Since its founding in 1960, COSMO Public Relations Corporation has pioneered the PR industry in Japan, dedicating itself to establishing strategic communications and PR practices. Today, with healthcare as our core focus area, we support communications frameworks for numerous global corporations and organizations.
This issue looks back on our founding era when our editorial principles for content design were formed, and reflects on how these principles inform our work today.
In addition, we take this opportunity to announce the inclusion of a new Case Study webpage related to content design on the COSMO website.
Three USC Alumni: The Founders of COSMO
COSMO was founded by Keiichiro Sato1, Taeko Matsuda2 and Tsune Sesoko3, three alumni of the University of Southern California (USC). Keiichiro Sato worked for the Los Angeles-based Japanese-language newspaper Rafu Shimpo; Taeko Matsuda was a producer at NBC, one of America’s three major broadcast networks; and Tsune Sesoko studied the influence of Japanese culture on the West at the USC Graduate School. Upon their return to Tokyo, in 1960 Sato and Matsuda established COSMO, with Sesoko joining soon after.
COSMO was, from the first, dedicated to supporting corporate communications activities through public relations (PR)—a field largely unknown in Japan at that time.
During the sixties, Japan’s economy was growing, and the country had begun overseas exports of industrial products. Having lived and studied in the US, the three realized that, less than two decades following the war, Japan was still perceived unfavorably there. They therefore developed and proposed PR strategies for Japanese companies which were specifically aimed at improving perceptions of Japan in the US.
Dawn of Corporate PR in Japan: Strategic Editorial Promotion
It was Keiichiro Sato who developed COSMO’s publicity business—a novel concept in Japan—as a strategy for corporate PR. Calling on her skills as a producer, Taeko Matsuda devised innovative concepts, which Tsune Sesoko in turn developed into corporate PR magazines and books which came to evolve as the foundation of COSMO’s editorial business.
One such project was a proposal for Hitachi, Ltd., where Matsuda conceived a plan for world-renowned photographer W. Eugene Smith (1918-1978) to photograph Hitachi’s factories and employees, along with surrounding townscapes and ports, for publication in the US magazine LIFE. Sato expanded on this as a comprehensive publicity plan for Hitachi and, in 1963, Sesoko, editorial chief, produced the photo-essay book for Hitachi entitled Japan… a chapter of image, which featured Smith’s works.
LIFE magazine and photo book Japan… a chapter of image published by Hitachi
Following on this success, throughout the 1970s and 1980s, COSMO continued to concentrate on editing and production PR tools for Japanese companies who were expanding overseas.
COSMO’s Unique Principle: The Three Smiles
COSMO has from its inception valued the power of photography and design, and has engaged leading graphic designers as art directors for every project and publication. The company emphasizes not only “introducing the company,” “showcasing technology,” and “presenting company products,” but also the element of “introducing Japanese culture.” This distinctive approach arises from the “Three Smiles” principle, created by Tsune Sesoko.
Sesoko was inspired by a business philosophy observed by Edo era (1603-1867) merchants which stressed that a business deal should be satisfactory to both buyer and seller, and should also benefit society. Her notion was that a corporate publication should bring satisfaction to all three parties involved: client, creators (designers, photographers, authors, editors), and reader. The idea is that, if the finished publication contains only corporate information, readers will not find it interesting. If content tries to satisfy readers and focuses only on entertaining aspects with no corporate information, the client will see no point in such a publication; and although it is important to satisfy both client and reader, it is equally important to allow creators to express their respective talents in a publication that both client and reader will find meaningful and appealing.
This policy at COSMO remains unchanged today. Our Content Design team’s greatest asset is its network of exceptional creators who are devoted to producing outstanding publications that highlight a client’s corporate activities—and which underscore their connections with society.
Promoting Japanese Culture Overseas: Editorial Design
COSMO’s founding policy of introducing Japanese culture overseas was established as the defining style of its editorial approach through two world expositions and international conferences in the 1970s.
In 1974, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), then a client, commissioned COSMO to produce a book introducing Japanese culture for VIP visitors to the Japan Pavilion at the World Exposition in Spokane, Washington. This book, The Rice Cycle: The Grain that Created a Culture, was conceived by Tsune Sesoko with art direction by Ikko Tanaka4 and photography by Yasuhiro Ishimoto5. The book presented the culture of Japanese food, clothing and housing—the essentials of life—across the four seasons. This visually oriented, B5-sized, 110-page coffee table book was widely praised as a textbook of Japanese culture, and became the prototype for subsequent World Expo publications.
In 1979, the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) commissioned a book for distribution at the International Design Conference in Aspen, Colorado, which led to the production of The I Ro Ha of Japan. This visual book featured objects and concepts in Japanese culture structured as a traditional iroha poem, and was enthusiastically received by conference participants from around the world.
 The Rice Cycle |
 The I Ro Ha of Japan |
Building on the success of these two titles, the creation of corporate publications introducing Japanese culture to overseas audiences became one of COSMO’s core services.
COSMO: Content Design Works
Visit our new page on the COSMO website which introduces current work by the COSMO Content Design team. These include Takenaka Corporation’s quarterly magazine approach (1964-present); Kikkoman’s English-language newsletter food forum (1997-present), and Nippon Electric Glass 70th anniversary book.
This new webpage centers on the COSMO editorial philosophy and principles incorporated since our founding in 1960, and how they are applied across diverse projects and publications today.
We invite you to explore this new webpage and see ongoing examples of our work.
For more information about COSMO corporate communications and content production, please contact the COSMO Content Design team.
*Our next newsletter will feature how COSMO editorial and production services enhance corporate philosophies.
■Notes
1 Keiichiro Sato (1930-1980). Graduate of USC graduate school; worked as a reporter for the newspaper Rafu Shimpo. Married Taeko Matsuda, 1957.
2 Taeko Matsuda (1927-2019). Graduate of the USC Department of Television and Mass Communication; employed 1955 as NBC’s first Japanese producer.
3 Tsune Sesoko (1922-2008). Graduate of Occidental College and the USC Graduate School; served as secretariat at 1960 World Design Conference, Tokyo.
4 Ikko Tanaka (1930-2002). Graphic designer. Worked on design of Tokyo Olympic medals, Saison Group corporate identity, and launch of MUJI. Achieved international success with his Rimpa-inspired compositions. Awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon (1994) and named a Person of Cultural Merit (2000).
5 Yasuhiro Ishimoto (1921-2012). Second-generation Japanese American born in San Francisco. Internationally acclaimed for his architectural photography focusing on modernism in traditional Japanese architecture. Awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon (1983), the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (1993), and named a Person of Cultural Merit (1996).
