From magazine inserts to subway posters, Japanese advertisements can be seen almost everywhere once you step inside the country. They have a lot going on with them, with sets for shooting either being minimalist or highly extravagant, but there’s no doubt that the amount of money spent behind this is anything but less. However different the sets might be, almost all advert strategies have one thing in common- celebrity power. It’s almost hard to find an ad that doesn’t feature any celebrity. Nonetheless, this particular strategy has worked perfectly for the Japanese market. Based on a survey, Japanese citizens mentioned wanting to see celebrities in their ads before picturesque sceneries or animals. With that said, here are ten celebrities who endorse brands.
10. Kenichi Endo
Born in 1961, Kenichi Endo is a Japanese actor and writer who has also worked as a narrator for film and television. He is one of the top male celebrities when it comes to having brand endorsements, having almost 12 brands to his name. The villain from Kakurangers is the brand endorser for Pizza Black. Fans of the series appreciated his acting in the video advert and almost considered it as consolation after the character got killed off in the show.
9. Rola
Rola has a multicultural background and comes from a Bangladeshi, Japanese and Russian descent. Her charismatic personality and distinct features like her sharp nose and big eyes have made her one of Japan’s IT girls. She has appeared on multiple magazine covers and has almost 15 brand endorsements to her name. She even has her personal fragrance line called Vasilisa and is known to be the brand ambassador for Louboutin, along with starring in campaigns for Fenty x Puma.
8. Kento Yamazaki
One of the most in-demand actors in Japan right now, Kento Yamazaki, initially started his career as a model for Pichi Lemon. Not only is his acting career a huge success, but his modelling career is also not far behind, having endorsed almost nine brands. Out of all his brand endorsements, his most popular one is the advertising model for Armani Exchange, where he was the face of their Spring-Summer Campaign for 2020.
7. Masaki Aiba
A former member of the band Arashi, Masaki Aiba is a Japanese idol, singer, actor, media personality, and radio host. The group has been on hiatus for two years now, but that doesn’t mean their schedules are any less busy. Aiba, along with his other members, has endorsed international industry giants like Hitachi and Nissan and even other smaller companies like Kirin Beer.
6. Kasumi Arimura
As one of Japan’s most popular and versatile actresses, Kasumi Arimura has several awards and accolades to her name. Holding such an essential presence in the Japanese movie industry, it is no wonder that she has endorsed quite a few brands, almost 11 in number. She was most recently appointed as the brand ambassador for the global skincare company SK-II, where she used her flawless skin to boost the company’s sales!
5. Jun Matsumoto
Another member of the boy band Arashi to feature on this list, Matsumoto, is also an accomplished actor, radio host, dancer and model. He has endorsed several brands in his lifetime, more than 10, and to name a few would be- Nintendo, Japan Kentucky Fried Chicken, Kirin Brewery Tanrei Green Label, etc. However, his most popular endorsement would be for Meiji Chocolate, where he currently appears as the official image character for their famous milk chocolate.
4. Haruka Asaye
Haruka Asaye has been in the limelight for quite some time now. Starting her career as a gravure model, she became one of the leading actresses in the Japanese entertainment industry. With global popularity and an increasing fanbase, her paycheck is also up to the mark. Not only does acting contribute to her net worth, but also brand endorsement with Japanese companies like UNIQLO, SK-II, KFC, Kikkomans Noodles, and Coca-Cola add a good amount to it.
3. Nana Komatsu
Japanese model and actress Nana Komatsu is known for her roles in Destruction Babies and The World of Kanako. She has won numerous awards, including the prestigious 38th Japan Academy Film Prize. In 2015 she was chosen to be the House Ambassador for Chanel. Since then, she has endorsed several brands, her most recent one being for Shiseido’s sunscreen brand Anessa.
2. Suzu Hirose
Born in 1998, Hirose is regarded to be one of the most promising Japanese actresses of her generation. She debuted in the entertainment industry as a model for the fashion magazine Seventeen. She has consistently been voted for being the celebrity with the most endorsements, having almost 14 to her name. Not only is she the brand ambassador for the luxury brand Louis Vuitton, but also for other brands like Crocs.
1. Daigo Umehara
The last celebrity on this list is the only one not to have acting or modelling as a career. Daigo Umehara made a career out of playing video games, specializing in 2D arcade fighting games. He holds a Guinness World Record for being “the most successful player in major tournaments of Street Fighter”. He became Twitch’s (a live-streaming service) first Global Ambassador after joining forces with Red Bull. He also has several endorsements to his name, most popularly being that of HyperX headsets.
