Sold on Gender:How Japanese TV uses gender to How Japanese TV uses gender to sell products, social roles and sell products, social roles and cultural values.cultural values.

Todd Joseph Miles Todd Joseph Miles HoldenHolden

Professor of Mediated Professor of Mediated SociologySociology

Graduate School of Graduate School of International Cultural International Cultural Studies (GSICS)Studies (GSICS)

Tohoku UniversityTohoku UniversitySendai, JapanSendai, Japan

StartersStarters

Consider the Following Consider the Following AdAd

About this AdAbout this AdIn many ways this is a In many ways this is a “typical” ad:“typical” ad:

It is a typical of ads It is a typical of ads that are product centeredthat are product centered

It is typical of gendered It is typical of gendered ads in Japanads in Japan

It is typical of Japanese It is typical of Japanese gender adsgender ads

About this AdAbout this AdA typical product centered A typical product centered adad

Adopting a rhetorical Adopting a rhetorical approach of pre-post (or approach of pre-post (or before and after the before and after the product) product)

About this AdAbout this AdIt is typical of gendered adsIt is typical of gendered ads It presents women in pinkIt presents women in pink It focuses on female touchIt focuses on female touch It undresses womenIt undresses women It “partials” womenIt “partials” women It uses a male as the It uses a male as the

authority to reinforce the authority to reinforce the product message or product message or legitimize the product legitimize the product

About this AdAbout this AdIn is also typical of In is also typical of Japanese gender adsJapanese gender adsunajiunajiIt is typical of Japanese It is typical of Japanese adsadsAnd it is typical of And it is typical of gendered ads in Japangendered ads in JapanThat adopt a rhetorical That adopt a rhetorical approach of pre-post (or approach of pre-post (or before and after the before and after the product) product)

Genderism and Genderism and the Adthe AdIt is also “typical” in other It is also “typical” in other

ways: ways: Specifically, regarding genderSpecifically, regarding genderHere it offers specific Here it offers specific Genderisms:Genderisms:To coin a term by GoffmanTo coin a term by GoffmanAnd, employing Goffman, we would And, employing Goffman, we would point to the:point to the:PartialingPartialingThe use of pink to denote womenThe use of pink to denote womenThe use of a man to serve as authoritative (closing) The use of a man to serve as authoritative (closing) voicevoice

Genderism and the Genderism and the Japanese AdJapanese Ad

My work (Holden 2001) confirming My work (Holden 2001) confirming GoffmanGoffman Showing each of his genderisms in the Showing each of his genderisms in the Japanese contextJapanese context

Feminine touchFeminine touch Subordination to authoritySubordination to authority Family--male removedFamily--male removed

But in TV seeing other aspects:But in TV seeing other aspects:Greater partialingGreater partialingMore sexualizationMore sexualizationMore “female gaze” -- male attraction and More “female gaze” -- male attraction and passivitypassivity

Genderism and the Genderism and the Japanese AdJapanese Ad

My work confirming GoffmanMy work confirming Goffman

About the AdAbout the Ad But what is most noteworthy about this ad But what is most noteworthy about this ad is that it works to naturalize gender in is that it works to naturalize gender in ways that differ from the “cultural ways that differ from the “cultural universals” present in ads in other universals” present in ads in other countries around the worldcountries around the world In short, beyond the feminine touch that Goffman In short, beyond the feminine touch that Goffman foundfound

or the “partialing” that Holden foundor the “partialing” that Holden found Or the male authority that numerous researchers Or the male authority that numerous researchers have varified have varified

There is a set of “genderizations” that recur There is a set of “genderizations” that recur only in specific contextsonly in specific contexts

Thus we find unaji as an importantThus we find unaji as an important

Cultural UniversalsCultural Universals

Versus Local Universals Versus Local Universals What this ad also reveals are “local What this ad also reveals are “local universals” -- genderisms that are present universals” -- genderisms that are present only in the specific contect -- here Japanonly in the specific contect -- here Japan

In particualr, the focus here is on In particualr, the focus here is on “unaji” -- the presentation by women of “unaji” -- the presentation by women of their exposed nape:their exposed nape:

Or in this case, the camera’s attention to Or in this case, the camera’s attention to this part of a woman’s anatomythis part of a woman’s anatomy

This reminds us that genderisms are not This reminds us that genderisms are not all universal; that there are local all universal; that there are local manifestations of significance. That are manifestations of significance. That are repetitive and meaningful. repetitive and meaningful.

About Ads and TV: why About Ads and TV: why this mattersthis matters

Secondary analysis of a study by Michael Prieler (Tohoku University, Doctoral Candidate)

A study of foreign content in Japanese TV commercials

Sample: 4 One-Week periods over the course of one year, 2004-2005

Channels: All private television stations in Sendai, Japan

• TBC (Tohoku Hoso/TBC) • OX (Sendai Hoso/Fuji Terebi) • KHB (Tonihon Hoso/Asahi Terebi) • MMT (Miyagi Terebi/Nihon Terei).

Recorded time: 6.00 a.m. to 2.00 a.m (20 hours per day)

About the Data in this About the Data in this StudyStudy

Due to the high repetition of commercials, it was decided to rotate the recording of the 4 stations, such that:• each channel was recorded daily for 10 hours• in alternating fashion• from 6:00 to 16:00 and from 16:00 to 2:00• using 2 VTRs• recording simultaneously.

