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 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 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 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.
