Report; Materialism

The media play the important role in modern material culture by connecting the industry and the consumer. Japanese material culture began in 1920s and the market is essential, now. The youth market targets the fifteen-year-olds who put importance on the identity. Especially in Japan, the entrance examination stresses them and they need something that makes their identity clear. They create trends for young people using the idea of young people that they must manage in group by having the same products. So, for gain the attention from the teenager, what the market do?

First of all, they research the youth trend by getting close to the younger generation. They use “katakana” method (put katakana name on the product or something, and it is attractive to younger generation). NHK, Hakuhodo Institute of Life, and Dynax use the same method to get close to the younger. Dynax provide the younger generation with the opportunity to get to know someone by the telephone system. Now, the market can get the information from “2ちゃんねる” which is the Internet site, and “mixi” which is kind of blog, and also, 価格.com where we can search the cheap products are used. The Internet is a great resource for marketing.

Secondly, any kinds of information about trends are published. For example, the fashion magazines drive children to buy the cloth by showing the model in fashionable style. Machikomi is kind of this information of trends. Machikomi means collect the trens information by observing the younger people who are in the street. The comic books are very familiar in Japan, so they are sometimes used as the trends creator.

And also, the market creates trends by themselves. For example, making character for the products is common method in Japan. Events for the product selling and using celebrity for CM are famous.

The spread of “kawaii” culture in Japan promote the material culture and this market. Japanese prefer cute cloths than tough or sexy cloths. The kawaii culture shows what Japanese material culture is. They enjoy cute material products in the moratorium span as cuteness makes them released from the responsibility.

So, In Japan, the old method is out-of –fashion now. For example, the exchange diary disappeared, then “mixi” and cell phone e-mail is common in Japan.

What is common between Japan and America is that even though the market uses different method (White said the magazines are not common in America), they target young people by getting close to them. Young people is a great target in this material culture.