Your company is surely world-class in something! What is corporate utilization of Guinness World Records?

From left: Takuro Maruyama of Guinness World Records Japan, Kaori Ishikawa, Representative of the company, and Shuichi Uchiyama of Dentsu Inc.

<Table of Contents>
▼ Guinness World Record certification becomes a powerful "fact" in PR

▼ Dentsu Inc. accompanies clients from designing the"story behind why they are attempting the record"

▼ "Performance-based" Guinness World Records: Gathering evidence within a limited schedule

▼ Thorough preparation is the key to success! "Challenge-based" Guinness World Records

▼ Interview with the Representative of Guinness World Records Japan!
What exactly is Guinness World Records?

Guinness World Records certification provides powerful "facts" for PR

Shuichi Uchiyama, Dentsu Inc.

──While Guinness World Records is widely known as highly entertaining content, what exactly does "corporate utilization of Guinness World Records" entail?

Uchiyama: I believe there are three main ways to utilize it. The first is for promoting products or brands. You can use the easily understandable expressions "world's best" or "Guinness World Records certified" as objective, verifiable facts.

The second is for anniversary initiatives. Increasingly, companies are challenging Guinness World Records as a way to demonstrate their accumulated history and achievements, or to convey a message.

The third is using it as a communication hook when expanding into overseas markets. This is possible precisely because Guinness World Records is such a globally recognized content brand.

Maruyama: Guinness World Records celebrates its 70th anniversary this year and has become a brand with approximately 90% global recognition. While people often encounter it through books and television, we've also been focusing heavily on social media in recent years. Our reach exceeds 8 billion, making it a truly powerful content platform.

I believe companies recognize the benefits of leveraging Guinness World Records, which is recognized not only domestically but worldwide.

──What effects can companies expect by obtaining a "world's best" title?

Uchiyama: One is the PR effect. Recently, there's a growing trend of stricter enforcement of the Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, making it harder to use "superlative expressions." Within this context, something certified by Guinness World Records can proudly display "world's best."

Guinness World Records licenses are meticulously segmented by media type—TV, online, newspapers, product packaging, etc. Depending on planning and budget, they can be utilized across all media channels.

Second is the impact on purchasing. For example, when a food manufacturer's sales representative approaches distributors, being able to clearly communicate the powerful fact that "this product is recognized by Guinness World Records" is a significant advantage. We believe this strengthens in-store initiatives like POP displays and ultimately drives purchases.

Third is boosting motivation among internal members, such as the client's employees. Larger companies often struggle to see consumer or end-user reactions clearly, or understand how daily work contributes to results. In this context, a Guinness World Records certification provides tangible recognition. This positive impact on internal members is a unique strength of Guinness World Records ( ).

Dentsu Inc. accompanies clients from designing the 'Why pursue this record?' story

Takuro Maruyama, Guinness World Records Japan

──What challenges do companies seeking to utilize Guinness World Records typically bring to you?

Uchiyama: Many clients express frustration, saying, "We want to promote our product or brand, but we can't find a compelling fact." When we receive such a consultation, we first listen to the strengths of that product or brand.

Based on that, we propose several optimal titles from the approximately 70,000 existing Guinness World Records. If no matching title exists, we approach Guinness World Records Ltd. to explore the possibility of creating a new record. We then strategize how to leverage that title for communication campaigns and develop a plan.

Recently, we've also seen an increase in inquiries about using Guinness World Records for anniversary projects. While these projects are opportunities to communicate messages, concepts, and future visions externally, they often risk becoming overly corporate-focused. However, by adding the challenge of attempting a Guinness World Record, you plant a common flag. This helps align all stakeholders—from employees to customers—toward a shared direction.

Many companies involve customers in Guinness World Record attempts. Calling out, "Let's challenge the Guinness World Record together!" adds an element of entertainment, making people more enthusiastic about participating.

Furthermore, by skillfully integrating the company's core message or concept with the Guinness World Record challenge, it can be conveyed naturally to customers.

Maruyama: I've collaborated with Uchiyama-san on planning for several projects, and he always places great importance on the underlying rationale: "Why are we challenging for that world record?" He doesn't start with the record itself; he considers the overall story design. I think this is why clients feel convinced and engage with the project wholeheartedly.

