Is Radio the Most Cutting-Edge Media of the Reiwa Era?! A SUNNY SIDE UP Radio Enthusiast Discusses the Relationship Between Radio and PR

Hello!

I am Tsunakawa from the Public Relations Business Division 2 at SUNNY SIDE UP.

To put it bluntly, I absolutely love the radio!!

I listen to a wide variety of programs across both AM and FM, including TBS Radio’s “Bakusho Mondai Cowboy” and “Bananaman’s Banana Moon GOLD,” Nippon Broadcasting’s “Audrey’s All Night Nippon,” Bunka Hoso’s “Atsushi Tamura’s NewsCLUB,” and TOKYO FM’s “Keisuke Kuwata’s Yasashii Yoasobi.”

By openly professing my love for radio within the company, I have been given opportunities to work with the medium here at SUNNY SIDE UP.

In this article, I would like to introduce how I utilize my passion for radio—something I truly love—within a PR agency like SUNNY SIDE UP.

■ What is SUNNY SIDE UP in the first place?

If you are visiting this page because you love radio, you might not be familiar with what kind of company we are.

To explain it in one sentence, SUNNY SIDE UP is a company that “creates a stir.” More specifically, as a PR and communications agency, our job is to create information that is likely to become a hot topic and spread it throughout the world.

I handle a wide range of projects at SUNNY SIDE UP, and since the company maintains close relationships with the media and the entertainment industry, I have many opportunities to work with radio stations.

Click here for more details about our company’s work.
https://www.ssu.co.jp/service/

■ To be honest, I didn’t want to work in radio?!

I have been listening to the radio since I was in middle school, and it was a hobby I was deeply proud of. Naturally, when I was job hunting, I considered working for a radio station.

However, I was afraid that making radio my sole profession might cause me to lose my love for it. Therefore, I decided not to apply to radio stations and instead chose SUNNY SIDE UP, utilizing the sports marketing major I studied at university.

After joining SUNNY SIDE UP, I encountered the typical challenges of a PR professional: “How to link a client’s products to media publicity in order to create a buzz.”

The solution I arrived at through trial and error was “radio.”

Having listened to radio for many years, I understood what programs were looking for. Confident that I could secure media exposure, I presented a proposal filled with a fan’s perspective. As a result, I was able to secure a special feature lasting approximately one hour on a segment of a program I love.

I am grateful that this feature was recognized at our internal annual awards for excellent media exposure! (The influence of the general manager who supported the project at the time was also very significant.)

I believe that at SUNNY SIDE UP, you can definitely turn the things you love—like radio is for me—into your own unique professional weapon.
To all the students currently working hard on their job search, please pursue the things you love to the fullest!

■ The rising popularity of radio and its utility in PR

Radio is a field we cover at SUNNY SIDE UP, and recently, with the increase in time spent at home, it has been featured more frequently in magazines and web media. Personally, I believe this is not only due to the “stay-at-home” trend but also because an environment has been established where a wide range of generations, including young people, can enjoy it, as seen below:

・The digitalization of radio has made it easy to listen anytime, anywhere.
・Listeners are spreading content on Twitter using program hashtags.
・Radio programs are becoming events to increase engagement with listeners.
・Securing listenership by casting trending talent for late-night programs.

Demand for radio is increasing, and we frequently receive requests from clients who want to link their products to radio introductions. Since we can implement measures such as tie-ups on social media and radio as part of our promotional scope, there is a great deal that a PR agency can do regarding radio!

■ Radio-related work at SUNNY SIDE UP

I have discussed myself, SUNNY SIDE UP, and radio, but currently, I am involved in a wide range of tasks, including media relations and planning promotional measures to create a stir.

There are many opportunities to get involved with radio at SUNNY SIDE UP, so I would like to introduce a few specific examples.

1. Media Relations

Providing information to the media to make a client’s product a topic of conversation is one of the fundamental methods of PR.
When considering the target audience we want to reach, if we feel they are a good match for a radio program’s listeners, we devise and propose the perfect radio program or project for each case and product.

Even when I am listening to my favorite programs in my private time, ideas like “The product I’m currently handling would be perfect for this!” come to mind, allowing me to make the most of my love for radio!

The moment I truly felt glad to be doing this job was when I proposed a project to my favorite radio program through much trial and error to promote a client’s product, and I was able to meet a personality I had admired for years. Having listened to the program for a long time, I knew what kind of projects would be picked up, and turning that knowledge into a proposal is now a wonderful memory!

2. Promotional Operations

By becoming a sponsor on the radio, we can request the introduction of products or services in a tie-up format.
Depending on what the client is looking for, it can be very effective to have them become a sponsor and develop promotions through tie-ups.

The more you actually listen to the radio, the better you can understand the image of a tie-up and the effectiveness of a promotion. I work hard on this, viewing it as a chance to show my skills as a radio enthusiast.

3. Program Planning and Production (Nippon Broadcasting “SDGs MAGAZINE”)

Remarkably, SUNNY SIDE UP also handles the planning and production of a radio program called “SDGs MAGAZINE” on Nippon Broadcasting. This program has grown significantly, even holding its own events, and as a PR agency, we broadcast daily to spread awareness of SDGs to the world.

In addition, I am able to enjoy my work by leveraging my personal interests beyond just a hobby—such as developing promotions with radio stations as clients and answering questions about radio for my colleagues!

■ In Conclusion

Thank you very much for reading this far!

I have introduced radio-related work at SUNNY SIDE UP, and I hope this serves as a helpful reference for students who love radio.

I believe the great thing about SUNNY SIDE UP is that it is a company where you can realize what you want to do.

If I have the opportunity in the future, I would like to share more about radio on this blog from different perspectives, so please look forward to it!