Cardano PR Initiative Japan

[IMPACT]

■ Purpose of this document

We would like to initiate a program to provide editors and producers at top-tier tech and business publications about the progress and milestones that Cardano has made as well as the growing acceptance of ADA and its recognition as one of the world’s leading blockchain platforms. This will not only be a reality check but a Reset of sorts for detractors in the market who have clung to past issues and used that as a means to sow the seeds of doubt about the integrity of the Cardano Blockchain Platform and the prospects for its future. The common denominator of PR and Communications is “Relations” and the building of relations with media stakeholders will play a key to the community’s success in a non-transactional market like Japan. Establishing proper knowledge about Cardano and cultivating media allies will serve the greater community by raising awareness vis-à-vis trusted third-party sources. tech and business. Amplification of Cardano related coverage in Japan to the community owned media channels will serve to embolden and rally ADA holders and expand Cardano’s market position.

As a first step, we would like to ask for grant support to execute the program with a planned start in April. At the end of the program we will report on the results and recommend next steps.

■ Summary of expected add-value of this proposal

・A review of current materials and assessment of their usage and translation of documents to Japanese.

・Writing support and editing in Japanese as needed

・A strategic plan for the dissemination of key information to media and influencers in government and industry

・Opinion leaders will appreciate the restart of meetings to inform about developments and will surely be impressed with the groundbreaking progress being made

・Meetings with core tech and business media will result opportunities for positive coverage that will set the tone for future media engagements and will eliminate the need for a review of what’s been going

・Enthusiasm and confidence of stakeholders in the ecosystem should increase thanks to coverage on trusted third-party media outlets.

・Increased awareness of the facts of the Cardano ecosystem should make it easier for projects to advance.

・The creation of success stories will lead to the emergence of new better, more substantial coverage and opportunities for meaningful engagements.

・The development of an environment that raising awareness and encourages participation in community events

・Over the three-months of this program we’ll move fast to review documents, provide editorial support as needed, develop coverage, and engage with the community to amplify results on social media and other owned media, marketing channels.

・Share coverage with members of the community and stakeholders as a means of furthering the impact of our coverage

A lack of engagement with influencers in media and government in Japan have left many with the impression that Cardano is stuck where it left off in 2019. A reality check about what Cardano has achieved and the stunning progress that it has made is needed in order to move the project to the stage of prominence that befits it. A fundamental round of engagement with an introduction to local Cardano insiders from IOG, Cardano Foundation, Emurgo, etc. who can update and inform media about Cardano now will be valued and set the stage for a round of interviews and coverage that will set the stage for more substantial engagements with key stakeholders including new business development opportunities.

Problem 1. Lack of proactive outreach to media and other influencers that are the recipient of one-on-one meetings

・ Influencers will appreciate a direct approach and will respond favorably to a well-planned and coordinated effort with coverage and other opportunities that will result in more substantial engagements

・In addition to providing a reality check our activities will harken the positive developments to come and should fire-up interest and demand for ADA and the Cardano blockchain protocol.

Problem 2. Thought leadership in blockchain has largely been ceded to influencers in the Ethereum and Ripple networks and it’s high time for Cardano to regain share of voice.

- Lack of Information means people will decide which protocol to choose based on what influencers in the market recommend.

[FEASIBILITY]

In the first 90 days of working with you, in parallel with our media caravan, our intention is to put the strategy into action mining stories and enabling top business media contacts to gain a better understanding about its innovations. Below are the priority media activities that we would undertake:

April 2022

Advisory & Coordination

•Review of documents

•Strategic planning

•Ideation, Brainstorming

•Media list development / maintenance

•Program management

•Press kit audit

April - June 2022

Media Outreach

•Greetings

•Soft-soundings

•Editorial Calendar review

•Messaging

•News developments

•Media caravan, relationship building

April - June 2022

Program Execution

•Media interviews

•Program implementation

•Really getting media to know what it makes Cardano great!

May - June 2022

•Content planning / production

   (Product, Brand / 

    Corporate, Thought 

    Leadership)

•Influencer relationship building

•Speaking opportunities

Blended team hourly rate of USD 180.00 X 200 hours.

■ Our Team

Staffing: 5

Fred Tanaka – Managing Director

Fred started his career in the international corporate communications department at Nissan Motor Company working with business/financial/trade/mainstream media as the point of contact on all matters concerning the company including product debuts and developments and results announcements. In addition, he flexed his bilingual skills conducting tours of the company’s technology facilities for overseas institutional investors.

Building on his experience at Nissan, he led international PR and IR at Japan’s largest airline, ANA – All Nippon Airways. In addition, he was second in-charge of global initiatives with the Star Alliance for PR, marketing communications, and crisis planning.

