What is “Information Development” in PR: Creating “Valuable Information”?

Hello! I am Y, a planner at SUNNY SIDE UP.
In this edition of “SSU’s PR Method,” I would like to discuss information development in PR.

Click here for the previous “SSU’s PR Method.”

Being Mindful of the “Value” of Information

Since “PR (Public Relations)” is an “activity to build positive relationships with society and consumers through the dissemination of information about products and services,” simply conveying product or service information as-is is insufficient. This is because it becomes “one-sided information.”

Therefore, in PR activities, it is necessary to process product and service information so that it becomes “valuable” to the recipient.

PR professionals are required to constantly consider what “value” means to recipients, such as the media and stakeholders, including consumers. The higher this “value,” the more widely and deeply the information will spread.

The Importance of the “Social Relevance of Information”

“Social relevance” is a necessary element for increasing the value of information. In other words, it refers to how important that information is to the world and society.

Therefore, it is necessary to organize information by adding “relevance to society” to products and services. By clearly demonstrating the “relevance to society” of a product or service, it becomes “valuable information” that does not get buried among other information.

There are various types of “social relevance,” so I will provide a few specific examples.

1. Trends
“While XX (social background) is currently trending in the world, YY (product) has been released.”

2. Consumer Needs
“While many people are struggling with XX (social background), YY (product) has been released to easily solve those concerns.”

3. Social Momentum
“As the momentum for XX (social background) grows, YY (product) has been released.”

4. Social Issues
“YY (product) has been released, which solves XX (social background)—an issue currently viewed as a challenge worldwide—through an innovative method.”

You have likely seen news headlines or articles like these before, haven’t you?

Associating XX (social background) with YY (product/service) constitutes “adding social relevance to information.” Try to remain conscious of connecting products and services with the voices and needs of the world by staying informed.

Understanding the Voices and Needs of the World

To stay informed about the voices and needs of the world on a daily basis, it is necessary to make information gathering a habit.

Examples of information gathering include the following:

・Checking information media (web, TV, magazines, etc.) daily.
・Actively managing social media accounts.
・Going out into the city to check trends and visit popular facilities.
・Talking with people of various demographics (age/gender), such as colleagues and friends.

SUNNY SIDE UP has a media promotion team composed primarily of younger members. Since this team is in regular contact with media professionals, they are able to stay updated on the latest information. It is also important to understand what kind of “stories” the media are looking for. Furthermore, we have a system in place to constantly share this information within the team.

Additionally, because we have many highly inquisitive members, we likely grasp the “voices and needs of the world” more than any other company. Our daily ideas are born from this information!

In this post, I have outlined the basic concepts of information development in PR. Next time, I plan to write about “How to Create a PR Story”!

Please look forward to it.