This is an advertisement for AT&T mobile phone network. The signifier is an image of two painted hands holding up an AT&T phone with the captions "Best coverage worldwide" and "More phones that work in more than 200 countries, like Japan." The hands are painted like Koi fish which originally came from Central Europe and Asia and now are strongly associated specifically with China, Japan, and Japanese Koi ponds. Koi fish also often connote good fortune, success and prosperity. These connotations serve to uphold the image this phone company is trying to make for itself: successful, reliable, etc. These signs are also used to denote Japan strictly as an example of their worldwide network coverage.
This is an advertisement for Kubota tractors/work vehicles. The signifier is an image of a large, black and orange construction vehicle full to the brim with Japanese people, clad in blue work outfits, with their faces squished to the glass. This image is paired with a large caption that reads "Jam Packed With Japanese Engineering". A smaller, longer caption informs the reader that the product being sold is special and interesting because it's "Made in Japan" which conveys "trust, quality and engineering excellence". The image is very clean and professional-looking with bright colors. The signs strongly and obviously connote the idea of Japanese excellence in engineering skills and technology in general. The image also uses the indistinguishable amount of 'nameless, faceless' Japanese people to signify 'Japanese-ness' under the product's hood.
This is a Japanese advertisement for a drink called "Max Coffee". The signifiers are two images of a figure in a business suit with a Max Coffee can for a head and large, bright yellow and black comic-block text in the middle. One image of the figure shows him leaping forward expressively with a briefcase in hand. The other shows the figure, with an ID tag clipped to his suit, giving a thumbs up and speech bubble. The bright text and capital English words connote feelings of excitement and energy especially since the only English words are MAX and COFFEE (which we already associate with caffeine and high levels of energy). Even without understanding what's written in Japanese, the audience has a clear understanding that the signs are being used to sell this product through visual representations that it makes the figure eager, raring and ready to go to work.
In your first image the Koi fish definitely bring a different edge to the American company AT&T. I feel Koi ponds have become increasing popular in the US. I have been a place where they breed Koi fish. I feel AT&T take a traditionally Japanese symbol and put it in an ad that Americans and the Japanese can appreciate. For your second image it plays on the stereotype that Japan is over crowded and lacks uniqueness. It contrast this stereotype with a tractor, something you would probably see in a rural, less populated area. Lastly,the coffee ad caters to Japanese culture's like for cartoons and silliness. In America , a lot ads are more serious, but in Japan it seems they are more playful.
ReplyDeleteI think the coffee ad is hilarious. I don't fully understand what the ad says but the coffee is supposed to be rather sweet and I think it's saying you'll get the feeling of drinking a higher quality or more "real" coffee. I've always been interested in the canned coffee culture of Japan. Apparently that Georgia company is a part of Coca Cola of Japan. Their product line MAX also has flavors for different regions in Japan!
ReplyDeleteThe middle image strikes me the most. I find it interesting that they are all crammed into a construction vehicle. The words "jam packed with Japanese engineering". I find it interesting that the advertisement is expressing a sense of "jamness" with an authentic good quality product. It sends out the same vibe as what the culture sees in being a tight knit community. I think for Japanese consumers this ad works. But for a western culture I feel like it can be misconstrued.
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