Comments

1
My god I miss Japanese commercials - being abroad helps you realize how incredibly uncreative American commercials (and TV for that matter) really is..
2
I have no idea what they're promoting, but that ad was 100 times more interesting than all the ads on American TV combined.
3
They are singing the "If you're happy and you know it" song, and are advertising hair colouring products. I remember watching that commercial when I lived in Japan.
4
@1: ME TOO, OMG.

Or just walking through Harajuku on any given day is more exciting than most anything you can put together in North America.
5
Some of you may recognize the lead guy as the popular actor who starred in Oscar-winning "Departures". Here's some background info on the ad (Japanese):
http://www.mandom.co.jp/release/2003/src…

I've realized that one of the major things Westerners find "completely weird" about Japanese advertising is the portrayal of male sex appeal. Concepts like male beauty and sensuality are perfectly normal and mainstream in Japan, and the province of all men regardless of sexual orientation. According to the linked press release, the official concept for this hair color ad was "Decadent/Sexy"; caption 6 says "Oh, so sensual!" and 7 is "[moan] Alluring!" Just For Men, it's not.

P.S. You should have heard the NHK Olympics commentary during Johnny Weir's routine (and the moment of stunned silence when the score was announced). Dan Savage would have been proud.

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