New Graduate Roundtable | Why I Joined SUNNY SIDE UP Vol. 1

Recruitment for the Class of ’22 opened in March!

Therefore, we are launching a series on the HR Blog titled “Get to Know SUNNY SIDE UP and Your Seniors!” to share various insights with students.

For the first installment, we held a roundtable discussion with members who joined as new graduates to talk about “Why they joined SUNNY SIDE UP” and “Impressions before joining vs. reality after joining (work content and style).” We hope this helps those of you aiming for a career at the PR agency SUNNY SIDE UP with your job hunting.

Let’s dive right in!

[Member Introduction]

Left: Yumi Ya, 1st year   Center: Makoto Ishiguro, 3rd year   Right: Kazuto Toshinari, 2nd year *Years of service are as of February 2021.

Q. Why did you aim for a PR agency, and why did you join SUNNY SIDE UP?

Ya)
As a student, I had opportunities to promote my hometown, Amami Oshima, through a PR strategy seminar and communication with friends. Those experiences sparked my interest in the PR industry and led me to pursue it during my job search.

Toshinari)
My immediate environment influenced me; my father was involved in commercial production, so I was naturally interested in the PR industry from the start.

Ishiguro)
Everyone is so well-prepared (laughs)! Unlike the others, I didn’t have a structured job-hunting plan; I spent all four years of university focused on soccer and futsal. It all started when someone told me, “There’s a company that seems perfect for a sports and soccer lover like you.”

Ya)
Gratefully, I received offers from several PR agencies. During the final interview at SUNNY SIDE UP, I asked President Tsugihara, “What do you expect from me in my first year?” I was deeply moved by her response—”I want you to have fun”—and that’s when I decided to join SUNNY SIDE UP.

Toshinari)
That sounds just like the President.

I wanted to do something fun for work, leveraging my experience planning events for my university club. During my job search, I discovered SUNNY SIDE UP and its slogan “Let’s Have Fun!” I felt the company’s philosophy resonated with my own, so I applied.

Ishiguro)
So the SUNNY SIDE UP philosophy was actually Toshinari-kun’s philosophy all along (laughs)!

Toshinari) Exactly (laughs).

Q. Were the colleagues and the work content what you imagined?

Toshinari)
I thought it was amazing that they even had a slogan like “Let’s Have Fun!”, but the actual members really do embody that attitude. That impression hasn’t changed. Since I didn’t fully understand every detail of the operations beforehand, there wasn’t much of a gap regarding the work content.

What I’ve realized since starting is that the work mostly consists of an accumulation of small tasks (research, media communication, document preparation, etc.), and those are extremely important.

Ya)
I didn’t experience a major gap either. Before joining, I expected a friendly company with active conversation, but there were even more people who love communicating than I imagined. In terms of how many people are deeply interested in others and what is happening in the world, it far exceeded my expectations.

Regarding the work, similar to what Toshinari-san said, advertising and PR are often seen as glamorous, but there is a lot of behind-the-scenes hard work. I feel it’s a great growth environment where I’m being trained in many ways. In terms of business content, I feel that projects related to social actions and social issues with high social contribution remain as frequent as I expected.

Ishiguro)
Regarding the people, I think this is a company with many “meddlesome” people in a good way (laughs). I can’t speak for other companies, but seniors here proactively listen to your concerns or strike up casual conversations. I feel it’s a company where you can enjoy yourself while working.

As for the work, being able to work with Japan’s leading soccer players in my first year is a strength unique to this company. Also, the fact that they let me take on work I say I “want to do,” even in my first year, makes for a wonderful working environment.

Ya)
As Ishiguro-san said, there are many seniors who look out for you and watch over you. Even for small media placements, they praise you a lot.

When I finally got an article published in a newspaper after approaching the media, Ishiguro-san sent a company-wide email boasting about the placement, saying, “Ya-chan secured a major placement!”

Ishiguro/Toshinari)
It wasn’t luck; it was skill. You’re very talented.

Ya)
No, not at all (shy laugh). At the time, I couldn’t even judge how big the placement was, but many seniors gave me detailed feedback on “how great it was” and “what exactly was impressive about it.”

The “culture of praise” unique to SUNNY SIDE UP leads to a sense of fulfillment and motivation. It makes me want to work hard again so I can be praised next time!

Ishiguro)
It’s truly rewarding to see results take the form of “exposure” because it feels tangible. Seeing people influenced by or reacting to the information we put out is a huge source of motivation.

Toshinari)
It’s motivating when people’s hearts are moved by a story you envisioned, or when the media picks it up as news!

Q. How has your work style changed with the office renovation and COVID-19?

Toshinari)
With remote work, the commute time between home and the office disappeared, making my schedule more flexible. I feel I can now work without being stuck in a rigid mold. On the other hand, I have to be more conscious about communicating.

Ishiguro)
As Toshinari-kun said, it’s very easy to work, but I’ve also realized the importance of coming into the office and talking face-to-face. Sometimes extra ideas come out of casual chats, so personally, I think small talk is very important.

When I feel I’m spending too much time working alone, I set up online meetings just to communicate with my seniors.

Ya)
Since I’ve been remote since my entrance ceremony, I belong to the generation that doesn’t know the pre-COVID situation. What I felt when I started coming to the office gradually from the summer was that I could easily get advice when passing people in the office or chatting in the Central Kitchen. In remote work, there are fewer opportunities for simple questions or consultations, so I realized it’s important to take the initiative to propose meetings and secure time.

On the other hand, in communication with external parties, conversations often flowed easily using COVID-19 as a common topic. It was also beneficial to be able to flexibly switch between online and offline depending on the project and my own schedule. Of course, the client’s preference is the priority, but I think it’s good to try various work styles to find what works best for you!

Toshinari/Ishiguro)
Exactly!!

What did you think? We hope the insights from your seniors were helpful.

If you are a student interested in SUNNY SIDE UP, please apply! We look forward to receiving your applications!

About the Author

SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP HR Department
Masako Oshita

Since joining as a mid-career hire in 2020, she has been like an older sister to many new graduate and mid-career members in the HR Department. Her recent obsession is foot reflexology.