He expanded his purview significantly by teaming up with a large Japanese PR agency on tech accounts and pioneering IRM – Influencer Relations Management programs that engaged tastemakers defining the Tokyo scene and powerbrokers in industry, government, and associations. As a result, he has been quick to realized integrated communications opportunities for large and medium size companies that have media relations activities as the heart of their PR focus.

Throughout Fred has cultivated relations with top-tier tech, business, financial, and mainstream news verticals.

Bilingual and bicultural, Fred provides a comprehensive mix of strategic advisory services backed by a hands-on tactical implementation.

Hiromi Motegi - Account Coordination

Motegi began her career in the general affairs department of Kodansha International where she also managed content administration. Twelve years later she made the jump to the fast-paced agency lifestyle putting her administrative management and content review skills to full use and expanding into editorial work on press releases and byline articles. In addition to press directed materials she has also delighted clients with her brochure development skills. In short, the breadth of her experience has been indispensable in the production of collateral materials. 

You can count on her to be flexible and adept at developing solutions for a broad range of client demands including operational oversight of news release distribution, live and online event planning, and media outreach to print/online editors and radio station directors all with a can-do spirit under pressing timelines. 

Yasue Kyono – Media Specialist

Kyono Yasue is a media maven who teams up with Lightning Communications to provide PR services.

Since 1993, she’s worked with global IT companies on product import and promotional initiatives for public institutions.

In addition, Kyono was assiduously engaged in the marketing & public relations work for US SFA, CRM, SaaS, ERP and SCM software companies. Throughout the years Kyono has executed "marketing for sales”, holding business seminars for targeted industries and expanding the sales of a foreign-market cap computer software company in the Japan market.

Kyono has an excellent reputation in the world of PR for her vast media network and depth of experience holding countless media briefings, roundtables, press conferences, and developing research proposals on public relations topics. Building on her 20+ years of experience.

Hiroumi MItani – Influencer Relations

Hiroumi supports influencer relations at Lightning where he advises on research, strategic planning, and connecting the dots in our network of industry and media contacts. He is a self-styled tech geek who can deep-dive on our client’s products and get account teams up to speed to impact our media approach.

In addition to providing clients to access to key opinion leaders (KOLs) he is well-versed in new media opportunities where influencers share knowledge and news and connects us with televised broadcast programs like TV Tokyo’s World Business Satellite.

Until recently he’s also played a dual role for Lightning at CES Asia and Viva Tech blogging about this events and writing articles for tech publications CNET Japan, TechCrunch.

Hiroumi started his career at Rakuten where he built his network of connections in industry and media during his tenure in their communications department. Building on his experience at Rakuten he was appointed to executive positions at Gunosy and hardware startup Cerevo as Senior VP for global sales and marketing.

Andrew Tamura – Advisor

Advisor to Coincheck following the NEM hack and media training expert.

[AUDITABILITY]

■ KPI

・Review of collateral materials, updates, case studies, and other information in Japanese

・Provide editorial support and guidance

・Media Outreach (engagement w/ approx. 54 reporters at 33 publications as well as freelance writers)

・Media Meetings and Interviews (2 -3 per month)

・Byline article development (TBD)

・Influencer Relations w/crypto bloggers, industry executives (TBD)

■ Post-grant governance

Activities

Issue and report monthly progress report from the program team.

Report the planned activities for the following month.

At the completion of the project, which is the third month, report on the overall project results. Also, propose the next activity goals and aim for the mid-term to the long-term success of the project.

The program will be a grassroots effort that will yield opportunities for media interviews, byline articles, speaking engagements, and relations with influencers that hold the keys to open doors for Cardano in the market.

In addition, the program will provide evidence of Cardano's commitment to the sensitive Japan market and a long-term approach that goes beyond a transactional basis and bolster confidence to back Cardano’s pioneering technologies and decentralized applications.

・Meetings with core tech and business media will result opportunities for positive coverage that will set the tone for future media engagements and will eliminate the need for a review of what’s been going

・Enthusiasm and confidence of stakeholders in the ecosystem should increase thanks to coverage on trusted third-party media outlets.

・Increased awareness of the facts of the Cardano ecosystem should make it easier for projects to advance.

・The creation of success stories will lead to the emergence of new better, more substantial coverage and opportunities for meaningful engagements.

・The development of an environment that raising awareness and encourages participation in community events

・Over the three-months of this program we’ll move fast to review documents, provide editorial support as needed, develop coverage, and engage with the community to amplify results on social media and other owned media, marketing channels.

・Share coverage with members of the community and stakeholders as a means of furthering the impact of our coverage

This project is entirely new.