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, Nippon Television (NTV) began regular broadcasting as Japan's first commercial TV station, and Japan's first television commercial aired the same day. The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (Minporen) established the day in 2005. It is a day to take a fresh look at the role of TV commercials, which pack their ideas into just a few dozen seconds.

Japan's First TV Commercial: Seikosha's Time Signal

Japan's first TV commercial is also remembered for the mishap that struck right at the start.

• A noon time-signal ad: The first commercial was a time signal from Hattori Tokeiten (today's Seiko Group), announcing, "Seikosha's clock tells you it is noon."
• Film loaded backwards, stopped after 3 seconds: It was meant to be a 30-second spot, but the film had been loaded backwards and the sound was unclear, so it was reportedly stopped after only about 3 seconds.
• The same day broadcasting began: NTV began regular broadcasting at 11:20 a.m. -- about six months after NHK started television broadcasting on February 1 of the same year.

How TV Commercials Work

Commercial TV stations produce and air their programs using advertising revenue from commercials. That is why viewers can watch commercial channels without paying a reception fee.

• Time spots and spot ads: Ads aired as a program's sponsor are called "time CMs," while ads placed between programs are called "spot CMs."
• 15 and 30 seconds: Japanese TV commercials are typically 15 or 30 seconds long.

Fun Facts About TV Commercials

• Rules on commercial volume: In response to viewers' complaints about commercials sounding louder than programs, Japanese commercial broadcasters have used a standard since 2012 that evens out perceived loudness.
• Subliminal techniques banned: "Subliminal" techniques -- flashing images or text too briefly to be consciously noticed -- are prohibited under Minporen's broadcasting standards.
• The era of street TVs: When broadcasting began, TV sets were very expensive and rarely found in homes. People gathered around street TVs in front of stations and in parks, cheering on pro wrestling and other broadcasts.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Watch a few commercials you usually tune out, paying attention to their catchphrases and structure
• Talk with family or coworkers about the commercials you remember from years ago
• Ask yourself, "How would I introduce my work in 15 seconds?" and narrow down your message
• Since Japan's first commercial was a clock's time signal, take a look at the clocks around you

Putting a Message Into a Few Seconds

August 28th is a day to look back on the history of Japanese TV commercials, which began in 1953. The very first one started with an unexpected mistake -- film loaded backwards -- but TV commercials went on to develop into a way of conveying products and ideas in a short time. Today, why not bring that same knack for saying what matters in limited time to your own work?