navigation Concept: Turning Customer Understanding into Competitive Advantage"

· Strategy Category – Mid-to-Small Enterprises

Yamaha Finetech "From Demand Generation to Business Model Reconstruction"

· Branding Category – Large Enterprises

Canadea "Branding Initiative Involving a Corporate Name Change"

· Branding Category – Mid-to-Small Enterprises

Net Protections "Corporate Branding Driving BtoB Business Growth"

· Demand Process Category – Large Enterprises

No winner

· Demand Process Category – Mid-to-Small Enterprises

Taimy "A Dual-Objective Strategy to Improve Unit Economics"

· Inside Sales Category – Large Enterprises

NEC "Digital Sales Initiatives"

· Inside Sales Category – Mid-to-Small Enterprises

WingArc1st "Commitment to 'Order-Winning Conversations': Evolution into Inside Sales"

· Special Jury Prize (in alphabetical order)

Earth Pharmaceutical "Problem-Solving BtoB Ecosystem Marketing with Japan-Originated Innovative Technology 'MA-T System'"

Onward Corporate Design "From 'Manufacturing' to 'Customer Brand Support'"

Shionogi Fragrances "Rebuilding the Fragrance Marketing Foundation Based on Original Research"

Panasonic Connect "Recruitment Marketing in a BtoB Enterprise: Collaboration Between HR and Marketing"

Hitachi Construction Machinery "Heavy Equipment Fandom: How Someone’s 'Passion' Becomes Pride and Supports Society"

LIXIL "Sales Transformation in a Traditional Manufacturing Industry: Company-Wide Rollout of 'Buddy-Type Digital Sales'"

For detailed overviews of each category, winning initiatives, and evaluation points, please visit the special feature articles on Nikkei Cross Trend, to be published sequentially starting June 15, 2026.

◆ 'BtoB Marketing Awards 2026'

https://xtrend.nikkei.com/atcl/contents/18/01392/

The seven category winners will participate in a final pitch session at the 'Nikkei Cross Trend FORUM' on July 28, where the Grand Prize will be determined. Further details will be announced soon on the official website: https://info.nikkei.com/nxr/btob2026/

The judging panel consists of the following five members:

◆ Judges (in no particular order; company and title in parentheses)

Ichiro Niwayama (Chairman of the Jury, CEO, Symphony Marketing) Chizuru Ueshima (CEO, Nexal) Fumi Kosasa (CEO, Colorful; Associate Professor, Faculty of Professional Graduate Studies, Japan University of Industry) Issei Kakiuchi (CEO, WACUL) Shigeko Tanaka (Consultant, Breathe)

Comment from Jury Chairman Ichiro Niwayama: "In 2026, the third year of the awards, we received numerous applications, each showcasing highly motivated initiatives. The judging panel carefully and thoroughly evaluated all submissions.

It was impressive to see companies ranging from SMBs to enterprises tackling strategy, infrastructure development, and inside sales, overcoming challenges to deliver tangible results. This progress signals that Japan's BtoB marketing is beginning to catch up with global standards.

Unfortunately, we received few entries in demand generation and ABM (Account-Based Marketing), areas that require long-term commitment but should be pursued as company-wide strategies. We hope to see more submissions in these two areas in 2027."

Category overviews are also available on the official special website:

◆ 'Nikkei Cross Trend BtoB Marketing Awards 2026' Special Website

https://info.nikkei.com/nxr/btob2026/

【About Nikkei Cross Trend】

'Nikkei Cross Trend' (https://xtrend.nikkei.com/) is a digital media platform providing insights on marketing strategy, product development, and new business creation. It delivers in-depth reports on the forefront of corporate innovation, leveraging data and real-world examples to uncover the secrets behind successful products and services. Targeted at a wide range of business professionals—including those in corporate planning, new business development, product planning, IT, marketing, sales, and customer service—the platform delivers content primarily through its website and mobile app.

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