To the “Future Talents”! We held a special lecture on “Sports x PR” for students at Ryutsu Keizai University!

Hello! This is PR Sunny-chan.

Recently, eight third-year students from the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences at Ryutsu Keizai University visited the SUNNY SIDE UP office along with their seminar professor.

As part of their seminar assignment, the students are studying how communication through sports impacts society. Since we handle many sports-related projects, they requested a corporate visit to SUNNY SIDE UP. The theme of their assignment was “Knowing Japan’s Best, Becoming Japan’s Best” (!), and we were honored to be invited to hold this special lecture.

Finally, the day arrived. Although we host students several times a year, it is always an exciting and slightly nerve-wracking experience.

Sunny-chan is also still learning about sports-related work, so she joined in with the secret determination to study alongside them!

And finally, the special lecture began!

The lecturer for this session was Kato, a team member who has been involved in sports-related projects for many years. Having joined SUNNY SIDE UP as a new graduate, Kato has managed athletes and worked on various projects both in Japan and abroad. From the moment the self-introduction began, the students were clearly intrigued.

The lecture began with an introduction to SUNNY SIDE UP, followed by a discussion of our past sports-related projects and athlete management.

Utilizing SUNNY SIDE UP’s unique PR expertise, we introduced the fascination and depth of our work, which involves “conveying the appeal of sports-related products, people, and events to the world through all forms of communication,” including media outreach, events, product planning, and space creation. Using domestic and international examples, we discussed how to develop plans and create stories unique to the sports field, and how PR concepts are applied to actual projects.

We also discussed the significance of managing athletes and specialists from the perspective of a PR agency. We explained how multidimensional branding can be achieved by creating opportunities for information dissemination across various fields, rather than limiting management to the athlete’s specific sport (soccer, baseball, track and field, etc.). This role is perhaps close to that of a “consultant” who supports the realization of each individual’s dreams and visions.

Since the students are studying the theme of sports and communication, they were very serious about taking notes. Not to be outdone, Sunny-chan took notes as well…

At the end of the lecture, there was a Q&A session. Here are some of the highlights!

“Is there anything I can do while still a student to prepare for a career in the PR industry?”

Make it a habit to “watch the news.” Keeping your antennae up and catching information faster than anyone else will be invaluable in this line of work.

It is also important to watch news in genres you are “not interested in,” not just those you like. Gradually expanding your scope and increasing your knowledge base is crucial for being involved in various projects in the future.

“What specific skills are required in the PR industry?”

In this job, you are essentially dealing with “people.” Therefore, basic communication skills are indispensable. To hone those skills, I make an effort to meet and talk to as many people as possible every day.

Indeed, it seems that SUNNY SIDE UP has many members who love talking to people (^_^)

After the lecture, which lasted just under an hour, we conducted an office tour!

In the corridor of the meeting room area, merchandise from the athletes we manage is on display.

The students were fascinated by the gear of athletes they recognized!

At the reception, we have posters of our code of conduct and introductions of our new graduate members.

Finally, we showed them to the President’s office, where Ms. Tsugihara is located!

Seeing the students from Ryutsu Keizai University listen so intently and ask questions so proactively during their visit was truly inspiring, and it reminded us that we must work even harder to match their enthusiasm.

We hope that by learning a little about “how to create a fun stir”—the philosophy behind our various sports projects and ideas—it will be helpful for their future studies and job searches.

Finally, we took a commemorative photo with the welcome panel.

SUNNY SIDE UP will continue to actively engage with students to support the “future talents” who will help shape the future with us!

See you in the next blog post!