“Kochi Prefecture is one big family!” Introducing a local government public relations project combining PR and digital initiatives.

Hello! My name is Kyoe Takahashi, and it has been one year since I joined SUNNY SIDE UP as a mid-career hire.

In this post, I would like to introduce the activities of the Kochi Prefecture promotion project I am in charge of, titled “Kochi-ke” (Kochi Family).

■ What is the “Kochi-ke Promotion” undertaken by Kochi Prefecture?

The Kochi-ke Promotion is a project aimed at acquiring fans both inside and outside the prefecture through three pillars: local products, tourism, and migration. Since April 2020, a joint team consisting of my department (Department 3) and the digital team from Department 2 has been responsible for this project.

The scope of activities is extensive.

It goes beyond standard public relations duties such as securing media coverage and organizing PR press conferences. It includes the production of promotional posters and videos, social media management for platforms like Twitter and Instagram, digital initiatives involving web advertising, and planning and article production as the editorial team for the owned media outlet “Kochi-ke no XX.” We even handle website renovations!

There are many other activities as well, but I will omit them here to keep things brief (laughs).

With the new promotion character “Kochi-ke no Aniki” (Kochi Family’s Big Brother), enka singer Hiroshi Miyama.

■ What are the PR measures used to communicate the appeal of Kochi Prefecture?

We execute various measures while collaborating closely with prefectural officials. All team members work diligently every day to increase the recognition of “Kochi-ke” so that more people can discover the charms of Kochi Prefecture.

The top page of the owned media “Kochi-ke no XX.” It is packed with information about Kochi Prefecture.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “Kochi”? Perhaps it is the “Yosakoi Festival,” “Sakamoto Ryoma,” fresh fish like “Katsuo” (skipjack tuna), or citrus fruits such as “Buntan” and “Yuzu.”

Sparklingly fresh sashimi. I was moved by how delicious it was!

Yuzu juice I found at the Sunday Market. The retro atmosphere is charming.

Kochi has many more attractive gourmet foods that are not yet widely known, such as Sawachi cuisine and vegetable sushi!

Vegetable Sushi

The Kochi-ke members tried their hand at making Sawachi cuisine ordered online! Since SUNNY SIDE UP has a kitchen available for anyone to use, simple cooking shoots are also possible.

Straw-seared skipjack tuna, an experience unique to the local area.

Kochi is blessed with nature, including both mountains and the sea. In addition to the delicious food and natural beauty, the warm personality of the people is one of its charms.

The promotion name “Kochi-ke” (Kochi Family) expresses the concept that the entire Kochi Prefecture is one family—a place where people are friendly, deep-hearted, and where close, family-like relationships can be built.

I also recommend visiting the specialty shop “Marugoto Kochi” in Ginza, where you can experience Kochi’s famous products!

■ Annual activities of the “Kochi-ke Promotion”

The charms of Kochi are endless, but here are some of our activities from the past year!

・Sending positive messages during the pandemic

Amidst the spread of COVID-19, we created the catchphrase “Even if we can’t meet, Kochi and Japan are one big family” as the most appropriate message for the Kochi-ke Promotion. We also produced visuals for use on various social media platforms and advertising spaces.

・Online ordering project

We implemented the “Chabudai Campaign,” which allowed people to order delicious Kochi food sets, and successfully secured media coverage.

・Kochi-ke Promotion Press Conference!

We welcomed enka singer Hiroshi Miyama, a native of Kochi Prefecture, as the promotional character and held an appointment event for the media, securing approximately 200 instances of coverage! We also produced various visuals, including lapel pins, stickers, and posters.

Large banners appeared in the shopping districts of Kochi Prefecture!

・Media caravans combining physical and online presence

Together with the deputy editor of “Kochi-ke no XX,” the character “Katsuo Ningen,” we conducted several media caravans, including online visits. We secured numerous media appearances, including television coverage, in the Tokyo metropolitan area as well as in Osaka and Fukuoka.

To all local government officials who are struggling with how to communicate their message, please feel free to contact SUNNY SIDE UP at any time!

*Masks were removed only for the duration of the photo shoot.

About the Author

SUNNY SIDE UP, Department 3, Section 3, Group 2
Kyoe Takahashi

It has been about one year since I joined SUNNY SIDE UP as a mid-career hire from a long-established PR agency. I have been in my current position since 2020. I love learning about things I don’t know, and I have traveled around the world as a backpacker, visiting 65 countries. I provide PR consulting based on the insights gained from experiencing the cultures of various countries and regions. Currently, I am completely obsessed with Japan.