Weber Shandwick Launches Real Voices, Real Japan Initiative, Focusing Positive Attention on Japan’s Recovery Effort 

Published

Tokyo, 12 May, 2011 – Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading global public relations agencies, today unveiled its Real Voices, Real Japan initiative, a platform created to provide insight on the rebuilding and recovery of Japan after the earthquake.

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Launched exactly two months after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Real Voices, Real Japan is an English-based initiative that reveals the voices of diverse sectors involved in the recovery – including the general public, business community and NPOs – and aims to present the global audience with on-the-ground local understanding that will help stakeholders worldwide make informed decisions and take proper responsive action.

 

A website created as part of this initiative (realvoicesrealjapan.com) will be a key component of the program, providing expert insights on:

 

  • The Voice of Consumers: Monitoring the public mindset with support from online news outlet Business Media Makoto, market researcher Macromill INC, and marketing communications and fellow IPG company McCann Worldgroup Japan Inc..
  • The Voice of Social Media: Tracking post-quake online conversations with insights from digital marketing company Le Grand Co., Ltd.
  • The Voice of Tohoku: Providing local reports on the rebuilding of the Tohoku region, facilitated by Japan-based photographers, 37 Frames, and nonprofit organization MAKE THE HEAVEN (MEGUMI JAPAN Project).
  • The Voice of Communication Professionals: Offering tips and observations from the communication experts at Weber Shandwick.
  • The Voice of Business: Outlining views of the current situation and outlook from the foreign business community.

 

Real Voices, Real Japan has the endorsement of the American and British Chambers of Commerce, European Business Council in Japan and foreign companies in Japan, among others, with English translation support by volunteers and KY Trade Co. Ltd., an interpretation and translation services provider.

Weber Shandwick has been issuing its daily Quake Update since shortly after March 11. We understand that the international business community is keenly interested about when and how the Japanese economy will recover. As an international communications service provider, we are in a unique position to contribute to the recovery by communicating the real voices of Japan to the global business community. Through Real Voices, Real Japan, we wish to create a more accurate understanding of the real economic situation in Japan, and thereby support the process of reconstruction now underway.

Akihiko Kubo

President and CEO of Weber Shandwick’s Japan office

For real-time updates, Real Voices, Real Japan can be followed on Twitter (http://twitter.com/RVRJ).