Azerbaijan Business Trip Report [Part 2] – “Creating a Buzz” Crosses Borders!

Following the first part, we present the second half of our Azerbaijan report.

On this occasion, we were invited to the “1st International Forum of PR Creativity,” the first international PR conference to be held in Azerbaijan.

Upon arriving at the venue, we found it filled with over 500 Azerbaijani PR professionals and media representatives. The audience was stylish, including many elegant and sophisticated women. With numerous TV cameras and media outlets present, the scale of the event far exceeded our expectations. Tsugihara and I began to feel a bit nervous…

This international PR forum brought together PR professionals from 17 countries as guest speakers, including Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Armenia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Italy, the UK, Spain, the USA, and Japan.

Our mission this time was to present our company’s achievements and the PR and media landscapes of various countries. Although we were told that Japanese-to-Azerbaijani interpretation would be provided, it was nowhere to be found. Since simultaneous interpretation was only available in English, we had to give our presentation in English on short notice. This was our first “baptism” in Azerbaijan.

As a female CEO, Tsugihara shared the story of how she started the company at the age of 17, which drew applause from the elegant women in the audience. She then explained the company’s history and case studies. I also took the stage to introduce the achievements of “RockCorps,” a project I have been involved with since its first iteration.

I presented our journey from the initial encounter with the project to building the business scheme for its implementation in Japan, and how we went about “creating a buzz.”

Despite the lack of preparation, Tsugihara delivered a presentation filled with humor that kept the entire audience captivated. It concluded successfully to a round of applause, leaving us feeling immensely relieved.

The second day consisted of sessions with guest speakers and a tour of the city.

Unfortunately, it was a cold, rainy day. Tsugihara, who had brought a large supply of disposable heat packs that were distributed for free at the PyeongChang Olympics, became an instant favorite by handing them out to everyone shivering in the cold. She noticed a female representative from Egypt—who looked young but was actually 80 years old—shivering in just a T-shirt and a thin jacket. Unable to ignore someone in need, the meddlesome Tsugihara bought a scarf at a nearby shop and presented it to her. The woman was deeply moved, saying it was a more wonderful gift than any brand-name item, and expressed her admiration for the Japanese people. I happened to notice a sale tag still attached… it only cost 500 yen. But it’s not about the price; it’s about the thoughtfulness. It was quite a remarkable piece of diplomacy.

She always managed to keep the center position in photos.

Perhaps thanks to the “heat pack strategy,” we became very close with the representatives from the 17 countries. Spending two full days together from morning to night, our conversations never ended, covering everything from work and private lives to culture, religion, politics, and, of course, PR.

International conferences are truly the best place to learn about the world.

On the third day, we were suddenly invited to Baku University, the largest in Azerbaijan, where we were given the opportunity to lead a PR class for a seminar run by a famous and popular professor.

When we arrived at the classroom, we were greeted by over 40 students overflowing from a small room, along with local TV and university press teams. Another Azerbaijani “baptism.”

After the lecture, there was a storm of questions from the students. Following a highly active exchange of opinions and a continuous stream of questions, the session concluded. We finished with a commemorative group photo.

The energy, serious gazes, and proactive attitudes of the students filled me with a sense of nostalgia and deep emotion. Afterward, there were individual interviews with students, photo sessions, and cheers of excitement. Perhaps because Asians are quite rare there, even I was treated like a Korean idol. It seems Japanese people might be fairly popular in Azerbaijan.

Having received a great deal of energy from the pure-hearted Azerbaijani youth, Tsugihara and I left the university with a great sense of accomplishment.

However, through this business trip, I once again witnessed one of Tsugihara’s extraordinary skills.

Take taxis, for example. The drivers only spoke Azerbaijani, and neither Japanese nor English worked at all. Nevertheless, she would keep talking to them, eventually getting the driver to sing the national anthem or share a loud laugh. By the time we reached our destination, she would even manage to get a discount on the fare. She carries on normal conversations with people she shares no common language with. With an extraordinary level of curiosity, she asks questions on the spot about anything she wonders about—anywhere, and to anyone. Naturally, the conversation expands, and this leads to business opportunities.

To be honest, being by her side often makes me nervous and a little embarrassed. But no matter where she is, at home or abroad, she ignores global standards and sticks to the “Tsugihara Standard.” Is this a master skill that only a woman unafraid of embarrassment can pull off? It is a skill that far surpasses even that of Tetsuro Degawa.

This trip was a valuable experience where, through new experiences in a new country, new encounters with people from around the world, and the “Tsugihara Standard,” I was able to reflect on the mysterious tool of communication that transcends language.

Furthermore, following a strong request from the President of the IPRA (International Public Relations Association), who was also participating as a guest speaker, SUNNY SIDE UP has now joined the IPRA.

The world is a vast place.
Today, the “Creating a Buzz” of the “fried egg” PR agency continues to spread across the globe.