Advertiser acculturation in Japan: examples from foreign actors

Recent work on advertising acculturation suggests that ad agencies have changed their messages in order to appeal to immigrants. The following inquiry turns the tables and looks at how the role of foreign actors has been adapted in a country with a relatively homogeneous population. Specifically, how adaptive is the Japanese advertising industry? Has the behaviour of foreign actors been adapted to reflect Japanese culture? Using Duncan’s categories of the non verbal communication, the mannerisms of foreign actors are examined. The results suggest that acculturation is occurring at some level; however, the inclusion of stereo typical materials suggests some retention of foreign identity.