About the Data in this About the Data in this StudyStudy

6.00 - 16.00 16.00 - 2.00 6.00 - 16.00 16.00 - 2.00Channel Channel Channel Channel

Monday TBC OX KHB MMTTuesday OX TBC MMT KHBWednesday TBC OX KHB MMTThursday OX TBC MMT KHBFriday TBC OX KHB MMTSaturday OX TBC MMT KHBSunday TBC OX KHB MMT

VTR 2VTR 1

Data CollectionData CollectionFirst Stage of RecordingFirst Stage of Recording

The Complete Data SetThe Complete Data SetRecording

WeekTotal

Recorded Hours

Total Ads Original (Non-

duplicate) Ads

August 23 - August 23 - 29, 200429, 2004

280280 9,79,76969 1,61,68181

October 25 October 25 - 31, 2004- 31, 2004

280280 10,48810,488 1,7901,790

December December 27, 2004 - 27, 2004 - January 2, January 2,

2005 2005

280280 9.4189.418 1,5981,598

April 4 -April 4 -10, 200510, 2005

280280 10,13810,138 1,7121,712

TOTALSTOTALS 1,1201,120 39,81339,813 6,7816,781

Most Broadcast Ads: Most Broadcast Ads: August 23 - 29, 2004August 23 - 29, 2004

Product NProduct Nameame TypeType # of times# of timesToyota HarrierToyota Harrier CarCar 109109Suzuki RR WagonSuzuki RR Wagon CarCar 9999Toyota NetzToyota Netz CarCar 9595Toyota NoahToyota Noah CarCar 9191Sonpo Jishin HokenSonpo Jishin Hoken InsuranceInsurance 8787Daihatsu Latte MoveDaihatsu Latte Move CarCar 7070Hitaten... SuiHitaten... Sui WaterWater 6666House CocoaHouse Cocoa Cocoa Cocoa

DrinkDrink6464

House Kare du ChefHouse Kare du Chef Curry Curry 6464Morinaga Oishi GynyuMorinaga Oishi Gynyu MilkMilk 6464Sekisui HaimuSekisui Haimu HousingHousing 6060Kimono Nihon WasouKimono Nihon Wasou ClothesClothes 5555Mitsukan AjiponMitsukan Ajipon Food SauceFood Sauce 5454

So… if car ads are so So… if car ads are so pervasive…pervasive…

What does a car ad look like?What does a car ad look like? Of course there are many kindsOf course there are many kinds But among the common types are But among the common types are those that naturalize and/or those that naturalize and/or center women.center women.

SummarySummary A recent Japanese ad presents a helpless husband A recent Japanese ad presents a helpless husband at home caring for his 5 year-old child while his at home caring for his 5 year-old child while his wife is away on a business trip. When she returns, wife is away on a business trip. When she returns, resplendent in blue business suit, she is greeted resplendent in blue business suit, she is greeted by a husband content with his successful laundry by a husband content with his successful laundry chores (aided by the child). The man is decked out chores (aided by the child). The man is decked out in pink. Just like this, Japanese television in pink. Just like this, Japanese television advertising makes extensive use of gender to sell advertising makes extensive use of gender to sell product. In so doing, ads send powerful, socially product. In so doing, ads send powerful, socially re/productive messages concerning (to name a few): re/productive messages concerning (to name a few): autonomy, possibility, competency, domain, role, autonomy, possibility, competency, domain, role, and sexuality. Moreover, as the example above and sexuality. Moreover, as the example above suggests, ads are not averse to reflecting suggests, ads are not averse to reflecting contemporary societal trends, for instance the contemporary societal trends, for instance the changing composition of the workforce and parental changing composition of the workforce and parental responsibilities.responsibilities.

SummarySummary Drawing on a sample of 6,000 ads, systematically Drawing on a sample of 6,000 ads, systematically collected in 2004-05, and supplemented by samples collected in 2004-05, and supplemented by samples accumulated over the past decade, this paper accumulated over the past decade, this paper employs qualitative content analysis, detailing the employs qualitative content analysis, detailing the various ways Japanese advertising sells conceptions various ways Japanese advertising sells conceptions of gender. Drawing on previous published work (e.g. of gender. Drawing on previous published work (e.g. Holden 1999, 2001), it documents how Japanese ads Holden 1999, 2001), it documents how Japanese ads reflect but move beyond Goffman’s (1976) signal reflect but move beyond Goffman’s (1976) signal work. Specifically highlighted is: changing family work. Specifically highlighted is: changing family composition, sex role stereotyping (e.g. Furnham composition, sex role stereotyping (e.g. Furnham and Mak 1999; Milner and Collins 2000), power and Mak 1999; Milner and Collins 2000), power dynamics between men and women (e.g. Rudman and dynamics between men and women (e.g. Rudman and Verdi 1993) , the “erotic spectacle” (Frith and Verdi 1993) , the “erotic spectacle” (Frith and Mueller 2003) or endemic sexualization – Mueller 2003) or endemic sexualization – particularly of females (Reid et al. 1984; Reichert particularly of females (Reid et al. 1984; Reichert et al. 1999), the importance of touch (Goffman et al. 1999), the importance of touch (Goffman ibid; cf. Kim 1992), and accretion of affection in ibid; cf. Kim 1992), and accretion of affection in everyday commercial communication.everyday commercial communication.