The Approach to Creating a PR Story

Hello! I am Y, a planner at SUNNY SIDE UP. “SSU’s PR Method” is a series that explores PR techniques and branding know-how tailored to the current era.

In this article, I would like to write about the “fundamental approach to creating a PR story.” This corresponds to “Story,” one of the “3S” elements necessary for information dissemination in the current era, which I explained in the previous article.

Click here for the previous installment, “SSU’s PR Method Vol. 4: What are the key PR points to focus on today? The ‘3S’ of Information Dissemination.”

■ Constructing a PR Story with a “Question” and an “Answer”

When considering PR for products or services, it is easy to fall into the habit of using various adjectives to make them look attractive.

“The world’s first…”
“A product endorsed by…”
“Something that makes daily life more convenient…”

This kind of phrasing is used to make a product stand out.

While that is certainly important, the crucial point is whether these phrases align with the needs of society and consumers. If they do not match, the information loses much of its value.

The most important thing to keep in mind is whether the “product” serves as an “answer” to something in the world. In other words, the first step is to identify the “question” for which the product provides the answer.

Simply being aware of this can significantly transform a PR story, making it more acceptable to the public.

Until a few years ago, information was effective simply by making a product look wonderful. However, as social awareness grows among consumers and the media, this “PR storytelling ability” has become the most vital skill required of PR professionals.

■ What are the “Question” and “Answer” for creating a PR story?

To put it simply, the “Question” and “Answer” can be visualized as follows:

Question
“A hypothesis based on social issues and consumer insights”

Answer
“A product that solves the aforementioned hypothesis”

For example:

A (Question)
“People who find the office air conditioning too cold but cannot speak up because others are hot, or cannot change the temperature themselves,” account for XX% of women.

B (Answer)
For those suffering from sensitivity to cold in the office during summer, a “summer-only belly warmer” that keeps “only you” warm has been released.

Because of the information in A (Question), B (Answer) stands out more effectively.

If the information were simply “a summer-only belly warmer has been released,” the necessity would not be apparent, resulting in a weak PR story.

“PR storytelling ability” is the capacity to find multiple questions for which B serves as the answer.

Once you become conscious of this, you will be able to create “high-value PR stories” in various forms that resonate with the world.

Since SUNNY SIDE UP has long been involved in various initiatives addressing social issues, we have many members with the “PR storytelling ability” based on this “Question” approach.

While I have focused on PR with a strong emphasis on “social relevance” so far, in the next installment, I would like to write about other “ways to generate PR ideas.”

Stay tuned!