Uchiyama: Our ultimate goal isn't just getting certified as world's best; it's solving corporate challenges using Guinness World Records. That's why, even when pursuing a new title, we prioritize the strengths and characteristics of the product or brand while working backwards toward the headline for the " " PR. We ask: "What message do we want to convey?" and "How do we want the media to cover it?"

Evidence-Based Guinness World Records: Gathering Proof Within Tight Schedules

──Could you share some projects you've been involved in?

Uchiyama: First, I'll introduce two examples of "performance-based" Guinness World Records.

The first is Nichirei Foods' "Honkaku Itame Chahan®" (Authentic Stir-Fried Rice). This project began with the request: "We want a promotion that leads to sustained purchases, not just a momentary spike." During discussions, the idea emerged: "Could we set a Guinness World Record based on fried rice sales revenue?" We ultimately pursued that approach. The result was the title "World's Largest Frozen Fried Rice Brand," recognized for being the best-selling frozen fried rice globally.

Maruyama: To clarify, Guinness World Records doesn't grant titles for anything. The crucial point is whether the record can be standardized globally. For example, a title that only one company can challenge doesn't qualify.

It's limited to things that can be judged as number one globally, under the same rules and through the same survey methods. With our 70 years of accumulated data, we can relatively clearly determine whether a title can be standardized.

Uchiyama: The Nichirei Foods sales team highly valued this record, stating it "facilitates negotiations with distributors." This led to the continuation of the license beyond the first year. It serves as a clear example demonstrating the effectiveness of Guinness World Records in sales promotions, such as driving product sales growth.

Furthermore, to celebrate the Guinness World Record certification, they held PR events for the media, displayed the certificate at their factory, and maximized its use in both external and internal communications.

Uchiyama: The second case is Tablemark's frozen noodles. Tablemark already held a Guinness World Record, but they approached us wanting to expand their reach more broadly during their anniversary campaign.

Frozen noodles is a highly competitive category with intense price wars, making differentiation a challenge for all manufacturers. TableMark, recognized as the "World's Largest Frozen Noodle Brand" for being the top-selling frozen noodle brand globally, leveraged the license in TV commercials and packaging. This also contributed to sales growth. Their continued use of the license suggests they perceive consistent effectiveness.

Maruyama: For Guinness World Records based on existing facts like sales figures, known as "achievement-based" records (e.g., Nichirei Foods and TableMark), we require evidence proving the world's best status. Specifically, we conduct certification reviews based on evidence from international market research firms.

Uchiyama: When I design promotions, I also consider factors like "what evidence is required for certification" and "how long the research will take." This is because clients sometimes have fixed promotion schedules, such as for anniversary projects.

We advance the research to meet the schedule, fulfill the necessary requirements, and secure the Guinness World Records certification. This part is quite technical, I think. It's quite challenging for corporate marketing or advertising departments to handle this alongside their daily work while aiming for Guinness World Records certification. In that regard, our team is confident we can provide support with more reliability and speed than anywhere else!

Maruyama: That might just be the "world's best" support (laughs).

Thorough preparation is the key to success! "Challenge-based" Guinness World Records

──Besides "achievement-based" records, what other types of Guinness World Records exist?

Uchiyama: Let me introduce two examples of what we call "challenge-based" records. The first is a P&G project. It began when two types of JOY dishwashing detergent were launched, and they approached us saying, "We want to challenge for a world record as a promotional strategy."

&nbsp;
Uchiyama: To aim for dual certification for both products, we designed titles aligned with each product's strengths. For "JOY PRO Clean Bulk Wash," known for its long-lasting foam, we targeted "Most dishes washed in 3 minutes." For "JOY PRO Clean Quick Wash," known for its quick-rinsing properties, we aimed for "Most dishes rinsed and towel-dried in 3 minutes."

Designing the latter title was particularly challenging. While Japan rinses dishes with water after washing, some cultures worldwide towel-dry them without rinsing. We worked with Mr. Maruyama, experimenting to find an appropriate title that could qualify for a Guinness World Record.

For these two record challenges, we enlisted Michopa and Taiyo Sugiura, who appear in Joy's advertisements. To maximize success rates during the actual attempt, our Dentsu Inc. team prepared meticulously. We rented a house studio for the challenge and rigorously tested everything—from the placement of dishes and sponges to the water temperature—to get as close as possible to the target figures set by Guinness World Records. It was really tough (laughs).

