At SUNNY SIDE UP, we recognize members who have reached 10, 15, and 20 years of service through our 32 Benefits program, the “Thank You for Staying with Us” initiative. This time, we interviewed Takahisa Nakayama, Director of Division 4, who joined the company in 2007 and is celebrating his 15th year of service this year.

What does Nakayama mean by “experiences I could only have had at this company”? We take a deeper look at the 15 years he spent at SUNNY SIDE UP.

[Member Profile]

Executive Officer / Public Relations Division Headquarters, Division 4 Director — Takahisa Nakayama

Career background and why he joined SUNNY SIDE UP

When I entered university, I moved to Tokyo from Shizuoka, and in my junior year I started a business as a student. It originally began as a student organization, but when we held events, companies sponsored us, and when we ran promotions for university students, companies paid us—so we decided to incorporate. After working for 7–8 years at a company that provided promotion support and recruitment services, I went on to help launch an event/SP company, among other ventures. Then, shortly after it became part of the SUNNY SIDE UP Group, I joined Wise Integration Co., Ltd. through an introduction from a senior colleague. At the same time, I was seconded to SUNNY SIDE UP in 2007. I already knew about SUNNY SIDE UP through Hidetoshi Nakata and the White Band Project, and I had also had opportunities to work together on the same projects in my previous job.

There are many PR agencies out there, but I do not think there is another company like SUNNY SIDE UP—one that steps forward as a company in its own right. I feel its strength lies in doing behind-the-scenes work while also taking the lead and creating initiatives in the spotlight. Even back then, I had the impression it was a PR agency that handled a wide range of things, and I thought I might be able to take on work not only based on client requests, but also to plan projects from scratch—so I decided to accept the offer. Since they were making the offer because they had expectations of me, I was desperately working every day to become a contributing member as quickly as possible and exceed those expectations.

Memorable experiences at SUNNY SIDE UP

Every project I have been involved in has been memorable: the logo announcement and events for Japan Post privatization that I joined soon after joining the company; “Tokyo Street Athletics,” held by turning Marunouchi Naka-dori into a running track; the Japan-hosted event for the “FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour”; traveling to London during the Olympics for the “ARIGATO in LONDON (*1)” project; and a countdown event held after shutting down Shibuya Scramble Crossing, among others. When I presented an event proposal for Japan Post privatization right after joining, to people representing Japan’s financial economy, I was honestly shaking (laughs).

“RockCorps (RockCorps) (*2),” which we held in Japan with support from Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT), is also especially memorable.

RockCorps was originally launched overseas first, and we received an offer from the home country asking whether we would hold it in Japan as well. After being invited, I also went to London to observe RockCorps, and on the very day I arrived, I spent four hours removing weeds in a park on the outskirts of Wembley and then went straight to watch the live show—an incredibly rare experience (laughs).

That is how the RockCorps project in Japan began, and on the day of the live show, when the curtain rose for the opening, I remembered everything that led up to the event and got goosebumps all over. Even now, looking back, I feel that after joining SUNNY SIDE UP, I was given the opportunity to do so much work that I never would have imagined at the beginning—work that could only be done at this company.

Nakayama behind the scenes of RockCorps held in Japan in 2014

[(*1) ARIGATO in LONDON]
An event held in London during the Olympics in the summer of 2012.It expressed gratitude for the support received from around the world following the Great East Japan Earthquake, while also sharing a revitalized Japan moving toward recovery through performances of traditional Japanese culture and more.

[(*2) RockCorps (RockCorps)]
A project based on the core philosophy “Give, Get Given—give first, and you will receive,” proposing “a new form of social contribution that is easy to join and enjoyable” through the power of music. It is an event model in which four hours of volunteer work earns a ticket to attend a live show. Held in countries around the world, we were involved for five years from its first-ever Japan edition in 2013.

