論文

Types of Products and Appeals inJapanese Advertisements of the 1990s and 2000s
Michiko Yamada(Faculty of International Communication, Aichi University)

Abstract
A total of 240 Japanese commercials from the 1990s and 2000s were collected, and the typesof product they endorsed and their informational and emotional appeals were examined. A hundred
and twenty TV commercials each from 1996 and 2006 were recorded and analyzed to determine how
informational or emotional appeals were. Results showed that some product advertisements including
those related to image improvements, and alcohol/cigarettes, were seen significantly more often in the
1990s than in the 2000s. Informational appeals of price, new ideas/models, and nutrition, appeared
significantly more frequently in the 1990s than in the 2000s. Five kinds of emotional appeals including appeals to the elderly, health, real life, romance, and tradition, were also seen significantly more
frequently in the ads from the 1990s than in those from the 2000s.

Informational and Emotional Appeals

It is believed that these kind of informational

Informational appeals are known forappeals help consumers to make a logical deci-

providing information about a product suchsion when purchasing a product, though having

as price, quality, product performance, andtoo much information may not work well, sinceresearch (Harmon, Razzouk, and Stern, 1983).

people get bored and stop viewing such material

Royo-Vela (2005) summarized the studies of(Elpers, Wedel, and Pieters, 2003).

Puto and Wells (1984), and Puto and Hoyer

While informational appeals focus on in-(1990). Additionally, Royo-Vela summed up

formation about a product, emotional appeals

by describing an informational appeal as “thatpromote consumers to make emotional, rather

which supplies factual, arguably verifiable in-than rational decisions. They mean to “arouseformation, or logically relevant to the product,a range of feelings in the audience. The aim of

to such an extent that consumers acquire greater

emotional or sentiment advertising is to trigger

skills in the assessment of the product attributes

an emotional response in the receptor when ex-

after viewing this kind of advertisement” (p. 16).

posed to the commercial” (Aaker and Stayman,

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1992, cited in Royo-Vela, 2005, p. 16) by usingnese advertisements.

visual imagery (Batra and Ray, 1983).
Much of the existing studies have been

Research methodology

comparisons of Japanese advertisements withI examined 10 categories of advertised

those from another country, especially the USA,products in this study: autos, appliances/furni-

therefore, in this literature review section, I

ture, service, image improvement products, en-examined studies that have compared advertise-tertainment/toys, alcohol/cigarettes, household

ments from these two countries. Lin’s (1993)

supplies, medicine, food, and retail.

study showed that Japanese advertisements

Informational appeals are divided into

focus on products’ packaging and availability

twelve categories based on the studies byrather than on price, quality, and performance.

Resnik and Stern (1977) and Stern, Krugman,Nishimura’s (1988) study found that functional-

and Resnik (1981): price, quality, performance,

ity, savings, and safety did not strongly impact

availability, special offers, taste, nutrition, pack-customers, but aesthetic enjoyment, pleasantaging, safety, independent research, company

sensation, curiosity, and relief from restraint

research, and new ideas/models. Two additional

did. Gaumer and Shah (2004) claimed that thecategories – packaging and safety – were notpreference of Japanese advertisements was to

examined in this study, as no commercials in-stress on visual images. Similarly, Akiyama’s

cluded either element.

(1993) study showed that soft-sell approaches

Emotional appeals tended to be centeredof using nonverbal elements such as sceneryon images. The following 11 categories ofand facial expressions were often used in ad-emotional appeals were assumed in this study:

vertisements instead of verbal elements. These

veneration of the elderly and having a highfindings indicate that Japanese advertisementssocial status (Mueller, 1987), harmony withtend to use emotional rather than informational

nature (Wagennar, 1978), humor, tradition, theappeals. However, some studies, such as those

future, romance, drama, fear, health/diet, touch-by Caballero et al. (1986) and Hong, Muder-

ing/warmth, and real-life situations (Hasegawa,risoglu, and Zinkhan (1987), contrarily showed1990).

