This Project Story series will focus on what takes place behind the scenes of PayPay Group’s significant projects.
The series spotlights key projects, uncovering the challenges faced and the dedication of each team member through in-depth interviews.
In the “Cho PayPay Matsuri” (Super PayPay Festival) held from June 2024, not only PayPay but also PayPay Card payments were included in the scratch lottery for the first time. In this issue, we spoke with the two people who promoted this “PayPay Card Scratch Lottery” campaign!
Kanako Obara
Financial Marketing Team, Financial Marketing Department, Marketing Planning Division
Obara-san joined the team providing merchant services in April 2022, engaging in PMO duties within the division. She transferred to the Marketing Planning Division in December 2023, taking up credit/card operations.
Kotomi Ueda
Financial Marketing Department, Marketing Planning Division of PayPay; also Marketing Planning Promotion Group, Marketing Planning Department, Marketing Division of PayPay Card
Ueda-san joined PayPay Card as a new graduate in 2019. , She took care of promotions such as sign-up campaigns while assigned to the PayPay Card member acquisition team. She transferred to the Marketing Planning Promotion Group in April 2024, where she currently works.
A campaign that can be enjoyed with both PayPay and PayPay Card payments
First, please tell us about your job responsibilities
Obara:
At PayPay, I am responsible for PayPay Credit and PayPay Card, working on acquiring new users and promoting usage. Before the official launch of the “PayPay Card Scratch Lottery” in March-April 2024, we conducted a test campaign. The goal was to include PayPay Card in a scratch lottery campaign initially conducted just by PayPay, requiring close coordination with the PayPay scratch lottery team, since we were planning it on a large-scale too. My role was to organize all the tasks and specifications and coordinate with various PayPay departments as the liaison between PayPay Card.
Ueda:
After joining PayPay Card, I was seconded to PayPay in May 2022, handling marketing duties for both companies. I joined the “PayPay Card Scratch Lottery” project midway, organizing information and specifications, and also helped coordinate information on the PayPay Card side.
Please give an overview of the “PayPay Card Scratch Lottery” project
Obara:
The “PayPay Card Scratch Lottery” is a campaign where, when you make a payment of 200 yen or more at a credit card merchant with a PayPay Card, you receive a scratch lottery on the PayPay app. This time around, users were given a one in two chance of winning PayPay Points by tapping and scratching the lottery ticket received.
Ueda:
To provide some context, we had been aiming to make the payment experience when using a plastic PayPay Card as comfortable as it is when users pay using the PayPay app, and in order to achieve this, the two companies together developed a groundbreaking feature allowing the transaction history of the plastic card to become immediately available in the PayPay app, which was released in March 2024. It was this feature that laid the groundwork for the implementation of the scratch lottery campaign for PayPay Card.
We also collaborated with PayPay on promotions like TV commercials which are conducted only with large-scale marketing initiatives like the scratch lottery.
PayPay and PayPay Card, creating new campaigns through collaboration
What was particularly challenging?
Ueda:
The project kicked-off with a small team, leading to various things becoming highly dependent on the individuals in charge. I joined the project midway, so I began by organizing and documenting information. One memorable task was identifying cases where points cannot be granted due to specification issues. This required manually checking and sorting through a vast amount of merchant data, which couldn’t be processed mechanically by a computer and meant getting my hands very dirty.
Obara:
The specifications for the scratch lottery differed slightly between PayPay and PayPay Card, so we couldn’t directly apply PayPay’s specifications to PayPay Card. Organizing these complex specifications, including legal aspects, and communicating them to the PayPay Card side was challenging.
Initially, the Financial Marketing Department coordinated feedback and questions from various PayPay departments to PayPay Card, but we also tried a variety of ways to facilitate communication such as direct inter-departmental exchanges, regular meetings, and creating a new Slack channel.
How do you feel now that the campaign has been released?
Ueda:
We approached this project with the motivation to let users experience the unique convenience and benefits of PayPay Card through the campaign. Despite complex conditions and unforeseen challenges, we repeatedly checked specifications and solved issues with help from project members across different departments. This project reinforced my belief that, despite different company names, we all share the same goal of creating great services, which is a strength of the PayPay group.
