Professor Side’s PR Course (The State of Press Conferences)

In this section, Professor Side and various experts discuss the world of PR.

This time, the theme is “press conferences,” a format you often see on television.
While Ms. Obokata’s conferences have been in the spotlight recently, many other types of press conferences are held every day.

A press conference for RockCorps, for which our company serves as the lead organizer of the executive committee (The figures shown are all reporters and photographers. There are also film crews further in the back.)

Press conferences for new product launches and films featuring celebrities or public figures have increased significantly compared to ten years ago. On busy days, approximately five to eight press conferences are held in Tokyo alone. If you include conferences that do not involve celebrities, more than ten take place on any given weekday.

Press conferences featuring celebrities aim to attract media outlets such as entertainment reporters from sports newspapers, television infotainment programs, and entertainment news websites.
While numbers vary depending on the individual’s profile and the nature of the announcement, these events are generally held before 30 to 50 media professionals. Venues are typically hotels or event spaces, and they often start in the early afternoon to meet the deadlines for weekday evening news programs.
(Recently, there has also been an increase in cases where companies host celebrities for conferences within their own office buildings.)

For press conferences featuring celebrities, a major key point is “visual staging”—designing the back panel and ensuring the celebrities and new products are photographed effectively by the media. (There are many other crucial considerations, such as the talking points, media scrums, and whether to conduct individual interviews.)

From the PR Department

The news from press conferences that you see daily on television and the internet.
Our company also conducts numerous press conferences for a wide range of clients.
(Unexpected incidents can occur on-site, but we believe our extensive experience allows us to handle them effectively.)

In the past, we have even organized “press conferences held by children.” One of the advantages of working at a PR agency is the opportunity to learn about various industries and collaborate with many different companies. Every day is fresh and never dull.