• Mission
JaM's mission is to be the hub between the U.S. and Japan, providing in-depth marketing consulting services for companies in both countries to help them succeed in their target market.

• Challenge
The Internet has been a key business tool in the development of global business. At first glance, it has created an efficient and borderless system, yet the difficulties of expanding into overseas markets remain. These are due to language, social, and cultural barriers, as well as different expectations and business practices. Though commonly treated as a part of Asia, the Japanese market is uniquely different, and particularly challenging for U.S. and foreign companies.

• Solution
To meet the needs of companies doing business between the U.S. and Japan, JaM has a network of multi-industry specialists and corporate partners in both countries who have cross-cultural knowledge and experience, and understand both U.S. and Japanese business perspectives. JaM puts together virtual teams on a project basis to provide industry specific, in-depth services to facilitate successful business.

The name JaM comes from "jam sessions" - as in jazz improvisations, where players spontaneously create music from feeding off of each other's playing and energy. Believing that the same methods could be best used in U.S.-Japan marketing consulting, a company was born and named JaM in 1998. JaM is made up of people who approach business based on cross-cultural knowledge, which relates to another jazz concept of "crossover"- combining elements of different styles such as modern jazz or bebop to create new hybrids or fusion sounds. In January 2001, the company expanded into a partnership and re-established as JaM Japan Marketing LLC.


Hisami Ohshiba - Founder/ Managing Member

JaM's founder, Hisami Ohshiba was a pioneer among the male-dominated advertising world in Japan, and is a 16-year veteran of Dentsu Young & Rubicam (DYR). She was responsible for introducing Clinique to the Japanese market, from creating brand image to marketing activity that included magazine and newspaper advertising, TV and radio commercials, PR and research. As a result, Clinique became the dominant foreign cosmetic brand in Japan. After moving to the U.S. in 1995, Hisami was Account Supervisor of DFS Group Limited (Duty Free Shoppers) for McCann-Erickson Advertising, Supervisor of International Marketing for Fulcrum Direct, a clothing catalog company, Marketing VP for Onna.com, an Internet lifestyle website for Japanese women, and founded JaM Japan Marketing.

In addition to her marketing activities, she is active in writing, speaking engagements and seminars in Japan. With a nearly 30-year professional career and the experience of living in the U.S., Hisami's cross-cultural awareness and unique views from both business and consumer perspectives are reflected in her writing as well as in her work, and is highly regarded for its insight and relevance. Among her work is a published book, "It's An Adventure -- Hisami Lives America," serialized columns on Nikkei BP Online (largest Japanese business media) and Sendenkaigi, an advertising industry publication, as well as a blog site.

Debbie Bergh - Managing Member

In January 2001, JaM re-established as JaM Japan Marketing LLC, when Hisami welcomed a partner, Debbie Bergh to further the company's growth. Born in the U.S. and raised in Japan, Debbie has a bi-lingual and bi-cultural background, which spans a 15-year career in bridging U.S. and Japanese companies. At Matsushita Electric (Panasonic) U.S. Headquarters, she worked in corporate public relations to promote a positive corporate image to national and international media during the heyday of Japan-bashing in the late '80s. While managing communications between 30 North American subsidiaries and Japanese headquarters, she was involved in producing press conferences, events, videos and collateral. Debbie later joined REBO Group, the first HDTV production company in North America based in New York, and was responsible for sales and marketing of documentary, non-fiction, music and corporate productions to Japanese broadcasters such as NHK, JSB, TBS, Fuji TV, TV Asahi and TV Tokyo and manufacturers including NEC, Panasonic and Sony. Since 1995, Debbie has served as an independent consultant in sales, marketing, PR, and research for clients including REBO, NHK, SGI, a computer workstation manufacturer, Onna.com, an Internet lifestyle website for Japanese women, and other U.S. and Japanese companies.


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