Turning Manufacturing into a Movement with PR Thinking: The Essence of Value-Proposing Manufacturing by SUNNY SIDE UP

The SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP continues to take on challenges in various fields centered on PR and communication. Among these, “PR-driven manufacturing,” such as IP businesses including Happy Kuji, is one of our areas of expertise.

Division 7, which handles manufacturing at SUNNY SIDE UP, is a professional group that continues to respond to the diverse needs of national clients with high quality and overwhelming ideas. With sales promotion know-how cultivated over many years, they are dedicated to solving corporate issues through manufacturing.

We spoke with Yuma Yano, Director of Division 7, and Yuka Yamazaki, Leader, about the true thrill of their work.

Member Introduction

Director, Department 1, Division 7, Public Relations Business Headquarters: Yuma Yano
He joined Wise Integration Co., Ltd., the predecessor of the current Division 7, and has been with the company for about 20 years. His hobbies include muscle training at the gym and bread making. He enjoys staying active, often returning home from outings on a rental bicycle or intentionally walking to stations several stops away.

Leader, Group 1, Department 1, Division 7, Public Relations Business Headquarters: Yuka Yamazaki
She joined the company as a mid-career hire in 2022 after gaining experience in goods production. On weekends, she makes an effort to go out in search of delicious drinks and food. In the past, she once walked the entire loop of the Yamanote Line on a whim.

Value-Proposing Manufacturing Born from a PR Perspective

Yano: In Division 7, we handle not only prizes and corporate goods but also official products for well-known national clients, such as global fast-food chains, Japan’s leading popular theme parks, and content holders of world-famous games.

Our job is not just to give shape to a client’s request as it is. It is a given that we respond to a request with a score of 100. We always make sure to prepare an alternative proposal from a different angle, asking, “Wouldn’t it be more interesting if we did it this way?” Whether that is adopted or not is another matter, but our policy is to always think about adding something extra.

Yamazaki: Unlike so-called OEM (contract manufacturing), most of our work involves planning from scratch. Of course, we want the product to eventually sell out, but we also think deeply about the expressions on the faces of the consumers the moment they hold it in their hands.

We maintain a balance between a PR and communication perspective—how the delivered product and its message will spread through the world—and a sales promotion perspective that emphasizes practicality so that it doesn’t just end with creating a buzz. I feel that this is a major difference and a strength of SUNNY SIDE UP compared to general production companies.

Yano: We expect not only that the products we create sell well, but also that they serve as a catalyst for promoting consumer behavior and generating further profits for the client.

A major turning point for me was in my late 20s when I did sales for a major restaurant chain from scratch and planned a project from zero to one. Until then, I felt like I was just fulfilling requests according to the client’s wishes, but by taking the initiative and being directly conscious of the end user’s smile for the first time, my approach to work changed 180 degrees.

Yamazaki: The aggressive stance that Yano has built has thoroughly permeated the current members. We propose social needs that even the client hasn’t noticed yet, and we think of it as our own business: how to create a buzz in the world and how to make the people who pick it up happy. I think the fun of this job is being able to give shape to proposals that exceed client expectations alongside members who have such passion.

Yano: Currently, we are developing licensing businesses that span the globe, including Europe and various Asian countries, not just within Japan. We also have production management duties for overseas factories, and our language-proficient members are very active.

Furthermore, brand collaborations that combine existing IP with popular brands are another area of expertise for Division 7. Because the SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP has strong partnerships with various brands and companies, we are able to realize the creation of new value.

Execution Power and Sincerity to Complete Large-Scale Projects

Yano: Working with national clients involves strict rules. While license management and contract compliance are fundamental, quality is paramount. The required safety standards are high, and because we understand that even the smallest defect can damage a brand, we make no compromises on quality. I believe this consistent stance toward projects has led to long-term relationships of trust.

The company’s stance of taking on challenges in a wide range of fields, the presence of specialists in each field within the company, and the flexibility resulting from being close to management in a good way are also things that set us apart from competitors.

Yamazaki: Because the organizations are large, it is not uncommon for the client’s representatives to change due to transfers or other reasons. As a result, we are often more familiar with the client’s past cases and rules than they are.

I believe the attitude of knowing the client better than the client themselves is the key to building deep relationships of trust. Because there is mutual respect, we can overcome strict quality control together. I take pride in the fact that we have built such partnerships.

Yano: For example, I am happiest when a client consults me during a casual conversation, saying something like, “Sales look like they might be tough during a certain period; do you have any good solutions?” I feel that they have expectations based on our past achievements, thinking, “Maybe SUNNY SIDE UP can do something about it.”

We draw out the client’s still-vague issues and present solutions in the form of products. We want to be a reliable and good consultant rather than just a replaceable contractor.

Open-Minded “Meddling” That Accelerates Organizational Growth

Yamazaki: When I changed jobs to SUNNY SIDE UP in my late 30s, I emphasized not only the job content but also the character of the members and the quality of the relationships. Because it’s a place I go to every day, I wanted to feel that we were all working together.

The members of Division 7 are simply honest. It’s a relationship where we can say things to each other without swallowing them, not just positive things but sometimes negative emotions as well. I feel that an open environment where we can share anything without bottling it up leads to good output.

Yano: As of April 2026, Department 1 of Division 7 is divided into three groups. Even if it’s a group other than one’s own, if it looks like they are having a hard time, people naturally lend a hand. One might call it meddling, but there is a depth of compassion where people help each other across organizational boundaries.

The sense of the entire department committing to a large-scale project is the DNA of Division 7. I believe that a mindset of enjoying everything, not just work but also personal life, and a high sensitivity to things are the sources of our flexible planning abilities.

Yamazaki: That said, we can’t compete with the younger members when it comes to the ability to catch trends on social media.

Yano: We aren’t exactly the so-called digital native generation, are we? (Laughs) In the past, we used to “hit the pavement,” but in the end, the people running at the forefront of PR and communication were the internal members who have relations with many clients and media. The treasure trove of information was inside the company.

Just by looking at our own success stories and the current events that management shares daily, our sensitivity naturally increases. The environment of the SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP itself has become our strongest antenna.

▼ Click here for an introduction to a day in the life of a Division 7 member
Close-up on the reality of a Product Marketer | A day in the life of a member

To Future Colleagues: Let’s Enjoy the Roller Coaster of Daily Life

Yamazaki: It’s a stimulating environment where something happens every day, rather than a repetition of the same thing.

People who love things and love working in a team. I definitely want to experience the excitement of seeing something you were involved in spread across the world together!

Yano: I think our work is perfect for people who find change more interesting than routine work. Whether you are a new graduate or a mid-career professional, we welcome anyone who can view situations that change like a roller coaster every day as an opportunity for growth. Especially those with experience in manufacturing will be able to work on interesting big projects by utilizing that career.

Let’s send unprecedented products out into the world together!