Hideo Yoshida

The fourth president of Dentsu Inc. A man of merit for the modernization of advertising in Japan. Born on November 9, 1903 in Kokura, Fukuoka Prefecture. The second son of Watanabe Katsugoro. At the age of 14, he was adopted by Yoshida Hajime, a wealthy man. After graduating from Kokura Middle School and the former Seventh Senior High School, he graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Tokyo Imperial University in 1928 (Showa 3). In April of the same year, he joined the Japan Telegraph Communication Company (the predecessor to Dentsu). He was active mainly in the advertising sales department, and distinguished himself early on. He was promoted to regional manager of the sales department in February 1906, director in June 1907, and managing director in December of the same year. He played a central role in the consolidation and consolidation of advertising agencies (from 186 companies to 12 companies) that was implemented from 1908 to 1909, and the official establishment of newspaper advertising rates based on new calculation standards. In June 1917 (Showa 22), after the Second World War, he became the fourth president. He was one of the first to recognize and develop commercial broadcasting, and with his outstanding leadership he promoted the rationalization of advertising agencies and the internationalization of advertising activities, laying the foundation for the development of Dentsu (which changed its name in 1955). In 1986 he received the International Advertising Merit Award from the IAA (International Advertising Association). He died of stomach cancer on January 27, 1963.

[Yoshimi Uchikawa]

"The Man Who Lives in Advertising" by Tadao Katayanagi (1959, Orion Publishing Co., Ltd.)" ▽ "The Advertising Demon Yoshida Hideo" by Tadao Katayanagi (1963, Orion Publishing Co., Ltd.)" ▽ "The Man Yoshida Hideo" by Tatsuo Nagai (Bunshun Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

株式会社電通第4代社長。日本の広告近代化の功労者。明治36年11月9日、福岡県小倉(こくら)市に生まれる。渡辺勝五郎の二男。14歳のとき素封家吉田一次の養子となる。小倉中学校、旧制第七高等学校を経て、1928年（昭和3）東京帝国大学経済学部卒業。同年4月、日本電報通信社（電通の前称）入社。もっぱら広告営業部門で活躍、早くから頭角を現し、41年2月営業局地方部長、42年6月取締役、同年12月には常務取締役に累進。43～44年にかけて実施された広告代理業の整備統合（186社を12社へ）および新算定基準による新聞広告料金の公定化で中心的役割を果たした。第二次世界大戦後の47年（昭和22）6月、第4代社長に就任。いち早く商業放送に着目してこれを育成するとともに、卓抜な指導力を発揮して広告代理業の合理化や広告活動の国際化を推進し、電通（1955社名変更）発展の基礎を築いた。61年IAA（国際広告協会）の国際広告功労者賞を受賞。昭和38年1月27日、胃癌(いがん)のため死去。

［内川芳美］

『片柳忠男著『広告の中に生きる男』（1959・オリオン社出版部）』▽『片柳忠男著『広告の鬼　吉田秀雄』（1963・オリオン社出版部）』▽『永井龍男著『この人　吉田秀雄』（文春文庫）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例