Building Brands That Move Society Forward
CSO & Co-Founder,
Splat Inc.
Building Brands That Move Society Forward
CSO & Co-Founder,
Splat Inc.
Every era has a few leaders who refuse to accept things as they are. They see the gaps in empathy, in connection, in purpose and feel compelled to close them. Erina Saito is one of those leaders who demonstrates modern leadership. Long before co-founding Splat Inc., she was the young strategist behind Apple’s “Think Different” renaissance, discovering how a story could spark a movement rather than merely sell a product. That lesson stayed with her, carrying through a career that blended luxury branding, Olympic-scale sports, and a fierce belief that business can be a catalyst for societal change. Now, as co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Splat Inc., she is redefining brand storytelling leveraging empathy, co-creation, and the transformative power of sports as a platform for progress. At a time when leaders are called to rethink how they serve society, Erina is showing how purpose can be more than a slogan; it can be the engine of sustainable growth.
In an exclusive conversation with CEO Outlook Global, Erina Saito reflects on the milestones, challenges, and distinctly Japanese wisdom shaping her next chapter.
I’ve always asked how sports and health research can truly serve society and later this question became the launchpad of my career. At Apple, leading the “Think Different” campaign showed me how purpose-driven stories can change the world. Later, I saw how “sports can transform companies and society,” yet Japan limited them to education and hobbies. At FleishmanHillard, I championed strategic branding on the global stage, determined to build empathy beyond product messaging. In 2022, I co-founded Splat Inc. to connect business and society through co-creative sports strategies. As a professor, I’m nurturing future talent and exploring how sports drive sustainable change. My vision is to share Japan’s cultural and technological strengths and spark global empathy through sport.
At Splat, we believe brands shouldn’t just talk; they should spark change. One powerful example was a business conference alongside Formula E Tokyo, where companies shared sustainability and innovation messages through real dialogue with the global community, going far beyond traditional ads. This boosted trust, recognition, and opened the door to new international partnerships. Another is the “NAGASE Cup,” an inclusive track-and-field event uniting athletes of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Built as an employee-participation program, it promotes a symbiotic society through sports while enhancing engagement, addressing social issues, and strengthening corporate branding. In Japan, where “inclusiveness” is still taking root, these projects answer a social call for connection and challenge. I believe co-creation between sports and companies can “expand the circle of inclusion from the playing field to society, becoming a true engine of transformation.”
We’ll focus on brand design that supports both social value and business growth. A top priority is visualizing and strengthening how we communicate the social and economic value of sports, from inclusivity to regional revitalization. We also aim to help Japanese brands expand globally, build storytelling rooted in sports and culture, and create communication strategies with global relevance. In 2025, we plan to launch the Sports Communication Design Lab which will be an “open lab” for co-creation across generations and fields. Ultimately, we want to help Japan share its knowledge worldwide and build a future of empathy-driven growth.
Our greatest challenge hasbeen tackling an area with no clear answers. Splat was founded to use sports and culture for corporate growth and social problem-solving, yet this vision often fell outside existing frameworks, making empathy harder to earn. We built trust not on an established brand, but through our own beliefs and achievements, which led us to genuine co-creation partners. Japan still lags in “Strategic cobranding” and “Communication design,” and undervalues sports compared to Europe and the US. As I see it, a brand is “not what a company says, but what people feel, share, and reinterpret.” By honoring culture and context, we aim to build brands that resonate and inspire globally
One truth stands out: people don’tbuy stories; they believe them. At Apple, I learned that asking “Why?” beyond features or campaigns built purpose-driven narratives that changed the world. Japan still tends to rely on one-way, product-out messaging, forgetting a brand truly lives through what people feel, share, and reinterpret. In today’s SNS era, a single post can shift reputation and stock prices, making shallow messages dangerous. At Splat, we create stories rooted in core values and cultural context so people want to spread them. “A brand isn’t something you transmit, but something others want to talk about.” That belief, together with the amplifying power of sports, fuels my drive to keep innovating meaningful, empathetic communications.
In a world racing for speed, Japan reminds us of the power of care. Beyond craftsmanship and precision, Japanese work culture champions thoughtful coordination, consensus building, and taking true responsibility. This mindset of “careful work that earns trust” is far from outdated; in a future demanding sustainability and empathy, it may be indispensable. The West taught me speed and boldness, but Japan showed me how detail and respect elevate collaboration. In global projects and in an age where we coexist with rapidly evolving AI, these Japanese qualities can transform teamwork into something resilient, human-centered, and built to last beyond quick wins.
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