that Japanese advertisements focused on infor-

Samplemational appeals. Therefore, it is important to

A total of 240 commercials collected by aexamine how different appeals are employed

Japanese person were examined; half of themand determine if there have been any changes

were recorded in 1996 and the other half inover time in the kinds of appeals used in Japa-

2006. In 1996, TV advertisements were ran-

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vol.26, No.1, 2016

domly recorded by her in Tokyo in October andproducts each appeared in fewer than five ads:

November for one and a half months from aentertainment/toys (two ads or 1.7%) and appli-

randomly chosen broadcast channel between 8

ances/furniture, medicine, and retail (one ad or

and 9 pm. The 120 advertisements from 2006

0.8% each).

were randomly chosen from 42 hours of data

A decade later in 2006 (see Table 1), therecorded from April to May between 7 and 10

most frequent ads were those for food (27 ads

pm in Osaka (on the west side of the Japaneseor 25.8%) followed by those for household ap-

mainland) and Tokyo (the east side of the Japa-

pliances (21 ads or 17.5%). Other product ads

nese mainland).

that appeared between 10 and 20 times included
service (18 ads or 15%), auto/parts (16 ads or

Results

13.3%), appliances/furniture (14 ads or 11.7%),

Products shown in advertisements

and medicine (11 ads or 9.2%). Product types

In 1996 (see Table 1), some types ofshown fewer than 10 times in commercials in-product advertisements were seen quite often

cluded entertainment/toys (seven ads or 5.8%),

including household supplies (23 ads or 19.2%

alcohol/cigarettes (four ads or 3.3%), imageof a total): there were also 22 ads each for

improvement (one ad or 0.8%), and retail (oneauto/parts, alcohol/cigarettes, and food (18.3%

ad or 0.8%).

each). Other products appearing in more than 10

Significant differences were found be-

ads included 13 ads each for service and image

tween the ads from the 1990s and the 2000s

improvements (10.8% each). The remaining(see Table 1). Two kinds of ads had significantly

Table 1 Types of Products in Advertisements in 1996 and 2006
1996

2006

Auto/Parts
Appliances/FurnitureService
Image improvement
Entertainment/Toys
Alcohol/Cigarettes
Household supplies
Medicine
Food
Retail22 (18.3%)
1 (0.8%)13 (10.8%)
13 (10.8%)
2 (1.7%)22 (18.3%)
23 (19.2%)
1 (0.8%)22 (18.3%)
1 (0.8%)16 (13.3%)
14 (11.7%)
18 (15%)1 (0.8%)7 (5.8%)4 (3.3%)21 (17.5%)
11 (9.2%)
27 (25.8%)
1 (0.8%)

TOTAL

120

120

*p < .05
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**p < .01

p
**
**
***
**

***p < .001
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vol.26, No.1, 2016

higher numbers in 1996 than in 2006. First,

and 7 in 1996 and 2006, respectively), as c2 (1, nthere were 13 image improvement commercials= 33) = 10.94, p < .01; and nutrition (n = 8 and 1

in 1996 while only one appeared in 2006, as c2

in 1996 and 2006, respectively), as c2 (1, n = 9)

(1, n = 14) = 10.29, p < .01. Second, ads for= 8.33, p < .01. Interestingly, no categories had

alcohol/cigarettes were significantly more fre-significantly higher numbers of informational

quent in 1996 (n = 22) than in 2006 (n = 4) forcues in the 2006 study than in the 1996 one (seec (1, n = 26) = 12.46, p < .001. Conversely, two

Table 2).

products appeared significantly more frequently

Emotional appeals

2in the 2006 commercials than they did in theSome emotional cues were found in sig-

1996 ones: appliances/furniture (n = 1 and 14 innificantly higher numbers in 1996 than in 2006.

