MS&L Tokyo

A member of the Publicis Groupe since 2002, MS&L Japan dates back to 1995, when its predecessor was established to provide PR and marketing services to foreign companies seeking global-style PR and communications solutions in the Japan market.

MS&L Japan is led by Eric Hess, managing director, and Kiminori Takeuchi, deputy managing director, two veteran public relations consultants with nearly 40 years combined expertise. Together with a solid team of experienced communications consultants, MS&L Japan focuses on providing globally minded and innovative PR solutions that not only cater to but also leverage the unique media environment of Japan.

In Japan, the concept of public relations as a recognized field of business emerged after World War II. It is often said that the distinction between PR and advertising is far more blurred in Japan than in the West, as many domestic companies still view it as an extension of advertising. Japan also has unique practices like Press Clubs, which are closed membership circles stationed in major government offices or in large industry organizations.

Japan boasts an elaborate array of media choices. Major newspaper circulation rates are the highest in the world, with 121 daily newspapers and a total daily circulation exceeding 72 million. Typical in Japan, more than 90% of these newspapers are for home delivery to regular subscribers. Magazines cover every topic imaginable.  The average Japanese person watches 4-plus hours of TV per day. And more than 85 million people can access media sources such as TV, radio, and the Internet via their personal computers or mobile phones.

Such powerful influence and diversity mean that media relations play a vital role in communicating with the myriad of lifestyles, beliefs and interests of the Japanese public. The high concentration of top-circulation dailies means that the Japanese national dailies are flooded with information, and securing coverage can be challenging. The major national dailies are said to receive more than 200 press releases a day, so getting noticed in the information overload is vital.

At the same time, Japanese journalists belong to a culture of minute detail and exhaustive planning. Due thought and preparation are essential when assembling press materials. It is a useless exercise to simply translate a set of information without adaptation to suit local media needs.

In the last five years, Japan has experienced an explosive growth of the internet. Many companies are conducting digital marketing and PR campaigns, taking advantage of social networking and blog sites.  The total estimated number of active internet users is more than 85 million. Further, most mobile phones have internet capability and it is estimated that more than 65 million Japanese access the internet with their phones to obtain fast, up-to-the-minute information.

The team at MS&L Japan understands the practices and needs of the media as well as the evolving internet environment.  MS&L Japan specializes in the fields of IT, corporate and financial, consumer goods, travel & tourism, and healthcare for national and global companies.  MS&L Japan knows how to meet the PR expectations of global firms operating in the Japan market.