The Japanese commercial – you’ve got to love it. There is nothing quite like it to captivate, entertain, horrify and leave a typical western consumer with their mouth hanging open and scratching their head … all within a matter of minutes.
For those of you (and I’m sure I’m not alone here) who have found themselves in the wee hours lurking in the ‘weird’ part of the internet, you will know what I’m talking about. But for those who are yet to stumble into this alternate sphere – be warned. Like that Californian hotel made famous by the Eagles, you’ll find you’re fair share of ‘twisted’ and it’s invariably hard to leave.
What is it about the ‘weird’ that attracts audiences and that is so specifically typified by Japanese advertisers? Is it the juxtaposition of characters in situations that make us laugh at the absurd? I challenge you to check out the ad above and refrain from experiencing even mild amusement.
Well Japan you have done it again! You have offered us hours of joy from a single TV commercial. Check out the Calbee Consomme Punch flavored potato chip commercial. It captured a generation with a cute dog and won a global following along the way. Okay. So maybe not ‘cute’ isn’t the best word to describe the dog in this ad, perhaps ‘creepy’ would be a better adjective. This ad was remixed into a gif and became super popular, travelling with increasing momentum through the veins of the internet community.
The Urban Dictionary defines a GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is an image file that is compressed to reduce transfer time. It is a form of computer image that moves as an animation, because it consists of frames, like a movie with no sound.
This GIF is an example of remix culture. Similar to a meme, original content is used to create something that has an entirely different meaning. I, like many others, saw the GIF before knowing it was part of an Japanese advertisement.
As an Advertising student, I find it hard to comprehend how this advertisement would help to sell the product. My research has revealed that the Japanese consumers this campaign is directed at, identify with the advertisement’s mood and tone, rather than the content. The ad makes them feel happy and that's why it works. The same can be said for the many remixes that have evolved from the original amusing clip. GIF's (mostly) makes us happy which is able to cross cultural boundaries and that’s why they work.
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