1996 and 2006, respectively) for c2 (1, n = 15)

These included appeals involving the: elderly (n= 11.26, p < .01; and medicine (n = 1 and 11 in= 11 and 1 in 1996 and 2006, respectively) as c2

1996 and 2006, respectively) for c2 (1, n = 12)(1, n = 12) = 8.33, p < .01; health (n = 17 and= 8.33, p < .01.

1 in 1996 and 2006, respectively) as c2 (1, n =Informational appeals18) = 14.22, p < .001; real life (n = 52 and 19 in

Significantly more informational appeals

1996 and 2006, respectively) as c2 (1, n = 71) =were used in the 1996 ads than in the 2006 ones

15.34, p < .001; romance (n = 15 and 2 in 1996

in the following three categories: price (n = 12

and 2006, respectively) as c2 (1, n = 17) = 9.94,

and 1 in 1996 and 2006, respectively) as c2 (1, np < .01, and tradition (n = 20 and 1 in 1996 and= 13) = 9.31, p < .01; new ideas/models (n = 26

2006, respectively) as c2 (1, n = 21) = 17.19,

Table 2

Informational appeals in 1996 and 2006
1996

2006

p
**

Price
Performance
Quality
Independent researchCompany research
Availability
New ideas/model
Offer
Nutrition
Taste

12 (7.9%)56 (36.8%)
22 (14.5%)
00
4 (2.6%)26 (17.1%)
6 (3.9%)8 (5.3%)0

1 (0.7%)69 (45.1%)
22 (7%)
3 (2%)
3 (2%)
3 (2%)
7 (4.6%)9 (5.9%)1 (0.7%)
0

TOTAL

152

153

*p < .05
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**p < .01*******p < .001
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Table 3

Emotional Appeals in 1996 and 2006
1996

2006

p

Humor
NatureHealthReal life
FutureDrama
Tradition
Elderly
RomanceWarmFear

25 (15.6%)
4 (2.5%)17 (10.6%)
52 (32.5%)
2 (1.3%)9 (5.63%)
20 (12.5%)
11 (6.9%)
15 (9.3%)5 (3.1%)022 (34.9%)6 (9.5%)
1 (1.6%)
19 (30.2%)
2 (3.3%)4 (6.3%)
1 (1.6%)
1 (1.6%)2 (3.2%)5 (7.9%)
0

TOTAL

160

63

*p < .05**p < .01

***
***

***
**
**

***p < .001

p < .001. As with the informational appeals,

price coming in fourth (Keizai sangyou sho

no emotional cues appeared significantly more

[Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry].

frequently in the 2006 ads than in those from2006). As my study’s data was collected in

1996 (see Table 3).

2006, my findings reflected Japanese consumer
trends of 2006. It is likely that many companies

Discussion

learned what consumers looked for in products

The significant drop in price information
between the 1990s and 2000s commercials may

and addressed the concerns of customers interested in quality rather than price.

indicate that while Japanese consumers were

Regardingnewideas/models,Miura

concerned about price, quality was equally or(2007) stated that Japanese consumers madeeven more important in the 2000s than in thepurchases based on emotion rather than reason.

1990s. In a survey by Nihon Keizai Shimbun

As companies were aware that simply chang-(the Nikkei) (2015) 40% of the respondent con-ing the color and/or design of a product could

sumers cited price as the most important factor

attract consumers’ attention and entice them towhen purchasing a product, whereas aroundbuy the product, they kept creating and selling

25% cited quality. In 2006, quality of product,“new” products one after another, even thoughproduct functionality, and design were found to

the difference in quality of these products may

be the three most important factors influencing

not have been very distinctive.

consumers’ purchase decisions, with product愛知大学情報メディアセンター

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Some emotional appeals were used more
vol.26, No.1, 2016

frequently in the 1990s than in the 2000s, in-as a significant deduction in cigarette/alcohol

cluding elderly, health, real life, romance, andads between 2006 and 1996.