What has changed—and what has not—over 15 years

I feel that the core of SUNNY SIDE UP—doing interesting things and creating Let’s Have Fun!—has always remained the same. There have been changes, such as the company growing and digital becoming widespread with the times, but what supports the foundation has not changed: it is still basic PR. I believe it is a company that continues to grow steadily with its feet firmly on the ground.

I personally still want to keep doing interesting things, and my love for being on the ground has not changed, but I have started thinking more about how to share that with my team members. I have been given the chance to experience many things, so in the same way, I want to create opportunities for everyone I work with to encounter many chances as well. I also tell them that if they think what I am saying is outdated, I want them to point it out right away (laughs).

Why he has been able to continue working for 15 years

When I joined, I never thought I would be here for 15 years, and people around me say, “I did not think you would stick with it this long.” Even so, I think the reason I have been able to continue is that SUNNY SIDE UP likely offers an exceptional number of opportunities to be involved in unique work that other PR agencies or production companies cannot do. However, because there are so many opportunities, expectations from fellow members and clients are also high, so it is very important to have a sense of responsibility and determination about how to meet those expectations.

While gaining a wide range of experience, I simply kept facing the projects in front of me—and before I knew it, 15 years had passed. The people at SUNNY SIDE UP are all wonderful members, so I would like to help build an organization where everyone at SUNNY feels, “I want to work at this company,” and “I enjoy working here.” I also feel that I have a responsibility to do so.

A look back at when we celebrated Nakayama’s birthday four years ago

What he keeps in mind at work

I believe that everyone has an inner side that differs from the face they show in public—someone may be competitive but actually sensitive, or may seem calm but is in fact stubborn (laughs). By working together and talking, you begin to see who the person really is, and I try to engage with people by imagining not only what they show on the surface, but also what lies beyond it.

Also, when I was new, a senior once told me, “If you cannot get a laugh, do you think you can do the job?!” That stuck with me. It is not that getting a laugh necessarily wins you business, but I started to think it is better to at least get one laugh—even if you cannot win the work—and that if you are going to do it, it is better to have fun. When you have a successful experience of enjoying your work and delivering results, it becomes motivation to try hard again next time. But in the end, I think whether you can enjoy your work is up to you. One result of thinking about how to enjoy the work in front of me—and wanting to leave a mark if I am going to do it—was the “sushi chef (*3) at the SUNNY SIDE UP fiscal year kick-off meeting” (laughs).

[(*3) At the fiscal year kick-off meeting]
SUNNY SIDE UP’s fiscal year kick-off meeting, where each division looks back on the previous term and presents goals and policies for the new term. Each time, divisions deliver presentations with their own creative twists, and Division 4 appeared dressed as sushi chefs to surprise the members. A parody of a TV show that introduces restaurants, it compared members to sushi toppings and introduced them in a way that was easy to understand yet convincing! ☞New graduate members run the SUNNY SIDE UP fiscal year kick-off meeting: an in-depth look behind the scenes of their first in-house event operation!

Who is a good fit for SUNNY SIDE UP

Especially for mid-career hires, I think it is important to be proactive. Rather than someone who is passive, we want someone who can step forward and take on challenges actively. I do not particularly focus on age or title; I simply think each person has a different role. That said, if you have been working for 15 years, I believe you must be able to do more than members who have been here for 5 or 10 years. Because I have 15 years of experience, I am always mindful of what role I can fulfill, so I would like to work with people who can highlight their own unique skills and strengths.

Goals going forward

Over 15 years, I have been entrusted with a full range of projects, but I want to remain a player who stays involved with interesting projects to the very end. Thankfully, SUNNY SIDE UP is a company that truly entrusts us with a wide variety of projects, so I am also looking forward to what new work I will be able to be involved in from here.

What did you think? SUNNY SIDE UP is involved in a truly wide range of projects, but what we have always valued—then and now—is the desire to “create Let’s Have Fun!” With your own unique skills as your strength, would you like to create “Let’s Have Fun!” that can only be done at SUNNY SIDE UP—together with us?