PR Activity Guidelines

Established June 13, 2019

1. Definition of a professional in public relations (PR)

(1) PR practitioners are required to develop sound values and build relationships of trust between stakeholders and society on an ongoing basis. To achieve this, PR practitioners must strive to become individuals whom the organizations they belong to and society can hold expectations of as communications professionals who are skilled at furthering mutual understanding, building consensus, and fostering relationships of trust between stakeholders.

(2) In their own activities, PR professionals are aware of and take pride in helping to develop a creative society and generate new social value, and they work towards the preservation of the environment and the establishment of a sustainable society.

(3) PR practitioners endeavor to comply with laws and regulations and fully respect intellectual property rights such as third party copyrights and trademarks, as well as other rights including those relating to reputation, privacy, images, and publicity. At all times, PR practitioners comply with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information.

(4) PR practitioners reject involvement with antisocial forces and exclude antisocial content.

Examples of antisocial content

① Activities, events and content produced by antisocial forces

② Content that commends or idealizes criminal activities

③ Sexually explicit content

④ Expressions of iscrimination

⑤ Content which disseminates false information to the public

2. Scope of activities of PR practitioners indicated in these guidelines

The practice of communications activities to build consensus and strengthen relationships of trust through PESO (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned) media.*

*PESO integrated media communications framework

P stands for “paid media,” such as advertising and event sponsorships, etc.

E stands for “earned media,” such as publicity in news media, etc.

S stands for “shared media,” such as social media and blogs, etc.

O stands for “owned media,” such as corporate websites, branded social media accounts, corporate newsletters and magazines, stores and museum facilities, etc.

(PR Notebook PR Mini Glossary Dictionary published by PRSJ)

(1) The practice of communications activities that build consensus and strengthen relationships of trust through media relations (presentation of information in the earned media domain)

(2) The practice of communications activities that incorporate advertising as an aspect of public relations activities (paid media domain)

(3) The practice of communications activities that build consensus and strengthen relationships of trust through independent dissemination of information (owned media domain)

(4) The practice of communications activities that build consensus and strengthen relationships of trust through the dissemination and exchange of information as a member of the shared media community (shared media domain)

3. Individual activity guidelines

(1) The practice of communications activities that build consensus and strengthen relationships of trust through media relations (earned media domain)

① Key points in the Code of Ethics

(i) Respect for freedom of speech and the press

(ii) Fairness and integrity

(iii) Conveying truthful information in an accurate, timely, and appropriate manner

② Guidelines for producing content

(i) In content produced for media relations, strive to convey the truth accurately and refrain from expressions that could lead to misunderstanding on the part of the press or stakeholders who come into contact with resulting media reports.

(ii) Make it a practice to append materials which serve as objective supporting evidence.

(iii) Clearly state the producer of the content and the person assuming responsibility for it.

(iv) Make efforts to participate in new value creation by proposing and creating newsworthy, informative content based on facts.

③ Guidelines for media relations activities

(i) In the practice of media relations, endeavor to provide adequate information to the media without misrepresentation of the facts, and respect freedom of speech and the press.

(ii) Build fair, honest relations with the media and endeavor to create and provide information of high value for stakeholders.

(iii) Cooperate in providing information and assist in reporting activities, with due attention to social norms, to ensure that news media can provide fair and highly informative news to stakeholders. Note that the Society as a whole will share information and consider appropriate measures as the occasion requires in response to changes in social norms and the appearance of new social consensuses due to changes in the times and the environment.

(2) The practice of communications that incorporate advertising as an aspect of public relations activities (paid media domain)

① Key points in the Code of Ethics

(i) Conveying truthful information in an accurate, timely and appropriate manner

② Guidelines for content production

(i) In all media, when presenting content written in the manner of a news story in an advertising space, clearly indicate that the content is advertising in order to avoid misunderstanding on the part of those receiving the information.

1. In the case of printed media (newspapers and magazines)

In the case of newspapers and magazines, upon consulting with the publisher, display a statement on the relevant page indicating that the content is advertising, using wording such as “advertisement” or “sponsored by [company name].” The Society does not recommend using the term “PR (public relations)” in editorial advertising as it may lead to misunderstandings with regard to public relations.

2. In the case of broadcast media (television and radio)

Upon consulting with the media company, clearly indicate that the content is advertising through subtitling or a verbal statement.

3. In the case of digital media (media organizations that transmit news and other information via the internet)

When presenting native advertising in digital media, clearly indicate that it is advertising in the same manner as for newspapers and magazines. Use of the term “PR” is not recommended.

4. Furthermore, in the event that new advertising methods or functions are adopted for use in digital media or on digital terminals or the like, clearly indicate that the content is advertising.

5. In regard to measures concerning new advertising methods, carefully consult the “Internet Advertising Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Acceptability Standards” of the Japan Interactive Advertising Association (JIAA), and establish more adequate procedural standards as required.

6. Other matters to bear in mind

Carefully consider whether advertising content violates advertising-related laws and regulations.

Advertising-related laws and regulations (examples)

(a) Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations

Regulations related to the provision of gift offers in promotions and competitions, etc. and regulations against improper representation including misrepresentation of product quality or standard, misrepresentation of benefits, etc.

(b) Act on Specified Commercial Transactions

Display or representation of matters as specified by law

(c) Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Products including Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices

Display of medicinal efficacy of non-pharmaceuticals, advertising of medications, etc.

7. In addition, rely on guidelines prescribed by the relevant authorities and industry organizations.

(3) The practice of communications activities that build consensus and strengthen relationships of trust through independent dissemination of information (owned media domain)

① Key points in the Code of Ethics

(i) Fairness and integrity

(ii) Conveying objective information in an accurate, timely and appropriate manner as seen from a third-party perspective

② Guidelines for content production

(i) As a party (or its agent) that disseminates information important to society, contribute to the creation of new value, disseminating information with the same sense of pride and responsibility as a news media organization.

(ii) Clarify the identity of the party that is disseminating the information, and when communicating information, ensure that every effort has been made to clarify the objective facts from a third-party perspective.

1. Indicate the party assuming responsibility for the information

2. Display citation information

3. Establish a contact desk

(4) The practice of communications activities that build consensus and strengthen relationships of trust through the dissemination and exchange of information as a member of the shared media community (shared media domain)

① Key points in the Code of Ethics

(i) Fairness and honesty

(ii) Conveying objective information in an accurate, timely and appropriate manner as seen from a third party perspective

② Guidelines for content production and media relations activities

(i) In digital media activities, respect and protect the right of recipients of information (stakeholders who receive information) to be informed of the correct information.

(ii) When providing any form of money, goods or services to a communicator of information on a blog or social media platform on digital media, clearly indicate that there is a relationship between the provider (such as a business) and the communicator of information.

Example: When providing merchandise to a major influencer and requesting that he/she communicate about his/her impression of the merchandise, ensure that there is a clear statement that the influencer received the merchandise from the provider (party assuming responsibility for the merchandise). Alternatively, add a “benefit” tag (#promotion, #sponsored, etc.) when disseminating the information.

(iii) Also apply the principle of clearly stating relationships when any new technology or service is adopted in digital media. In addition, carefully consult the WOMJ guidelines of the Word of Mouth Japan Marketing Association (WOMJ) and proceed to establish more appropriate procedural standards.