Thanks to our thorough preparation and the talent's amazing potential, the challenge succeeded. We achieved a double certification. Since each product's strength itself became a Guinness World Record title, the client praised it as highly effective for appealing to both retailers and customers.

&nbsp;
Uchiyama: The second project was a collaboration between Lawson's "Karaage-kun" and Suntory's "Kodawari Sakaba". They wanted to sell a lemon pepper flavor Karaage-kun as a collaboration product and held a PR event featuring Fumio Umezawa.

The event featured Mr. Umezawa attempting to break the Guinness World Record for "the most lemons moved using chopsticks in one minute." While simple, it visually connected Karaage-kun and lemon sour drinks, making it both meaningful and easy to understand.

The Dentsu Inc. team meticulously prepared for this, and thanks to Mr. Umezawa practicing before the event, he successfully achieved the Guinness World Record. Mr. Umezawa was very pleased and featured it on his own social media, among other platforms. We believe this generated PR value beyond just the official announcement event.

Maruyama: Among Guinness World Record categories, there's one for moving objects with chopsticks. Chopsticks are used across Asia, and the term "chopsticks" is globally recognized, making this a great concept for standardization.

Also, for these challenge-type Guinness World Records, up to three attempts are allowed during the official challenge. However, since an official adjudicator is present during the actual attempt, people often get more nervous than usual and things don't go as smoothly. That's why prior practice and preparation are extremely important. I get the impression that Uchiyama-san, in particular, approaches "preparation" with tremendous conviction.

Uchiyama: Of course, I think there are many cases where people challenge for the world record prepared to fail. But for corporate PR promotions like the ones our team handles, planning is based on the assumption of success, so failure is not an option. Personally, I believe the success rate is determined about 95% during the preparation stage. That's why I always prepare thoroughly, do absolutely everything possible, and then face the actual event. The Guinness World Record projects I've worked on have a 100% success rate so far!

Recently, I also helped with the 40th anniversary campaign for "Sapporo Classic." This initiative aimed to celebrate the milestone together with everyone in Hokkaido—consumers, beverage shops, retailers, and internal members—by challenging the world record for the "Longest Online Video Chain of Toasts," connecting people through toasts with Sapporo Classic.

While many projects were previously completed solely by Dentsu Inc., this was a collaborative project with Dentsu Hokkaido Inc. Moving forward, we hope to continue supporting companies nationwide in utilizing Guinness World Records through collaboration within the Dentsu Group.

──Finally, please share a message for our readers.

Uchiyama: I believe every company in Japan, whether large or small, has the potential to achieve some kind of "world's best." Whether it's for product or brand PR, anniversary celebrations, or any other purpose, if your company is interested in challenging a Guinness World Record, please feel free to contact us!

Contact:
Dentsu Inc. Marketing Division 5: 5mk_gwr@group.dentsu.co.jp

Hear from the Representative of Guinness World Records Japan!
What exactly are Guinness World Records?

[Kaori Ishikawa, Representative, Guinness World Records Japan]

The origins of Guinness World Records date back to the early 1950s. At the time, the CEO of Guinness Brewery went hunting with friends and they debated, "What's the fastest bird in Europe?" but couldn't reach a conclusion. This sparked the idea that a book compiling various "world's best" records would be fascinating. Thus, in 1955, "Guinness World Records" (then called "The Guinness Book") was created.

&nbsp;

Initially, there was also the idea that "if we put this book in pubs, customers might debate the records and buy more beer." Later, it became independent from the Guinness Brewery, evolving into a publication that collects and registers various world records. To this day, the Guinness World Records book is published annually and has become a classic Christmas gift, especially in Europe and America.

Our brand philosophy is "To make the world a more interesting, enjoyable, and positive place." By widely sharing world records filled with surprise, discovery, and the passion of challengers, we hope to inspire people to take an interest in various things and take action. Moving forward, while cherishing our roots in print, we will also focus on sharing information through social media and other channels.

Furthermore, for our 70th anniversary in 2025, we introduced the message "Be Part of It - Those who challenge know. " Reading or watching world records is fun. But there are sights only those who challenge themselves can see. The view on the journey to becoming number one, the view at the moment of achievement, the view as a record holder... These are things only challengers can know. We'd be thrilled if you, too, would think with curiosity about what kind of world record you could challenge within your own interests or current work.