[Mori Building × SUNNY SIDE UP] The Story Behind the “Urban Development” Aiming to Make Tokyo a World-Class Choice!

Toranomon Hills Station Tower, a skyscraper complex that opened in phases starting October 2023, and Azabudai Hills, a new complex that opened in November 2023.

Mori Building, the developer behind both projects, is engaged in urban redevelopment based in Minato City, Tokyo. SUNNY SIDE UP was responsible for the opening PR for both facilities.

Toranomon Hills Station Tower

Azabudai Hills

We held a cross-talk session with five participants to discuss the behind-the-scenes efforts leading up to the highly acclaimed openings of Toranomon Hills Station Tower and Azabudai Hills: Yoshihisa Matsushima (Public Relations / Promotion Group, Culture Department, Mori Building Co., Ltd.), Chie Akiba (TM Marketing Communication Department, Town Management Division, Mori Building Co., Ltd.), and Iwasaki, Tsuruzono, and Saito from the Public Relations Business Division of SUNNY SIDE UP.

Urban development that solves regional issues while enhancing Tokyo’s international competitiveness

— First, Mr. Matsushima and Ms. Akiba, please tell us about the background that led to the redevelopment of the Azabudai Hills and Toranomon Hills areas.

Ms. Akiba: The Azabudai Hills area was originally a densely populated district with small wooden houses and small-to-medium-sized offices. It faced many challenges regarding disaster prevention and transportation. To solve these issues, we reached out to local residents, which eventually led to the redevelopment. Furthermore, a key objective of the project was to enhance Tokyo’s international competitiveness alongside solving local area issues.

On the other hand, Toranomon Hills was a project to further redevelop an area where several buildings had already been constructed in previous redevelopment phases. Following the construction of the Mori Tower and Business Tower, which opened earlier, we finally reached the opening of the fourth and final building, the Station Tower. The Station Tower served as the grand finale of the phased opening and was a significant project in terms of integrated development with the subway station.

Mr. Matsushima: Toranomon Hills Station is the first Tokyo Metro station to have a station-front plaza. I believe we were able to proceed on such a scale precisely because it was an integrated development of the station and the city.

— Please tell us about the overview and concept of each facility.

Ms. Akiba: The concept of Azabudai Hills is “Modern Urban Village – A city like a ‘plaza’ surrounded by greenery, connecting people to people.” We have established “Green & Wellness” as the two pillars supporting this concept. We had set this concept even before the COVID-19 pandemic, but with the increased interest in health and nature following the pandemic, I feel it has become a concept that fits the times even better.

Toranomon Hills is located between Marunouchi and Shibuya, adjacent to Kasumigaseki, and serves as a hub for the Tokyo BRT connecting to the waterfront area—it is essentially a gateway to Tokyo. With the concept of a “Global Business Center,” we have created an all-inclusive city where business players from Japan and abroad can choose to not only work but also live and play.

SUNNY SIDE UP’s overwhelming passion and experience were the deciding factors

— What was the catalyst for Mori Building to work with SUNNY SIDE UP?

Mr. Matsushima: Originally, Azabudai Hills and Toranomon Hills Station Tower were scheduled to open at different times, but through various adjustments, their openings ended up being close together. While looking for a company to handle the PR for both facilities collectively, we invited SUNNY SIDE UP to participate in the pitch.

Mr. Iwasaki: Four of us, including myself and Tsuruzono, participated in the pitch. Having handled facility openings in the past, I realized that it’s not just about skills; a mindset of genuine enjoyment and mental fortitude are also vital. Therefore, from the proposal stage, we put a lot of effort into our internal structure and assembled a team of carefully selected members.

I remember that during the proposal, we emphasized our overwhelming experience, our positive mindset, and our physical stamina.

Ms. Akiba: When I heard SUNNY SIDE UP’s proposal, I thought, “Their passion is incredible.” I had never encountered a company that conveyed such a high level of enthusiasm before. I felt a positive attitude of “we want to do this” rather than just “it’s a job,” so I really wanted to work with them.

Mr. Matsushima: Based on my experience being involved in the opening of many facilities, including Roppongi Hills, I felt that passion is the most necessary element in PR. Also, since the facility and the PR firm should have an equal relationship, I value being able to give each other tough feedback and help each other when in trouble. I already had trust in them based on past business performance, and since I felt a high level of passion from the proposal stage, I definitely wanted to ask them.

Iwasaki: Thank you very much!

Mr. Matsushima: Iwasaki-kun mentioned having “stamina” during the proposal, and that is a very important factor. The opening of a large-scale facility ultimately becomes a battle of stamina and the number of actions taken. When conducting a press preview on a scale involving hundreds of participants, being able to organize the necessary structure is very important. The depth of the team structure proposed was also one of the deciding factors.

Ms. Saito: I’m happy to hear that.

— What kind of proposal did the SUNNY SIDE UP team make?

Mr. Iwasaki: Rather than communicating Azabudai Hills and Toranomon Hills separately, we set the theme of our PR communication as how the nature of Tokyo’s streets would change with the creation of these two new facilities, and how the Azabudai Hills and Toranomon Hills areas would become the center of Tokyo. We proposed that members in charge of both facilities would collaborate to promote them and achieve the ideal media exposure.

Ms. Tsuruzono: First and foremost, I felt we had to convey that both facilities are not just commercial complexes, but something that creates an entire city. Also, since Toranomon Hills was a phased opening, it was necessary to make its story known. In our proposal for the media preview, one key point was making it a tour format so that participants could visit multiple spots, including existing facilities in Mori Tower and Business Tower, not just the newly opened Station Tower.

Thorough PR that conveys Mori Building’s philosophy, not just facility introductions

— What was most memorable during the implementation of the PR measures?