traditions. It is ironical to see significantly lower

Limitations

numbers of ads with the elderly in the 2000s

Both informational and emotional appeals

since Japan has become aging society: one out

were counted only once even if they appearedof five persons in Japan were over 65 in 2005,

more than once in advertisements in this study,

and one out of eight over 75 in 2014, according

as it was done in Franke’s (1996) study. How-

to Soumusyou Toukei Kyoku (Ministry of Inter-

ever, advertisements using only one instance ofnal Affairs and Communications: The Statistics

a given type of appeal might impact customers’

Bureau, the Director-General for Policy Plan-minds differently than those that used that typening, Statistical Standards, and the Statisticalof appeal multiple times; therefore, it is impor-Research and Training Institute, 2005, 2014).

tant to re-examine how frequently each appeal

Thus, Japan started to become concerned about

is used in advertisements. In addition, advertise-

its aging society around 1996, as reflected in thements in this study tended to provide informa-

result of the present study. However, by 2006,

tion about product price in small print in theit had become widely known that Japan was ancorner of the screen instead of through verbal

aging society, and as a consequence, advertise-narration. Thus, it is important to pay attention

ments did not necessarily have to reiterate this.

to how each piece of information is presented in

Liquor sales peaked in 1996 but constantly

advertisements.

diminished in the following years (Minakata,

It would also be useful to examine differ-2010). In the 2000s, Kosei rodo-sho (The Min-

ences in advertising strategy by product. Seitz

istry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 2008) at-and Handojo (1997) and Seitz and Johar (1993)

tempted to improve Japanese health by urging

found that perfume ads employed the same or

reduce liquor intake. This policy may have been

similar strategies in ads even in different coun-reflected on the significant decrease in liquor

tries. Their study found that cosmetics ads took

ads from the 1990s to the 2000s, as seen in myneither a globalized nor localized approach;research. Nihon Tabako kyoukai (The Tobacco

instead they fell somewhere in between. Thus,

Institute of Japan, 2015) indicated that while

it would be important to examine the strategic

approximately 3.5 million boxes of cigarettes

differences used for different products. Fur-

were sold in 1996, this figure dropped to aroundthermore, while my survey did not intend to

2.7 million in 2006. Thus, the decrease of ciga-

examine customers’ characteristics, personal

rette consumption was reflected in my researchdifferences have been found to affect the per-

愛知大学情報メディアセンター

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vol.26, No.1, 2016

ception of ads (Krolikowska & Kuenzel, 2008;

about affect. Advances in Consumer Research,

Moore & Harris, 1996; Moore, Harris, & Chen,

10, 543–548.

1995; Obermiller, Spangenberg, & MacLach-

Caballero, M. J., Madden, C. S., & Matsukubo, S.

lan, 1995; Ruitz & Sicilia, 2004). Thus, it would(1986). Analysis of information content in U.S.

be important to examine customers’ personaland Japanese magazine advertising. Journal ofcharacteristics in future research. In addition,

advertising, 15 (3), 38–45.

the location of the airing of an ad and theElpers, J. L. C. M. W., Wedel, M.,& Pieters, R. G. M.

product’s characteristics (Ramarapu, Timmer-(2003). Why do consumers stop viewing televi-man, & Ramarapu, 1999) should be examinedsion commercials? Two experiments on thein the future. Furthermore, I noticed that the

influence of moment-to-moment entertainment

car ads were commonly the commercials withand information value. Journal of Marketing

emotional appeals in the 2000s, and they rarely

Research, 40, 437–453.

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Gaumer, C. & Shah, A. (2004). Television advertis-

Thus, it would be useful to analyze the quality

ing and child consumer: Different strategies forof emotional appeals in advertisements.

U.S., and Japanese marketers. The Coastal Business Journal, 3 (1), 26–35.
Harmon, R. R., Razzouk, N. Y., & Stern, B. L. (1983).

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