Next month, it will be 60 years since Japan ushered in the era of commercial television and aired its first TV commercial. On August 28, 1953, at 7 p.m. sharp, Seiko became the first ever sponsor of a TV commercial to feature a Seiko alarm clock (then a Seikosha brand).
But this may not, in fact, be completely true. There are real doubts about the official primacy. In fact, the opening ceremony on NTV at 11:20 was followed by a celebratory dance performance by Kotobuki Shiki Sanbaso, and then Seikosha aired a 30-second commercial announcing noon, which was supposed to be the first commercial. But there were problems with the broadcast - the commercial appeared upside down. "That first commercial was a disaster. The film was broadcast upside down. Of course there was no sound. Part of the screen was flickering. I gasped. The person in charge must have been disturbed. When the name "Seiko" appeared on the screen, the film stopped. It lasted less than three seconds," said advertising manager Shunzaburo Katayama in an interview given on April 10, 1961.
There's a lot of conjecture on the whole thing, but in any case, the first commercial is now officially listed as an alarm clock spot that aired at 7 p.m.
The differences between western and Japanese culture
Western advertising emphasises the message and has one goal: to sell. Companies present attractive images and information to potential consumers to get them to pay for the product. Their advertisements usually emphasise attributes such as price, quality and performance. Adverts are longer, highly informative and often use elements of humour.
Japanese advertisements, on the other hand, rely on 'soft selling' and do not impose too much on the product. They use short messages, songs, celebrities, animation. Japanese society requires familiar symbols and icons rather than logical recommendations. Advertisements need not be informative so much as creative and entertaining. For the Japanese, if a product is associated with positive thoughts, the consumer is more likely to purchase the product. It is important to convey as much information as possible in as little time as possible, so ads often last about 16 seconds. Efficiency is a highly valued virtue in Japan and therefore plays a vital role in TV commercials.
Is there any point of contact between Western and Japanese advertising? There seems to be. Celebrities. A number of Western film and music stars have starred in Japanese commercials. The generous royalty certainly hasn't missed Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, the former governor of California who gains superhuman powers after drinking a bottle of powerful miracle fluid. Could it be that the divine Arnie actually maintained his Herculean physique through a diet of energy drinks?
And Harrison Ford even took off his clothes to demonstrate his refined taste in alcohol in an ad for Japanese Kirin beer.
Other celebrities who have appeared in Japanese commercials include Madonna swinging a katana at a golden dragon and craving a sip of sake, Tommy Lee Jones , famous for his role as the "man in black", so the theme of an alien tasked with observing the daily lives of ordinary Japanese citizens must have been close to his heart, or Brad Pitt in a SoftBank Japanese mobile phone commercial.
The creators of the popular sitcom The Simpsons, among others, have made an original comment on the connection between Western and Asian culture:
The specifics of Japanese advertising
Although many Japanese advertisements seem bizarre and unusual, the way companies in Japan advertise their brands has its reasons.
Japanese TV spots have to grab the viewer's attention from the start. Attractive monologues or dialogues are an afterthought. The need to communicate substance in a visual way is a cornerstone of Japanese philosophy. Advertisements represent the image of the company and sell the brand by inspiring customer confidence in the advertised product. And it's not about what the product is, but what it embodies. The credibility of the product is underlined by the presence of a Japanese or Western celebrity.
Respect for consumers is extremely important. Japanese advertisers feel that explaining and describing the product as such can be an insult to the intelligence of the consumer, who is capable of making good judgements and therefore knows what is good for him. Therefore, advertising agencies instead give vent to maximum creativity and artistic impulses. The aim in this culture, which hates confrontation, is to offer consumers something unique, atmospheric, but not to encroach on their space.
What works in japanese television advertising?
Given globalization, it is logical that there is a certain standardization in the advertising industry worldwide. This is to some extent due to the dominance of a number of brands coming from the US or Europe. In many countries around the world, advertisers use almost identical communication methods and messages and make do with only minor adaptations. Japan, however, is entirely different. Japanese advertising is simply quirky and completely different from what we are used to. So you may find the same brands in Tokyo as in Paris or New York, but the advertising will look completely different.
