The Japanese cosmetics market is the second largest in the world and in 2003 was valued at approximately 1.9 trillion yen. The sector is also the largest consumer of advertising in Japan (receipts exceeding 35m yen in 2003). Despite its size and significance, research in this area is somewhat scant. To bridge the gap, our research reports the findings of an investigation designed to explore the impact of cosmetics advertising on female Japanese consumers. Our findings reveal that despite their frequent usage in ads, celebrities fail to influence purchase decisions. Specific reference groups, including experts, friends, and female family members have varying degrees of influence. However, the sample of female Japanese respondents appears to be unconvinced when such reference sources are adopted in advertising. There was some preference for western brands and music, but not models. Magazines represent the most suitable media for influencing Japanese women, while TV is less effective -despite its relatively high cost.
