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Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
III. Analyzing the
Communication Process
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE 6-1
170
6. Source, Message, and
Channel Factors
Celebrities Sell Out—But Only in Japan
Many American celebrities make huge sums of money
endorsing products and serving as advertising spokespeople.
Other big stars won’t appear in ads because
they don’t want fans to think they’ve sold out. But
many celebrities who resist the temptation to cash in
on their fame in the United States are only too happy
to appear in ads in foreign countries. And nowhere are
ads starring American celebrities more prevalent than
in Japan. Even the rich and famous have trouble saying
no to Japanese advertisers who will pay them between
$1 million and $3 million for a few hours’ work to make
15- to 30-second spots that their Western fans across
the Pacific will never see.
Megastars like Meg Ryan, Brad Pitt, Demi Moore,
and Harrison Ford are paid millions for appearing in
Japanese commercials. Ryan endorses cosmetics and
tea, Pitt appears in ads for canned coffee and blue
jeans, while Demi Moore hawks protein drinks. Ford
received several million dollars for appearing sweaty
and bare-chested in Kirin beer commercials and print
ads. Sometimes celebrities are forced to change their
images or personalities to suit the advertising style of
Japanese companies and the tastes of audiences in
Japan. Japanese commercials have a totally different
feel than those in the United States and Europe and
have often been described as “tacky” or “cheesy” by
Western standards. For example, one ad showed actor
Dennis Hopper sitting in a tub with a rubber ducky to
promote a brand of shampoo and body wash.
There are several reasons why Japanese companies
are willing to shell out huge sums of money for these
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
stars. Many Japanese are fascinated by American culture
and its celebrities, and endorsement of a brand by
a star gives it a certain international cachet. Also,
Japanese advertising emphasizes style and mood
rather than substance; consumers expect to be entertained,
rather than bored by product information or
testimonials. Because most Japanese commercials
last only 15 seconds, advertisers feel that an instantly
recognizable Western celebrity who can capture viewers’
attention is well worth the money. Some movie studios
encourage celebrities to do ads in Japan because
it boosts their visibility and helps the marketing of
their films in Japan and other Asian countries. Advertising
campaigns featuring U.S. celebrities often coincide
with the release of their films in Asia.
While many celebrities are cashing in on endorsement
deals in Japan, they still try to protect their image
at home. The stars commonly have nondisclosure
clauses in their contracts, specifying that the ads cannot
be shown—or sometimes even discussed (oops!)—
outside Japan. However, with the growth of the Internet,
stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger may have to say
hasta la vista to keeping their endorsements secret
and preventing people back home from seeing the
Japanese ads. A small Canadian web company, Zero One
Design, is dedicated to showing U.S. celebrities pitching
products in Japan at www.gaijinagogo.com.
Recently, several celebrities, including Schwarzenegger
and Leonardo DiCaprio, threatened legal action against
the site for showing their commercials, arguing that it
infringed on the star’s intellectual-property rights.
Ironically, the site went from about 500 hits a month to
nearly 4 million in the two weeks following the publicity
surrounding the controversy over the posting of the
commercial Schwarzenegger made for DirecTV in
Japan. Other websites, such as www.klein-dytham.com,
also provide examples of U.S. celebrities who appear in
commercials in Japan but would not be caught dead
endorsing products back home. Celebrities are used to
getting their way, and most want knowledge of their
Japanese endorsements to stay across the Pacific.
Sorry about that.
Sources: Debra Lau, “Movie Stars Moonlight in Japan,” Forbes.com,
Mar. 14, 2001; Kim Lunman, “Arnold Terminates Site Leaking
Foreign TV Ad,” Globetechnology.com, Aug. 11, 2000; Stephen Rae,
“How Celebrities Make Killings on Commercials,” Cosmopolitan,
January 1997, pp. 14, 67.