An example is the McDonalds advertising campaign. For example, the American ad below from 2022 presents spectacular shots of tempting burgers. The text message is minimal, and apart from the fact that someone's hands appear on screen a few times, there are no actors in the ad. All the attention is on the burger itself and the idea of hacking the menu.
Japanese advertising, on the other hand, focuses on conveying an overall positive impression through celebrities. The message is far from the first priority. There are tantalising shots of burgers - as in the American ad - but the focus is primarily on the two famous actresses who appear in the ad:
In essence, it can be said that, in addition to celebrities, Japanese consumers respond to a few basic elements:
- cuteness and vulnerability,
- seasonality and symbolism,
- fantasy elements and an escape from reality.
A number of brands are betting on cuteness and vulnerability to move consumers. It is, in a way, the opposite of the masculinity we see in many American TV spots, especially those promoting cars. Japanese ads, on the other hand, present qualities such as shyness, vulnerability, animal cuteness or childlike innocence to make that all-important connection with consumers. IKEA, for example, has been able to take advantage of this factor by incorporating a cute character in its campaign to show that it understands what Japanese consumers respond to:
Japanese advertising agencies make a lot of use of seasonality, whether it's the seasons or various Japanese public holidays. In spring, for example, ads featuring sakura flowers are very popular. Summer ads, on the other hand, revolve around traditional celebrations and festivals. Autumn is usually marked by autumn colours, warmth, leaves and fireworks. Winter ads highlight family gatherings, special moments, luxury, Christmas and New Year celebrations, and even fairy tale scenes.
A typical example of a perfect use of the sakura blossom season is McDonalds' ad promoting its seasonal Sakura Mochi Pie menu.
The Japanese have always had a fascination with anime (cartoons) and manga (cartoons, usually in black and white), which gives advertising creatives a unique space to incorporate fantasy elements. A typical example of a successful combination of animation and celebrity is a GMO commercial featuring the famous actress Nozomi Sasaki:
However, what does not work with the Japanese and can even outrage them is a sexual subtext. Unlike Czechs, they perceive it even where our people do not see anything inappropriate. For example, according to the iDNES server, the Japanese were outraged by an advertisement promoting tourism in Miyagi Prefecture. They were reportedly bothered by the sexual subtext, which they saw in the caressing of an animated turtle and in the depiction of a detail of the lips of the model Dan Mitsu. People complained to the local government and called for the spot to be banned. Different region, different morals.
Fascinating country, fascinating ads
Finally, let's take a look at the ad that took home the Silver Lion at Cannes Lions 2023:
Three facts about the japanese advertising market to conclude
As a country with a unique blend of tradition and innovation, Japan is a fascinating place that offers a huge advertising market. Figures from statista.com confirm this:
- TV advertising spending in Japan will amount to about JPY 1.84 trillion in 2021.
- The top company with the highest advertising expenditure in Japan in 2021 was Sony with 260 billion Japanese yen. It was followed by Nissan, with Aeon in third place.
- The most famous corporate mascots in 2021 were Peko-chan and Poko-chan - the mascots of confectionery company Fujiya - with 89%, according to a survey conducted by the Nippon Research Center. Peko-chan first appeared as a design on candy packaging in 1950, later joined by her boyfriend Poko-chan.
And where do we look next?
The next stop on our round-the-world tour will be the country that is home to the world's biggest film industry - Bollywood. A country where more than 2,000 ethnic groups coexist. Where even today, the vast majority of weddings are still arranged by parents, although, nowadays, engaged couples (with both parents present) can see each other for a while and exchange a few words before the wedding. And the tense atmosphere, which is quite understandable in these moments, then often serves as inspiration for funny TV commercials. Indians clearly have a sense of humour even in serious situations. Brace yourselves. We leave for India in three, two, one...
Sources: lostmediawiki.com, theculturetrip.com, linked-in.com, ajmarketing.io, statista.com