Obara:
At times, the innumerable considerations and resolutions required for this project felt nothing short of overwhelming. However, we were driven by the common desire to deliver the new value of “real-time reflection of PayPay Card payments in the PayPay app, allowing users to win points through a scratch lottery,” which helped us overcome the challenges as a team. Seeing the commercial “Scratch with PayPay Card too!” being aired on TV gave me a great sense of accomplishment and joy.
What are your future prospects?
Ueda:
Through this campaign, the increase in usage and issuance of new PayPay Cards exceeded expectations: we achieved a higher level of performance than planned.
It was also the first step in strengthening the collaboration between PayPay and PayPay Card. We plan to continue creating unique and beneficial experiences such as new campaigns and coupons, encouraging more users to enjoy and conveniently use both the PayPay app and PayPay Card.
Obara:
We aim to provide new experiences not only with cards but also with other services, offering value that makes users feel that using PayPay is fun and beneficial. Starting with this campaign, we will continue to promote the advantages of using PayPay to users of PayPay Card and other services.
Embracing challenges and striving for innovation
What do you value in your daily work?
Obara:
“Believes in our PRODUCT & TEAM.” This project allowed us to overcome challenges and provide new value to customers by working together. I will continue believing in our products and team, enjoying every challenge we face.
Ueda:
“Ego is not welcome, communication is necessary.” Many of my tasks cannot be performed alone, so I value communication both within the team as well as across various departments.
When do you find your work most rewarding?
Ueda:
Both PayPay and PayPay Card have close relationships between executives and members, providing opportunities to present and share opinions directly, which is very exciting.
The Marketing Planning Department at PayPay Card is still new, requiring us to think about marketing and decide on initiatives ourselves with a broad perspective, instead of merely carrying out marketing measures that are decided by someone else. We achieve things by our own hands, which provides a great sense of accomplishment.
Obara:
In the Financial Marketing Department at PayPay, even new members are given opportunities to take on significant projects. There is a system in place where achievements are recognized, allowing us to take on new challenges proactively.
Additionally, the diverse backgrounds of the members, mutual respect, and flexible working styles contribute to the sense of fulfillment in our work.
Unique value only available in the PayPay group
What are your future goals and missions?
Ueda:
I want to make PayPay Card a “must-have card.” By offering enjoyable and seamless payment experiences and new campaigns unique to the PayPay app, I want to increase the issuance and usage rates of PayPay Card, making it a primary card for users.
Obara:
While this project was a collaboration between PayPay and PayPay Card, I aim to work with various other group companies including Bank, Insurance, and Securities, aiming to create a world where using PayPay offers various service benefits and unique value beyond QR code payments.
I want to help make PayPay a “super app” where users can manage all financial matters, from checking bank balances to making payments and managing investments. I will continue to think about what initiatives can achieve this from a marketing perspective.
Ueda:
Making PayPay a super app benefits not only users but also those working at PayPay.
Having Bank, Insurance, and Card businesses nearby allows for close collaboration and mutual learning. As group collaboration advances, it will be easier to offer unique PayPay value to users. I will continue to explore what I can do to contribute to this goal.
Finally, please share a message with the readers!
Ueda:
Both PayPay and PayPay Card are filled with people who quickly make decisions and strive to improve services. This means that sometimes we have to change direction quickly too. In such situations, the ability to adapt flexibly and solve problems by collaborating with others is crucial. Fortunately, we have many kind members who support each other, so feel at ease. If you are driven to move forward, even if it’s one step at a time, you will find a thriving environment here. Let’s work together to further grow PayPay and PayPay Card.
Obara:
People who are eager to take on new challenges and can quickly recover and think of the next action even after failures will play an active role here. With members from various backgrounds, respecting and cooperating with each other is also essential.
The great thing about PayPay is its fast business pace and the ability to deliver new value to users. I look forward to working with those who want to create new value.
Current job openings
*Job openings and employee affiliations are current as of the time of the interview.