Fukuoka/Tokyo, Japan (October 27, 2014) – A public relations campaign created by Dentsu Kyushu Inc. and Dentsu Public Relations Inc. to enhance awareness of Kumamoto Prefecture as a source of fine quality produce has been formally recognized as one of the ‘World’s 50 Best PR Programs’ of 2014.

The honor was given the two Dentsu firms for their campaign “Where are my cheeks?!” for Kumamoto Prefectural Government in the international PR industry awards competition – the Global SABRE Awards – hosted annually by PR industry information provider The Holmes Group.

SABRE stands for “Superior Achievement in Branding, Reputation and Engagement” and the awards recognize the very best projects from over 5,000 entries submitted from around the world each year.

Dentsu Kyushu and Dentsu PR’s campaign centered on using the region’s popular mascot, Kumamon, to brand Kumamoto as the “red prefecture” and promote its various red-colored produce. The 50 PR programs selected represent the best in 50 different categories, with the Kumamoto prefecture project being selected in the NON-CORPORATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT category.

Paul Holmes, founder and CEO of the Holmes Group, described “Where are my cheeks?!” promotion as a “very strong, clever, organic campaign.”

“It was really outstanding that such a creative and big idea came not from a corporation, but from a government agency,” he added.

The Global SABRE Awards ceremony will take place in Miami on October 29.

Ahead of being selected as one of the ‘World’s 50 Best PR Programs,’ the “Where are my cheeks?!” campaign previously received the Gold SABRE Award at the 2014 Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards in the geographical category as the best campaign in Japan. It was also recognized with a Certificate of Excellence in the Live Event category at the September 18 awards.

The 2014 Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards reviewed campaigns in 74 categories, with winners selected from a total of 1,400 entries from across the region. The submitted entries were judged by leading industry figures from PR agencies as well as PR departments of companies and organizations.

The various winning campaigns at the 2014 Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards were then nominated, alongside winners from North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, to compete to be chosen as one of the ‘World’s 50 Best PR Programs’.

“Even just within the Asia-Pacific region, I felt there were so many world class campaigns,” commented Dentsu PR’s Tadashi Inokuchi. The chief PR planner was a member of the Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards judging panel for three categories where Dentsu Kyushu and Dentsu PR were not competing. “So to receive a Gold SABRE as well as be chosen as one of the World’s 50 Best PR Projects is a great honor.”

The campaign was praised as a bold collaboration with a government agency, that took the impressively original step to alter the appearance of a well-known character in order to achieve an ambitious goal, Inokuchi said.

“Thanks to a combination of the creative talents of the Dentsu Kyushu team, who’d forged a trusting relationship with the client, and the ability of our team at Dentsu PR to maximize the exposure, we could achieve a great success,” he added.

For the further campaign details, please visit our Web site:
https://www.dentsuprc.com/our-work/0046.html

About Dentsu Kyushu

Dentsu Kyushu was founded in 1995 as a regional advertising agency to prosper and grow with the local region. With headquarters in Fukuoka and six regional branches across Kyushu, Dentsu Kyushu is determined to provide solutions to the problems facing corporations and government organizations. Dentsu Kyushu has received several industry awards, including regional industry awards, beginning with a Gold Lion at the 2011 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Its 275 staff are communication professionals ready to support client needs.

About Dentsu Public Relations

Since its founding in 1961, Dentsu PR has provided support for a wide range of domestic and foreign companies, governments and organizations, as a strategic partner to enhance relations between clients and stakeholders. Its 235 employees, including specialist consultants in fields such as social media and digital marketing, enable the company to offer comprehensive support, from strategy proposals to creative solutions, in the areas of marketing and corporate communications.

For more information about Dentsu Public Relations Inc., please visit www.dentsu-pr.com