Building the Culture - DRIVETHRU DIRECTOR: SHOGO JIMBO - backup
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Drivethru is an online motor magazine that has garnered attention both in Japan and abroad. It is not just a motor magazine that covers automotive information, but a motor culture magazine that combines automobiles with fashion and art. The magazine does not rely on advertising revenue but is sustained by creative work for sponsors and tie-up companies, and branding projects. ba2 believes that this leads to edgy projects that don't pander to the masses but excite their readers. We interviewed director Mr. Jinbo.
■ "Moving a single person"
"We started Drivethru in February 2014. With a Web Magazine, you can buy it anywhere, and there are no printing costs. At the time, there wasn't a culture magazine that combined cars, fashion, and art that my generation wanted to read, so I created one."
While Mr. Jinbo speaks as if it were a natural thing, the content, edited from a unique perspective, has gained fans worldwide, and Drivethru has inspired the next generation to launch second and third online motor magazines.
What significantly differentiates Drivethru from others is its business model that doesn't rely on advertising revenue. While easy to say, anyone who has managed media can imagine that it's not so simple. How does he, as a creator, face the pressure of constantly having to succeed with tie-up projects and branding projects that serve as sources of income?
"I'm always anxious before publication, wondering if anyone will really read it. But I plan and execute with the thought that if I can move even one imagined target reader, that's enough. As a result, it has worked well in past projects, leading to a virtuous cycle where clients specifically nominate us."
■ The "Genkai-go Project" that felt like a market fit
He met the Media Surf Communications when he exhibited Drivethru's projects at Commune 2nd* in Omotesando. Media Surf Communications operated a vacant lot in Omotesando as a community-type commercial facility, which was a popular spot attracting highly sensitive people from Japan and abroad.
There, "Genkai-go" was created with the concept of "Ikebana × Automobile" for the exhibition, featuring a powerful impact with a massive sculpture on the roof of a compact van.
"When we launched Genkai-go, even people not interested in cars thought cars were cool, and I felt a sense of accomplishment. It transcended boundaries like cars × art × fashion, so we received a great response from many people."
■ How to find the sweet spot for planning: "Clarify the target and only do things that are interesting."
The CLASSIC LINE Benz, characterized by its beige color, planned by DRIVETHRU for a project with Arrows, a company that customizes Mercedes-Benz, has been disseminated worldwide.
Furthermore, he is actively involved in projects not limited to luxury cars, such as endurance races for the Super Cub motorcycle.
"I thought a project with the familiar Cub would work as a unique Japanese content and be enjoyable for many people.It's fun precisely because you're riding a primitive vehicle that doesn't go very fast."
Mr. Jinbo himself, who didn't even have a motorcycle license, to participate in the Battle Of Bottom Link (B.O.B.L) race event, which is exclusively for motorcycles with bottom-link suspensions manufactured before 1964, embarked on a road racing story titled "The Road to BOBL." This story, while having a vintage atmosphere, is transmitting the next motorcycling culture, as he and his team tackle the race with various strategies.
■ His treasure: "BMW 318i purchased for 50,000 yen"
"I bought it for 50,000 yen when I was a student working part-time at a used car dealership. I kept it in my hometown for over 10 years, and then a tie-up project for an EV conversion (installing an electric car motor) came up. It's quite a large-scale project, so it has already taken about three years, and I want to proceed without setting a deadline. While using new technology, I'm deliberately keeping the wheels as they are to preserve their character.
・I was aware of the 6 Series, but I found one that looked like it was being discarded.
I fell in love at first sight with the reverse slant of the front nose.
・I had an E30 when I was a student and always wanted an E21 someday. I happened to get one as a trade-in at a dealer.
■ About ba2: "Like Kicks"
"When it comes to sneakers, in a landscape dominated by Nike or Adidas Stan Smiths, luxury sneakers that aren't too ostentatious are a good positioning, I think. Around me, more and more people have switched from Rolex to Apple Watch, and I believe the concept of luxury is changing. In America, owning a luxury car on the West Coast, like a pair of 'kicks,' looks cool, but I also think it's cool for someone to have achieved a certain level of business success and then casually drive a 911."