SELLING IN JAPAN: Push Those Imports



As Japan wrangles with its trading partners over access to that country's domestic market, the volume of advertising in Japanese consumer magazine

But against the backdrop of a recession that has cut into ad spending generally in Japan, the import ads have risen (though not by a great deal) as a percentage of the medium’s overall ad expenditures. The increase has come largely in women’s magazines, and advertisers in the capacious cosmetics/soap/detergent category accounted for nearly 30% of the import-brand ad outlays last year. The next-largest category, with 17%, was beverage/coffee/tea/confectionary. The top five foreign advertisers in Japanese magazines last year: Chanel, Estee Lauder, Clinique Laboratories, Jardine Wines & Spirits and Parfum C. Dior.
THE RISING SUM
Tracking magazine ads in Japan for imported brands
Value of Import Ads’
Year Import Ads Market Share
(billions) (percent)
1986 Y18.2 10.1%
1987 Y20.3 10.0%
1988 Y25.2 11.0%
1989 Y33.7 12.9%
1990 Y38.5 13.8%
1991 Y38.3 13.9%
1992 Y39.0 14.5%
Copyright Adweek L.P. (1993)