Above is another ad about community where McDonalds repositions McNuggets as food meant to be shared. That’s a complete 180 from the US where scarfing down a 10-piece by yourself is the norm—something I’m guilty of doing more than a few times. Notice how there is no frame featuring just a single person, reemphasizing the group environment. Even the clothing within each group are very uniform. (Can’t deny that matching outfits on the twins are adorable.) Collective societies are all about blending in, not sticking out. Compare this to the US where everyone is encouraged to sport their own unique style.
Notice how the environments portrayed in the commercial (school, home, and work) are highly structured in Japan. Each environment has strict rules of engagement and there is little tolerance for those who break the mold, because Japanese culture finds unfamiliarity nerve-wracking. With this commercial, we see how these values translate to advertising messages.
Not everything is so rigid in Japan. The Japanese are famous for outrageous variety shows and a peculiar sense of humor. Sarcasm is signature to American humor; however, it doesn’t bode well with Japanese audiences. They prefer slapstick humor. Don’t believe me — check out this commercial. Exaggerated actions and overall eccentrism is the way to get the Japanese rolling.