TV Commercial Day

What Is TV Commercial Day?

Every August 28th is "TV Commercial Day" (テレビCMの日, Terebi CM no Hi) in Japan. On August 28, 1953, at 11:20 a.m., Japan's first commercial television broadcast — and Japan's first television commercial — aired on NTV (Nippon Television), which had launched Japan's first private commercial television station just that day. The commercial was for Seiko (then known as "Seikosha"), advertising its clocks and watches. This 10-second spot marking a clock face launched Japan's television advertising industry, which would grow into one of the world's largest and most creative.

Japan's First TV Commercial

The Seiko clock commercial that aired on NTV's first day of broadcasting was simple by any standard — a clock face with the brand name — but its significance was enormous. It established the template for commercial television in Japan: a broadcasting system funded by advertising revenue, in which commercial breaks supported the provision of entertainment and news programming to viewers at no direct cost. This model, imported from American television, became the foundation of Japan's private broadcasting industry.

Japanese TV Advertising's Golden Age

Japan's television advertising industry grew with extraordinary speed through the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, producing commercials that were often more creative and technically sophisticated than the programs surrounding them. Japanese commercials — particularly those featuring celebrities, elaborate production design, and unexpected narrative twists — developed a distinctive aesthetic recognized internationally. The "CM song" (CMソング, commercial jingle) became a cultural form in its own right, with many jingles outlasting the products they promoted.

Japanese TV Advertising Today

Japan remains one of the world's largest television advertising markets. The television commercial (テレビCM, terebi CM) remains a major medium for reaching Japanese consumers, though digital advertising has grown substantially. Japanese advertising agencies — particularly Dentsu and Hakuhodo — are among the world's largest and have shaped global advertising practice. Japan's advertising culture places particular emphasis on brand image, emotional resonance, and the use of celebrity endorsers (タレント, tarento).

Fun Facts

• Seiko's first commercial: The Seiko clock commercial that launched Japanese TV advertising was 10 seconds long — brevity that reflected both the infant state of the medium and the high cost of airtime on a new broadcasting platform.
• CM Song Hall of Fame: Japan has a de facto "CM Song Hall of Fame" in popular memory — jingles for products like Nissin Cup Noodles, House Vermont Curry, and Suntory Whisky have achieved cultural immortality, remembered decades after first broadcast.