Yes. Starting now, we'll be kicking off the "Used It to the Max!" series over several installments. Stepping away from the slightly tedious aspects like strategic PR, we'll be sharing some hacks: what if we tweaked everyday PR methods just a bit more to see if we could get better results? We're calling it, "Hey You, Are You Using PR to the Max?" For the first installment, we're tackling the familiar press conference. How about adding this hack?
Like MTV, I want to see behind the scenes!
MTV had this popular segment called "Backstage Pass." Yeah, I was a huge fan of that. Fans would get to visit their favorite artists' dressing rooms and hear all sorts of stories, either right before or right after a concert. Sure, the main event is the performance on stage, but you can't help but wonder what the artists are thinking and doing before and after, right?
For those of you curious, I recommend utilizing "backstage videos."
Talents often appear at events like commercial announcements, leveraging that exposure to gain coverage on TV, in sports papers, or even web news. Entertainment teams at each media outlet want to get information that's at least a little different from other programs or publications. So, we sometimes prepare little extras for programs that cooperate with us on that front.
For example, if a talent has a little time before or after the main event, we might arrange an individual interview for a specific program and provide the footage. You often see those individual messages like, "Hey, Mr./Ms. [Name] in the studio! It's singer [Name] here! Hope you're having a great day!" That's what we're talking about. To ensure our intentions are clearly conveyed, it's only natural that we give preferential treatment to media outlets willing to conduct longer interviews. Of course, when such opportunities aren't available, we strive to provide equal access to interview opportunities for everyone.
Kumamon "Tarzan" Sales & "Kumamon 4U Method" Release Commemorative Event Making-of Video
While such tailored media coverage is essential, considering how topics spread on social media these days, I thought it might be good to offer more direct information to consumers alongside press events. That's where "backstage videos" come in. This initiative isn't about cutting information from a media perspective, but rather organizing and sharing content from a consumer viewpoint while still properly incorporating what we want to communicate. As mentioned earlier, we separately record the talent's words and actions outside the main stage and publish them on the client's website or video platforms.
Of course, permission from talent agencies is required, but since we create content precisely tailored to our objectives, it avoids conflicts. In fact, agencies often appreciate it, seeing it as a way to boost the talent's likability by showing their authentic side. Surprisingly, such natural footage, not official videos, can generate strong online resonance. If we're already using official recording cameras, it makes sense to also consider capturing and utilizing footage from this perspective. This approach works not just for video but for photos too.
Blogger Engagement is Evolving
Inviting bloggers to press conferences and having them write their impressions on their blogs has become commonplace. However, with many professional bloggers now having massive reach, it seems more of them are taking on work that essentially amounts to writing PR articles. Of course, this likely involves honestly sharing experiences or reviews under the label "PR article," but when it ends up being used in the same way as regular media, it feels a bit off, doesn't it? I believe the value of blogger articles lies in their honesty and directness, encompassing both positive and negative perspectives. That's why I came up with a different approach: the "Blogger Experience Presentation Event."
Okay, okay, you there. "That's been done for ages!" I hear you say. Fair point. But this is a little different. The intent behind the use, you see.
Yes, initiatives like "Let's invite bloggers to press conferences too!" were tried about 7-8 years ago. Back then, mass media folks were furious, like "Don't you dare let amateur wannabe reporters sit in on official media briefings!" But then they solved it operationally, like "How about a two-part system?" Sure, inviting bloggers to a stiff economic briefing would be a mistake. Throwing ordinary people into that cutthroat world where everyone's hunting for scoops? Yeah, even I'd be scared—no way they could handle that.
But paradoxically, I think events focused on everyday consumers—combined with experiential activities—actually benefit from the public's perspective. Simply invite bloggers genuinely interested in those services or products to try them early. Then, feed the authentic feedback that naturally emerges back into mainstream media's news coverage. After all, TV news always incorporates public voices, right? Exactly! Like Shinbashi's SL Square, right? That's gathering public sentiment to back up the news. The idea is to provide that same thing directly at the press conference.
Because they're bloggers, their knowledge in that specific field is way deeper than the average person's. So comments like, "This feature on this product? People thought it was impossible until now... Wow, they actually made it! That's amazing!" They become the perfect voice to articulate exactly what we wanted to say. How about this scheme: "Utilizing Bloggers as News Content"? We invite bloggers to press conferences as representatives of everyday consumers, get their authentic comments, and then have those comments become news content for mass media.
Essentially, it's about how to provide content in a multi-layered way.
Back in the day, they talked about "one content, multiple uses" – squeezing every last drop out of a single piece of content across various media! In terms of "squeezing every last drop," that goal aligns with this series, but we're not really in that era anymore, are we? I think consumers with diverse interests and perspectives can no longer be neatly pigeonholed into a single, organized attribute. We must constantly envision virtual target groups defined by their interests and perspectives, not by profile-based attributes. Or rather, it's more about imagining and creating these groups – recognizing they likely exist. This era demands creating content from diverse angles aimed at them. Of course, there's no theory for success here. It's pure challenge. That experience will make imagining and envisioning these virtual target groups easier.
And that's where the approach mentioned earlier comes into play for creating content for these challenges. Namely, how to efficiently produce multi-content. Sure, more is better, right? But pouring budget into it like water is a no-go. However, if a little ingenuity can expand one piece of content into two or three, it's worth trying. And maybe, just maybe, that content could achieve unexpected results through new information channels. Discovering, "Ah! This kind of information gets valued through this channel! And it spreads too!" could be fascinating.
PR is at a major turning point right now. How about we keep trying new things together? Stay tuned for the next installment.
Shinmeikai "Strategic PR" [27]
