Webquest: Big In Japan

Introduction

You are on your lunch-break and decide to go out and get a book, so you walk down the street to your local 'Book Off'. When you get back to the office you see a catalogue lying on your desk thats titled 'Office Again'. You have a flick through and find just what you were looking for, a 'Be-Box' storage box to help you tidy up your desk.

A normal day at the office. But where are you? In which country might you be? Everything seems to be in English, so you must be in an English speaking country, right? But the English looks a little strange doesn't it. You take a moment to think about the meaning of 'Book Off'...hhmmm...well you understand 'book', but why 'off'...you have no idea. Then you look at the 'stationery book'...why is it office 'again'. This is all very strange. And 'enjoy hobby club' on that Be-Box? Where are you? There are only two possible explanations, you are either in a parallel universe or you are in...............Japan.

As you can see in these pictures, English is used a lot for shops and everyday objects in Japan. You see it on signs and notices too. Can you see any mistakes?

English is especially popular in advertising. It is used almost everywhere, from chocolate wrappers to gardening equipment. Many multi-national companies such as Coca-Cola advertise in English. As you can see in the picture below, they also use Japanese-sounding English (or 'Engrish' as it has been called) to sell their product.

Look carefully at the 'Cashew Nuts' picture. Do you see a familiar face? Yes, it's David Beckham on a packet of Meiji Cashew nuts!! And can you see the 'Lux' face cream picture. Isn't that Catherine Zeta Jones lurking in the background? Yes, unbelievable isn't it.

Advertisements containing famous Hollywood movie-stars, pop-singers, sports personalities etc. are very common in Japan. As well as food packaging like this 'print ad', many western celebrities appear in T.V commercials advertising Japanese products.

T.V advertising is a huge industry in Japan, and western culture and icons are worshipped there. So when a japanese company wants to sell a product they get a movie star to appear in their advert, and sales usually rise. It is estimated around 300 T.V. commercials a year include western celebrities.

In this Webquest you are going to find out more about the phenomenon of western celebrities and T.V advertising in Japan....