A 20-Year PR Veteran Explains Why She Found Her Future Career Path at SUNNY SIDE UP [Part 1]

This April, SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP welcomed 32 new graduate hires—the largest intake in company history. The on-the-job training for these fresh members is often led by mid-career hires with diverse backgrounds.

At SUNNY SIDE UP, which handles PR and communication for a wide range of products and services, professionals from event companies, advertising agencies, the printing industry, the television industry, and many other fields come together, leveraging their respective experiences in PR and communication while excelling in their daily work.

Of particular interest are the members who have built their careers within the PR industry itself. What motivated them to choose SUNNY SIDE UP as their “next stage”?

In this interview, we speak with a member who transitioned from another PR company to SUNNY SIDE UP and now serves as a department director. We explore the appeal of SUNNY SIDE UP as seen by someone from the same industry, as well as her passion for PR work, in a two-part series.

Drawn to the Power of PR to Reach Many People: “I believed the PR approach was essential for communicating and solving social issues.”

As a child, I was the type who handled things fairly well. I grew up in a nature-rich rural town in Hokkaido. In winter, we went to school in ski wear, and after class, we’d dive into onion fields or play in the snow—our days unfolded with the changing seasons. Perhaps because I was raised surrounded by nature, I had a strong interest in global environmental issues from elementary school. I remember eagerly reading columns about the environment printed on the back of test papers.

Public Relations Division / Bureau 4 / Department 2, Director Yuki Sugimoto. Joined through mid-career recruitment and is now in her ninth year. On weekends, she enjoys relaxing with sparkling wine. Her free-spirited perspective may have been cultivated in Hokkaido’s vast natural landscape.

When considering my future path in high school, I aspired to become a UN official and enrolled in the International Relations department at a university in the Tokyo metropolitan area. However, shortly after entering, I faced my first setback: “Becoming a UN official might be a narrow path.”

After graduating from university, I went to the United States and worked as an intern at a local NPO for one year.

Upon returning to Japan, I decided to gain professional experience first in order to eventually fulfill my dream of working at an NPO. I joined an event company that handled international conferences and exhibitions as a second-year graduate hire. Although I wasn’t assigned to an international division, my days of producing corporate events began.

My interest in PR was sparked when a colleague at the time moved to a PR company. Until then, I hadn’t deeply recognized the existence of “PR companies,” but as I gained experience in event production, I noticed that behind audience engagement and information dissemination lay marketing and PR strategies. I began to feel that “PR seems interesting.”

The theme of “solving social issues” had been in my heart since childhood. I became convinced that the power of PR held great potential as a means of communication toward that goal—and this conviction has led to my current career.

Transitioning to a PR Company and Realizing the Importance of Planning Skills: “Meeting and talking to as many people as possible is the best approach.”

After joining a PR company, I was initially assigned to the event division, leveraging my previous experience, and later transferred to the PR division. This marked the beginning of the career path that continues to this day.

At that time, web media were not as prevalent as they are now, and television, newspapers, and magazines were the primary channels. I visited media companies to build relationships, secured coverage for projects I was handling, and heard behind-the-scenes stories unique to the industry. Every day was stimulating, filled with the “PR work” I had envisioned.

As I gained experience, opportunities to propose ideas directly to clients increased. Seeing my proposals adopted and take shape brought deep fulfillment. The clients at the time were all top-tier companies with high brand recognition and market share. The environment demanded strategies to further increase fans and generate buzz for already well-known brands. What was required was “planning ability”—how to deliver new perspectives and experiences through events and collaboration initiatives. In the final years of my 10-year tenure, I devoted myself wholeheartedly to strengthening that planning ability.

What I realized during that time was that “good ideas are born from encounters with people.” While I valued reading books, I made a conscious effort to meet as many people as possible, both inside and outside the company. I participated in networking events and tried everything I could, engaging in conversations with the people I met. That was the best method for me.

The Interview Changed Everything: “If I’m going to do the same work, I’d rather do it at a fun company!”

When I reached the milestone of 10 years at my previous company, I suddenly thought to myself, “If I work here for another year, how much will I have grown by next year?”

The future I envisioned lacked significant change or challenge, which made me feel it was time to move to a new stage. I began my job search.

That’s when an agent introduced me to SUNNY SIDE UP.

I recognized it as a PR company of similar scale to my previous employer, but at the time, my impression of SUNNY SIDE UP was vague: “Isn’t that the company Hidetoshi Nakata is affiliated with?” I thought it was primarily focused on athlete management. To be honest, I had doubts: “Another PR company… Will this really be a step up?”

However, my impression changed completely after the interview. The interview with two executives was truly engaging, with a consistently open atmosphere. Although it lasted only about an hour, I vividly remember thinking, “This company seems fun.” If I’m going to do the same work, I’d rather do it at a fun company. For me, the slogan “Let’s Have Fun!” and the atmosphere that embodied it felt intuitively right.

PR work often requires seriousness, as it involves strict information management and the constant possibility of sudden crises. In that regard, SUNNY SIDE UP struck me as a company with a clear balance between “seriousness” and “fun.” While approaching clients with professionalism as PR practitioners, the internal atmosphere is bright and natural. Few people wear suits, and many are casual and friendly—perhaps a bit unique within the industry. For someone like me who grew up freely in the great outdoors, that open culture feels comfortable.

Expanding My Range as a Person Through Work at SUNNY SIDE UP

The first thing I noticed after joining SUNNY SIDE UP was that even within the same PR industry, organizational structures and work styles differ. It took some time to adjust, but I gained many insights and lessons.

For example, at my previous company, one person often handled everything from client communication to media promotion. At SUNNY SIDE UP, however, multiple members are involved in a single project, each leveraging their expertise in a team-based approach. When viewed by project, the departments responsible for client communication and those handling media relations are clearly separated, yet each member is involved in multiple projects.

As a result, internal meetings naturally increase, and internal communication becomes more active. With more projects to handle, the scope of work expands, and I genuinely feel that the areas I can cover have grown.

There are also many cross-departmental projects, and interacting with various members provides opportunities to gain ideas and information I wouldn’t have had on my own. Simply getting to know more people is enjoyable, and I feel that “my range as a person has expanded.”

Additionally, SUNNY SIDE UP is a company that actively takes on challenges beyond PR and communication.

At one point, a client asked, “Could SUNNY SIDE UP also handle the design of our new store?” Although this was outside the usual scope of PR work, my supervisor immediately responded, “Mr./Ms. XX has experience in interior design, so let’s have them join that project!” As a result, we ended up handling store design as well. The attitude of not dismissing such requests as “impossible” but instead responding flexibly with “Let’s give it a try” is truly characteristic of SUNNY SIDE UP. I feel that a spirit of challenge and flexibility is deeply rooted in the organization.

Just recently, Koichi Kitagawa, who has led numerous brand development and advertising projects, joined as Senior Strategic Advisor. SUNNY SIDE UP continues to pursue new challenges even now.

Because it’s that kind of company, opportunities for challenge naturally arise for each member. I’m now in my ninth year since joining, and I haven’t experienced the “stagnation” that once prompted me to consider changing jobs. On the contrary, every year I feel my own growth, thinking, “I was able to do this much more this year,” while working at a fast pace. I’m also happy that the event production and PR experience I cultivated at my previous company is clearly being put to good use at SUNNY SIDE UP.

Sugimoto has continued to move forward, guided by her curiosity and ambition since childhood, until she encountered SUNNY SIDE UP.

In Part 2, she shares her thoughts on PR, the work environment, and managing her team as a PR professional and department director at SUNNY SIDE UP.

Please look forward to the next installment!