"Information that cannot be communicated is the same as not existing"
Sakuma's shocking phrase caused many people to reconsider the role of public relations, and the seminar was attended by many public relations professionals from a variety of positions, including companies, local governments, clubs, and PTAs.
Although it was only a short one hour, we were taught the know-how of effective public relations activities from the ground up, and in the second half we were given a demonstration of how to remake a press release, one of the most common public relations materials.
This time, it was held on Wednesday, August 3rd.Directly from a public relations professional!How to create and distribute public relations materialsReports a digest of
If you would like to watch the archived video from the seminar, you can do so below.
*Registration is required to watch videos.
*In addition to watching the archived video, you can also download the materials and workshop materials from the day.
Seminar Report
Reasons for participating: solving many problems
Many people attended this seminar to solve problems or gather information on issues, and 95% rated the content as useful for future activities.
There were many specific answers to the question, "What do you think you can use this for in the future?"
It looks like I'll be able to create appealing PR media! I'll start right away by just changing the line spacing when creating press releases and flyers for events!
I am a teacher and I think I can use it to create easy-to-understand teaching materials and presentation materials for academic conferences.
I'm in charge of streaming online events, and I'm creating PowerPoint slides for screen sharing before the event starts and during breaks. I'm trying to create slides that are easy to understand and can be viewed during breaks to relax, so I think I'll be able to put what I learned in today's seminar to good use!
Although I'm not a public relations professional, the information I received was all know-how that can be used in general for PowerPoint content!
I would like to approach my work with the awareness that PR is a way to take action, and I would also like to utilize my know-how in press releases.
From Morisawa
A wide range of people participated, from public relations officers from companies and local governments to teachers and parents. Some people said, "I've tried making it in Word before but it didn't work out, so I'll try PowerPoint!" It seems that the time allowed everyone to resolve their production challenges.
Here is a report on the seminar that day.
UUse D Font to communicate in Office apps! Public relations and press releases
Tomoyuki SakumaTomoyuki Sakuma
Representative Director of PRDESIGN JAPAN Co., Ltd. PR TIMES Evangelist. Regional Power Creation Advisor to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. A former civil servant, he won the Prime Minister's Award at the National Public Relations Competition while still employed. He currently works as a public relations advisor for local governments and a training instructor for public relations, PR, and design. He has written many books, including "Easy with Office! How to Create a 'One-Page Design' for Civil Servants" (Gakuyo Shobo).
What is effective public relations?
EveryoneIn your PR activities, you may feel that you are not making much progress.In such cases, it is possible that the act of making something has become the goal itself.
When I was working as an employee in Miyoshi Town, Saitama Prefecture, in charge of nursing care insurance, I found public relations papers thrown away in the flyer box of an apartment building. I was very disappointed and felt that it was a waste of tax money, so I transferred to the public relations department to improve the situation. I started producing the photography, design, and writing in-house, which had previously been outsourced.
We put particular effort into the cover, as if the cover catches people's interest, the chances of them reading the contents increase dramatically.
Furthermore, the essential content was designed to be easy to understand, rather than just listing information like in a contract and conveying it one-sidedly. If the creation itself becomes the goal, you tend to forget to communicate with the other party, so it is important to be careful.
Information that is not communicated is the same as not existing ~Communication Design~
If a local government wants to reduce medical costs, they will likely promote early cancer detection, metabolic syndrome prevention, generic drugs, etc. Media for disseminating this information include newsletters, websites, posters, and notices, and the idea behind communication design is to "design the means to deliver information."
Even if you manage to write a good love letter, the place and timing of giving it are important.When thinking about communication design in an easy-to-understand way, consider the location and timing of information transfer.That is what it means.
For example, Saitama Prefecture has changed the payment slips sent to people who are behind on their taxes and other payments to more flashy ones.
Then, humans can make instant decisions.The number of characters is about 9 to 13.So, whether it has anything to do with me or not0.3 secondsIn order for a press release to be picked up, reporters need to think, "That sounds interesting!", so the key is to make the headline easy to read and not just write it in sentences.
Information that is not communicated is the same as not existingIt's such a shame that it has turned out that way.
Utilizing three media
There are three main types of media. It is important to understand the characteristics of each and use them appropriately depending on the situation.
Design flow and UD fonts
There are five stages in design: I can't explain them all here, so I hope to introduce them one by one in my seminars up until November.
STEP 1: Decide your aim, goal and target
STEP 2: Gather materials
STEP 3: Think about the headline and catch phrase
STEP 4: Align the layout and jump rate to create a consistent look
STEP 5: Add the color scheme and decorations to complete the design
Text is as commonplace as air, but that's exactly why we need to be considerate. Universal Design (UD) fonts are developed to be easy for everyone to read, so we encourage you to try using them.
However, UD fonts are not a panacea, and you will need to think carefully about the design and layout, such as the size and thickness of the letters and the spacing between lines.
Create a press release (demonstration at workshop)
Finally, let's think about how to present your press release. Since you want to deliver your press release to reporters, you should be conscious of writing a headline that will make them think, "We have to cover this!" Also, if you want to emphasize the headline, the theory is to surround it with a frame and then place an image below it as an eye-catcher. It is said that reporters only look at the top half of a press release, so the key is to grab their interest in the top half and get them to read all the way to the bottom.
More detailed information will be provided in the lower half, but adding subheadings before the detailed text will make it easier to read.
Place the company profile at the bottom, with 1.5cm margins on all four sides. This is because there is approximately 1.5cm of space for the thumb, and the profile may be cut off when printed.
We recommend Morisawa's "BIZ UD Shin Gothic" font. This font has a "condensed typeface" with small character widths. Therefore, you can make the title of your press release "Heavy" to make it stand out more.
On the other hand, if the main text is made bold it becomes difficult to read, so use "Light" or "Medium".
By the way, it is recommended to leave about 70% space between each character, so if the text is 10pt, the line spacing should be 7pt.
Through practical exercises, Sakuma explained in detail how to write a press release that will attract media attention. If you would like to know more, be sure to check out the video.
School Announcements
At this seminar, we heard talks that helped us understand the purpose and significance of creating public relations materials.
Starting from the next session, we will hold the workshop in a school format for three consecutive months. Please apply, taking into consideration the points that Mr. Sakuma shared with us during this workshop.
Designing a press release doesn't require much skill, but it's important to know the rules. My upcoming classes will include learning the rules, so I hope you'll join me.
Participants in this seminar also expressed their expectations for the next school.
I would like to create a release template for my organization, but I would like to be able to create a specific template proposal!
I would like to learn how to communicate information in an effective way! How to communicate unconventional information and designs to superiors and those around me so they understand them, etc. Thank you in advance.
I would like to see improvements made to the layout, balance of font size, and readability in terms of design.
The school is open to both first-time attendees and those who have attended seminars. If you have the same concerns, please apply.
If you want to use UD fonts, which Sakuma recommended in the seminar, easily in Office applications,We recommend MORISAWA BIZ+. For details,Here
Also,As a company, local government, organization, or school organizationIf you are considering using UD fonts, please feel free to ask us any questions below.Here