Tuesday, 04 August 2026 09:00 AM
Company Update
NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 4, 2026 / Handcraft Entertainment - a client of leading entertainment marketing and content production company Dolphin (NASDAQ:DLPN) subsidiary Shore Fire Media - and Takasago International Corporation USA, one of Japan's largest and one of Asia's leading fragrance and flavor companies, today announced a strategic partnership to establish the smell, taste and feel of "global" J-pop.
The partnership builds on Handcraft's work pioneering "global" J-pop, a term coined by the company to describe a new genre of Japanese music and culture designed for worldwide audiences, while drawing on Takasago's decades of experience creating fragrances, flavors and sensory experiences for globally recognized brands and artists.
This announcement follows the release of Handcraft's "Heartless," a collaboration between Japanese artist Mia Takarabe and global icon Steve Aoki. As SPIN Magazine noted, "the race to bring J-pop to a truly global audience has a new contender," and the release marked a defining moment for Handcraft.
The partnership combines Takasago's expertise in fragrance, flavor and sensory innovation with Handcraft Entertainment's strategy to build globally scalable Japanese artists, brands and cultural IP as part of a worldwide cultural platform. The companies will develop fragrances, flavors and products tied to artists, releases, live experiences and cultural moments, while expanding into consumer products, experiential activations and global brand collaborations that deepen how audiences connect with music, artists and culture beyond traditional formats. One of the first projects will be a fragrance developed with Handcraft artist Takarabe. The companies also plan to develop original content and media around the artists and the creation of fragrances, flavors and products, bringing fans into the creative process and deepening engagement across social media.
"This is about building something entirely new at the intersection of music, culture and sensory innovation," said Michael Africk, CEO of Handcraft Entertainment. "We are building a new generation of globally competitive Japanese artists, products and cultural experiences created for worldwide audiences while remaining authentically connected to Japanese identity and culture. Takasago is uniquely positioned to define that world with us."
"Takasago has seen firsthand the growing global demand for Japanese culture across entertainment, fashion, food and lifestyle," said Joseph Lattarulo, Senior Vice President & General Manager at Takasago. "‘Global' J-pop represents an exciting new chapter for how Japanese culture can connect with audiences around the world. We are excited to partner with Handcraft to create products and experiences that will shape the world of ‘global' J-pop."
Together, Handcraft and Takasago are building the sensory world of "global" J-pop - where music, culture, identity and sensory experience converge.
ABOUT DOLPHIN
Dolphin (NASDAQ:DLPN) is where cultural creation meets marketing execution. Founded in 1996 by Bill O'Dowd, Dolphin operates as both a venture studio - developing and investing in breakthrough content, products and experiences - and a marketing consortium, featuring leading agencies across every communications discipline.
At its core, the venture studio creates, produces, finances, markets and promotes new businesses and cultural ideas - ranging from acclaimed film, television and digital content to consumer goods, live events and partnerships that define entertainment and lifestyle. Surrounding this entrepreneurial engine, Dolphin's marketing prowess brings together best-in-class firms including 42West, The Door, Shore Fire Media, Elle Communications, Special Projects and The Digital Dept. Together, this collective delivers unmatched cross-marketing expertise and relationships across every vertical of pop culture - from film, television, music, influencers, sports, hospitality and fashion to consumer brands and purpose-driven initiatives. Dolphin marketing has been the recipient of many accolades, including No. 1 Agency of the Year on the Observer PR Power List in 2025, The PR Net 100 and the PRNEWS Agency Elite Top 120.
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Contact:
James Carbonara
HAYDEN IR
(646)-755-7412 | [email protected]
SOURCE: Dolphin Entertainment