August 2004
Advertisements have already permeated into every corner of modern society. Furthermore, it is said that the shapes and contents of advertisements are changing with the times.
For example, anything conspicuous is being changed into advertisement media and any media deemed appropriate for advertisements are realigned and merged under the logic of advertisement. Also, there are indications that schemes and methodologies of advertisements are spreading into areas that had not been considered advertisements, such as corporate risk management and information stratagem in international politics.
The immediate challenges facing the advertisement industry are responding to digitalization and adapting to the global standard.
What are the effects that these trends will have on media and journalism, and how will they be associated with one another?
The interviewee at this time is Mr. Yukichi Amano, who launched the monthly “Kokoku-Hihyo (Monthly Advertisement Comment Magazine)” 25 years ago, and has studied the transition of advertisements, at the frontlines of the industry.
Mr. Amano characterizes advertisement as being “one of the fields of journalism,” and says, “All forms of communication are advertisements.”
We will introduce Mr. Amano's take on various issues from the journalistic qualities of advertisements to the relationship between commercialism and journalism, the public nature of advertisements, spindoctoring and journalism, and advertisements in the digital era.