[Final Installment] Is "Why" at the Center? Considering the 5W1H of PR

A glorious comeback! But just this one time. Yes, my series " New Clear Explanation of 'Strategic PR'" was supposed to end after the recent 50th installment. Since I hadn't announced its conclusion, I received some criticism like, "That's way too abrupt!"... So, I'm writing this comeback installment, labeled as the "Final Episode."

That said, it's still my usual tone. Lighthearted, you know. Honestly, lately there are people using nothing but difficult words, and it just doesn't sink in. Even if they say something good, it's no good if you can't use it in your daily life, right? So, I'll share what I've been feeling lately: "The PR perspective – this is what's important right now!" from a field perspective. Titled: "Looking at the 5W1H from a PR Perspective...". Alright, let's get started!

More than anything else, I'm at that age where "Why" really matters

 

"What to Say" and "How to Say" are often debated topics. Don't get caught up in the methods—don't forget the basics of what you absolutely must convey! That sort of thing. Well, it also serves as a way to get everyone on the same page, right? Yeah, yeah, I get it. But you know what? Everyone's already doing that. They're doing it properly, right? More than that, what's really been bugging me lately isn't "What" or "How"—it's "Why."

Because, even if you hit the bullseye of what you want to say and put all that effort into conveying it creatively, don't you often find that the person receiving that information suddenly asks, "Why are you telling me this?" or "What the hell are you even trying to accomplish here?" and you end up feeling like you're on the defensive? I definitely feel that way myself a lot.

In other words, isn't the "Why?"—the underlying reason behind various actions—becoming what everyone cares about most right now? It's like, people want to understand that part thoroughly before engaging. We humans want to understand and be convinced.

Speaking of which, I recently went to the Cannes Lions advertising awards, and thanks to everyone's efforts, a project I was involved in won the Grand Prix. (Just bragging here. Totally off-topic), but many of the entries winning in each category clearly explained their "reason" within their case videos—the videos explaining their work. And that sense of conviction, I feel, is something that really sticks with the viewer. So, I think this perspective is a worldwide trend, not just in Japan but including Europe and America.

So, what's the reason behind "insisting on the reason"? I believe it relates to the judging criteria often mentioned these days: "relevance" and "authenticity." What do these mean? Essentially, relevance asks the entity—be it a company or organization—about the "why" behind their actions. Authenticity questions whether they were genuinely and earnestly executed for their intended purpose.

People are scrutinizing whether you're just doing seemingly good deeds to deceive them. It's about the legitimacy of your actions. Whether that comes across is crucial. On the other hand, if you're doing what you should be doing, you'll naturally be properly evaluated. Is there a natural story behind it? Does it feel unnatural? Especially in PR, this aspect gets particularly close scrutiny.

 

Also pay attention to "Who/Whom," "When," and "Where"

 

Lately, I've been particularly fixated on "Why," but we mustn't forget the others. Managing "Who, Whom, When, Where" in PR is quite challenging. With advertising, you have more control. Essentially, in advertising, you spend money to buy the optimal media for your target audience, which should clear these conditions quite effectively. You can specify the timing and the area.

But PR is totally different, right? Unless you have some kind of supernatural powers, you're not going to get an article published in your desired media outlet on your target date (and I should know, I have those powers!). That's the tricky part. So sometimes I think, "Maybe I should just go with advertising, where I can guarantee all those things..." But here's the thing: even with ads chosen through all this effort and meticulous planning, as mentioned earlier, the consumers—the recipients of the information—often remain unresponsive to our outreach.

Honestly, they don't need extra information. Because their close friends or respected influencers already share content perfectly tailored to their tastes. When some random stranger they don't even know or picture in their head tries to talk to them, they just think "Ugh, annoying!" That's when I finally remember I need to step back into the recipient's shoes and communicate properly. I need to steel myself and really push through with PR here.

So, what do we do? That's where PR messaging comes in. We flip the conditions of "Who/Whom," "When," and "Where" to think from the consumer's perspective. Like this, for example.

"Who would this person listen to seriously?"
"Who would spark everyone's interest if they started talking about this topic?"
"When would people be most interested in hearing this kind of story?"
"Where would this story really get people excited?"

We need to start planning our information dissemination and provision strategies based on the other party's circumstances like that.

But you know, this effort actually pays off surprisingly well. And since it's just a matter of putting your mind to it, it'd be a waste not to give it a proper push. Lately, even creative folks always bring it up in meetings—things like "aligning with the season" or "we need to capture the momentum."

Then there's stuff like, "Instead of a typical hotel venue presentation, we want it to feel more like a festival, right?" or "Even if it's deep in the mountains with only a few attendees, if it spreads on social media, the content is so good it could reach a huge audience!" Honestly, it's such a relief when they get straight to the point.

By the way, let's take one last look at a Cannes Lions award-winning example. "Fearless Girl," which won Grand Prix in four categories including PR this year,

・An investment firm with a fund that invests in companies with female executives
• To empower women's advancement into leadership roles
• On International Women's Day
• placed a bronze statue of a fearless girl
・opposed the Charging Bull statue, another Wall Street symbol
・A statue of a girl, seemingly petite and delicate, yet with eyes conveying a firm and strong will,

suddenly appeared, right? (details omitted). And everyone applauded enthusiastically. See? It's got everything. Relevance, credibility, timing, location, the storyteller—it all makes perfect sense. It's fine if you don't include every single element. But sometimes it just comes together beautifully like this—(so moving!).

See, see? Everyone! If you reexamine the project you're working on right now with that perspective, don't you think you could find quite a few ways to improve it? Start small, with things close at hand. PR is about grasping the essence and gaining experience in how to leverage it. Let's all have fun doing it!

※Well, this final installment, where I've just poured out my thoughts, ended up sounding even more careless than usual. But that's because there's love at its core. Please forgive me.