[At last, our 40th fiscal year!] A report on the SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP kick-off meeting as we reach a major milestone

Hello! This is Sunny-chan from Public Relations.

Tokyo finally entered the rainy season in late June. The humidity leaves your hair sticky, and your feet are soaked from the morning… It can really dampen your mood, can’t it?

However, for us at SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, June is an important month because it includes a special “sunny day.”

In this first article of our 40th fiscal year, we will look back on our 39th year and report on that memorable day.

SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP: Now entering our 40th fiscal year

Our 39th fiscal year began with the integration of three companies—SUNNY SIDE UP Inc., Wise Integration Inc., which plans and produces sales promotions, and Scramble Inc., which operates with influencer marketing at its core—leading to the launch of the “Comprehensive Brand Communication Business,” which forms the core of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP.

With the birth of the “new SUNNY SIDE UP,” leveraging the three companies’ customer bases and solutions, we became able to make proposals beyond the traditional PR domain. Furthermore, by strengthening our structure to create group synergies that transcend company boundaries within the group, even more collaboration emerged. First, let us look back chronologically at what happened during this whirlwind year.

▼ The “Uber Eats Delivery to Space” campaign won the top award in its category at the International Public Relations Association’s “GOLDEN WORLD AWARDS 2023”! (August)

The “Uber Eats Delivery to Space” campaign by Uber Eats Japan GK, for which SUNNY SIDE UP handled PR communications, received the top award in the “Consumer PR for an existing service- Agency” category at the international awards “Golden World Awards 2023,” hosted by the International Public Relations Association.

Uber Eats appointed Yusaku Maezawa—who became the first private Japanese citizen to travel to and stay on the International Space Station—as a special delivery partner. The news that bonus food would be delivered to astronauts during his stay was shared worldwide across countries where Uber Eats operates, successfully generating buzz as media outlets around the world covered it. The campaign’s unique and grand scale was highly praised, leading to the award.

▼ Entered into a content partnership with the social welfare experimental company “HERALBONY” (September)

To strengthen initiatives for regional revitalization centered on DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), SUNNY SIDE UP entered into a content partnership with HERALBONY Co., Ltd., a social welfare experimental company that aims to create new culture with social welfare as its starting point.

▼ Entered into a partnership agreement with “Voicy,” an audio platform provider (October)

Starting in our 39th fiscal year,SUNNY SIDE UP established a new Influencer Marketing Division and entered into a partnership agreement with Voicy Inc., which develops and operates an audio platform, to further expand our PR-driven brand communication business by sharing information through “audio” featuring a diverse range of influencers.

▼ SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP received the “FY2023 Tokyo Women’s Empowerment Award” (December)

SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP received the Grand Prize in the Corporate category of the “FY2023 Tokyo Women’s Empowerment Award,” hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

This award is presented to companies, organizations, and others that promote women’s empowerment toward realizing a society in which women can choose diverse ways of living. This time, our award recognized our unique employee benefits programs (32 in total) that support diverse lifestyles—such as subsidies for egg freezing and AMH testing—as well as awareness-raising activities aimed at solving women’s physical, mental, and social challenges outside the company, such as “W society,” promoted by our group company Good Company Inc.

▼ On March 8, International Women’s Day, we held “Health Care DAY—A Day to Care for Your Body—” and encouraged employees to take paid leave during “Women’s Health Week” from March 1 to 8 (March)

SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP designated March 8, International Women’s Day as defined by the United Nations, as “Health Care DAY—A Day to Care for Your Body—” and encouraged employees to take paid leave during the eight days from March 1 to 8, designated as “Women’s Health Week” by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

▼ Entered into an industry-first partnership agreement with Marunouchi Capital, an investment fund affiliated with Mitsubishi Corporation (May)

To enhance corporate value for its portfolio companies, SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP entered into a strategic partnership agreement—an industry-first initiative in the PR industry—with Marunouchi Capital Inc., an investment fund funded by Mitsubishi Corporation.

▼ SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP President CEO Etsuko Tsugihara appointed Vice Chair of Keidanren’s Policy Board (May)

Etsuko Tsugihara, President CEO of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, was appointed Vice Chair of the Policy Board of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren).

Keidanren’s Policy Board is composed of up to 700 members and, in response to consultations from the Chair, deliberates on matters related to the economy, industry, society, the environment, science and technology, and more. In particular, the Chair and Vice Chairs of the Policy Board, in their role of “responding to consultations from the Chair and deliberating on the direction of especially important policy matters and the nature of the corporation’s projects,” regularly present their views to the Chair on key issues discussed by the board.

And as the fiscal year came to a close… the “SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP 40th Fiscal Year Kick-off Meeting” was held at the Tokyo American Club!

The kick-off meeting—marking the close of our 39th year, the first step into our 40th, and the once-a-year occasion when group members gather in one place—was held on June 28. In other words, it is a “special day” for SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP.

The venue was the Tokyo American Club again this year, as it was last year. The members looked slightly nervous in the dignified setting, yet eager for the event to begin.

A deluxe (?) drink service by the duo of the SUNNY SIDE UP President and the SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP President

What was on the agenda for this year’s kick-off meeting?

This year, the event began with a video that succinctly recapped the group’s 39th year and outlined our outlook for the 40th.

In the video, as we approach our 40th year since founding, we traced the path SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP has taken to date. In the midst of days spent fully absorbed in our work, looking back on our journey from a broader perspective reminds us that the accumulation of those everyday efforts is what shapes our “fun commotion.”

The video continued into SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP’s outlook for our 40th fiscal year. Members listened with serious expressions as President CEO Etsuko Tsugihara offered an explanation laced with humor.

After reflecting on the many projects we have undertaken so far and feeling excited about the “fun commotion” yet to come, it was time for the long-awaited toast.

Led by Norihito Watanabe, Executive Vice President of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, everyone raised their glasses, calling out to one another: “Great work!” and “Let’s do our best this year, too!”

A toast with the members who have shared both hardships and joys

After the toast, while enjoying the American Club’s wonderful course meal, the event moved into the second half, transitioning into video content from each group company.

The two hosts for this event

This year’s video theme was “1985,” the year SUNNY SIDE UP (at the time) was founded. Members from each company shared a look back and their outlook for the year ahead with 70% humor and 30% seriousness (?).

A series of unique content pieces. Smiles naturally spread across the room.

And finally, it was time for the annual “SUNNY AWARDS” announcement!

This year, in addition to 10 projects that created “fun commotion,” three projects were also recognized for winning external PR awards and securing media coverage that contributed to shaping trends. Representative members of each project took the stage and were honored.

Representative members deliver speeches of gratitude.

To close, everyone at SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP gathered for a group photo.

As our membership grows, the camera keeps having to pull back more and more each year for the group photo.

With the integration of three group companies and the addition of new members, SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP has become even stronger. United as one, the entire group will move forward to a “new step” toward our 40th anniversary.

We are still only halfway there. Please look forward to our continued success as we keep creating “fun commotion” in the world.