Ms. Saito: At the Azabudai Hills press conference, we were grateful to have approximately 700 people attend. However, it was my first time managing operations for such a large number of people, so to be honest, I was very anxious. I simulated the guidance order in my head many times, and I couldn’t sleep the night before (laughs).

Mr. Iwasaki: Failure was not an option, so there was a lot of tension.

Mr. Matsushima: Since we had been declining media interviews for Azabudai Hills for a long time, the press conference was the first public unveiling. I think the level of attention was quite high.

Ms. Akiba: Due to the structure of the building, it was a complex operation, so we had prepared a backup plan just in case, but it wasn’t necessary. I was impressed seeing Ms. Saito manage everything so smoothly.

Mr. Iwasaki: Shortly after the Azabudai Hills press conference, there was also the preview for Toranomon Hills Station Tower. We were conscious of highlighting Mori Building’s approach while conveying the appeal of each facility. Furthermore, we established a strategy to keep the information flowing by communicating the next initiatives and visions to the media.

Ms. Tsuruzono: We started by looking at a calendar and building the overall schedule. We aimed for continuous exposure by clearly communicating the next actions to the media, such as “this is coming up next” or “you can conduct this kind of interview here.”

— Were there any difficulties while moving forward with the project?

Ms. Akiba: Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower is 330 meters tall, making it currently the tallest building in Japan, but we did not build it with the goal of making it the tallest. The goal was to create a vast green space, and the height is a result of stacking the building vertically as a means to free up the ground at its feet. Therefore, it was not our intention to have the media cover it primarily for being the tallest in Japan. We were thorough in ensuring that whenever the height was mentioned, it was always accompanied by the explanation that it was “to create a vast green space.” This was a difficult point, but in the end, it led to exposure exactly as we had envisioned, which was excellent.

Ms. Saito: Regarding the style of exposure, when speaking with the media, I was conscious of conveying that we were “creating a city, not a commercial facility.” Since there are many attractive tenants, just introducing the shops would make for an article, but that wouldn’t convey Mori Building’s philosophy. Within the SUNNY SIDE UP team, we gained media exposure based on a shared understanding of Mori Building’s philosophy. After thoroughly inputting information about the facilities and tenants, I was also mindful of communication and management that allowed us to function as a single team.

Mr. Iwasaki: For both Azabudai Hills and Toranomon Hills Station Tower, we were thorough in centering our efforts on thoughts and philosophy, rather than just aiming for media exposure. I believe that having SUNNY SIDE UP members who joined specifically for the press conference and preview days visit the facilities beforehand to feel the atmosphere contributed to the smooth operations on the day.

Mr. Matsushima: There are things that cannot be conveyed through documents alone, so it is very important to have people actually visit.

1,200 people attended the preview, with daily TV coverage across all stations

— What was the response from those around you regarding the opening of the facilities?

Ms. Akiba: Approximately 1,200 people, including many international media outlets as well as domestic ones, attended the media preview for Azabudai Hills. It was an incredible number. Even for Mori Building, we had never had so many people visit, so I was truly moved. Many people from the media also commented, “You don’t see previews where this many people gather.” I am grateful to SUNNY SIDE UP for their hard work in promotional activities.

Mr. Matsushima: Even with over 1,000 people, the facility didn’t feel crowded at all, which made me realize once again how spacious Azabudai Hills is (laughs).

Ms. Akiba: In terms of media exposure, there was a particularly large amount of television coverage, with all stations featuring it daily. In my approximately eight years in PR, it was by far the highest volume of exposure. Furthermore, it wasn’t just the quantity; the quality was also solid, so I think it was a truly perfect result. We received a lot of feedback not only from general customers but also from the PR industry.

Ms. Saito: Among the projects I have handled so far, I believe this achieved overwhelming exposure and name recognition. It almost always comes up in conversation with media contacts for other projects, and even in my private life at family gatherings, people say, “There isn’t a day we don’t see it (on TV or in the newspapers),” which has built my confidence.

Mr. Matsushima: I think the PR for the moment of opening went very well for both Azabudai Hills and Toranomon Hills. However, since we have created a city, it is important to sustain this excitement. What we set in motion in the first year of opening will lead to the future, so I believe the real challenge starts now. The task will be to create a system where customers feel that “something fun happens if I go there.”

— Finally, please give us your overall impressions of working with SUNNY SIDE UP.

Mr. Matsushima: For a PR person, it’s important to sell yourself before selling a product, so I’m very glad to have met the unique members of SUNNY SIDE UP.

All SUNNY SIDE UP members: Thank you very much!

Ms. Akiba: I feel that the passion I sensed from SUNNY SIDE UP during the pitch never changed. If anything, it increased. There were times when we made difficult requests on a tight schedule, but they never said “we can’t do it.” Their attitude of immediately thinking of ways to make it happen is truly wonderful.

Also, SUNNY SIDE UP’s team structure was perfect. Mr. Iwasaki and Ms. Tsuruzono understood the tasks and schedule as leaders while also firmly grasping the PR points. Seeing them advise and support the team while delegating tasks made me feel their high level of management ability. I learned a lot myself, and I’m glad we could work together.

Mr. Matsushima: I think it was difficult with schedules shifting many times due to external factors like construction, and the large amount of information to process, but as partners, they overcame many hurdles with us. I am truly grateful.

Mr. Iwasaki: I believe we were able to give our all so as not to betray the trust you placed in us. Also, this June, we received an Excellence Award at our company-wide project awards, making this one of the projects that symbolized the previous term for our company. Thank you very much.

The PR project for the opening of Toranomon Hills Station Tower and Azabudai Hills, which Mori Building and SUNNY SIDE UP tackled with great passion. Keep an eye on the urban development of Tokyo unfolding from these two facilities.

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