Fourteen new graduates joined Poached Egg for the first time! Packed with trend insights that our fresh new members are watching closely—reported from a Gen Z perspective♪

Hello, I am Imai, a 2022 new graduate hire!It has already been one month since I joined the company, and I will be taking on the challenge of writing my first SUNNY DAYS article…!

In this article,I will report on “Poached Egg,” which all of us new graduate members attended for the first time♪

Poached Egg is a very casual gathering where volunteer members from different departments and age groups come together to share the news and trends they have been interested in lately.

For PR professionals, keeping up with trends is essential!We are still very much beginners, but we keep our antennas up for the latest topics at all times as we work toward becoming fully fledged professionals.

With that in mind, we would like to introduce some of the topics that our “Gen Z new graduate members” brought to the table!

1) RED° TOKYO TOWER

https://tokyotower.red-brand.jp
Image source: RED° TOKYO TOWER official website

First up was Japan’s largest esports park, “RED° TOKYO TOWER.”

It held its grand opening on Wednesday, April 20, 2022!RED° was created with the slogan “To be the source of NEXT JAPAN,” aiming to lead Japan’s esports culture and become a brand with a strong global presence.

From RED°, an esports park on the largest scale in Japan has opened at Tokyo Tower, a symbol of the capital city.

Visitors can play the latest games and enjoy tournaments and events in a stadium equipped with cutting-edge XR technology. Offering an “otherworldly entertainment experience” packed with fun, it is drawing major attention as a new go-to outing spot!

2) BeReal

https://www.businessinsider.jp/post-253095
Image source: Apple Store

Next was an app called “BeReal.”

Downloads have grown by 315% since the beginning of 2022, and it appears to be gaining popularity mainly among Gen Z in the United States.

The key point of this app is “photos without filters.” When users open the app after receiving an irregular notification, a two-minute timer starts, and no matter what they are doing at that moment, they must take a photo and post it within that time.It is also striking that photos are taken using both the device’s front and back cameras.

This app’s unique rules are quite surprising. It seems hugely popular overseas, but will it become a trend in Japan in the future…?

By the way, the SUNNY SIDE UP members who love anything trending got excited and immediately started talking about installing the app (laugh).

My PR spirit is fired up because I personally want to make this app a trend, so I plan to start using it right away and help spread it in Japan as well…!

3) Falling for Chamisul

https://www.jinro.co.jp/special/chamisul360/
Image source: JINRO official website

The new commercial “Falling for Chamisul 2” for the Korean soju brand “Chamisul” is becoming a hot topic.The first installment surpassed 2 million views in five days after release, and the second installment was released recently.

With the concept of a “dramatic classic,” it draws on Chamisul’s home country of Korea, incorporating plenty of storylines and direction that feel like they could appear in a Korean drama, and is produced like a serialized drama!

Sakuma and Ozeki deliver passionate performances again, continuing from the previous work, in scenes that make you nod along with an “I know that feeling.” It is a commercial that strongly conveys Chamisul’s appeal through a variety of classic scenes.

On Twitter, Korean drama fans are also buzzing with relatable reactions such as “I feel like I’ve seen this scene somewhere…” and “If you know, you know!”

We watched part of the video together, and it was a humor-filled commercial that made all of us burst out laughing♪

4) UCC COLD BREW #Kaorudo Dancer Audition Campaign

https://www.ucc.co.jp/coldbrew/tiktok/
Image source: UCC official website

UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd. is running the “#Kaorudo Dancer Audition Campaign” on TikTok, which offers a chance to appear in a TV commercial scheduled to air in autumn.

Simply add the hashtag and dance the official choreography, and you may have a chance to become famous overnight!

The catchy music and mysterious choreography are addictive, and it seems that well-known TikTokers are joining one after another. Even learning a slightly difficult hand dance sounds fun, does it not?

We are now in an era where anyone watching can become a creator and go viral. Commercials are also shifting to participatory formats, and all of us were excited, saying, “The ways we communicate are evolving every day.”

5) I’m donut?

ttps://www.instagram.com/im.donut_factory/
Image source: Instagram official account (@im.donut_factory)

A donut specialty shop from “Amam Dacotan,” the hugely popular Fukuoka-born bakery based in Omotesando, Tokyo, opened in Nakameguro this March.
It is a donut shop with astonishing popularity—people line up for around two hours even on weekdays.

After hearing about it at Poached Egg, the president of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, Mr. Tsugihara, a few days later…

He actually brought us “I’m donut?”—the one you have to line up for hours for—as a treat for us new graduate members… (tears)

The new graduate members were beyond excited!

Staying on top of trends is important, but actually trying them is even more important.The classic donuts are great, of course, but my personal top recommendation is the pistachio!!I was truly amazed by the fluffy texture unlike anything I had ever had before.

They also plan to open a second “I’m donut?” store in Shibuya in May! It seems it will evolve even further and offer an even wider variety, so it will be exciting to see what new flavors will be released!

How was it?

There was a wealth of new information that Gen Z new graduates are paying attention to, and the topics were even more substantial.By sharing what we did not know and exchanging opinions about it, it became a meaningful time that helped us make the information feel even more personally relevant♪

We are still rookie PR professionals, but with a positive sense of “acting like we know,” we would like to give it our all!

We will continue to share the latest trends at Poached Egg every month. Please be sure to check it out!