Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Advertising 英語コミュニケーション学科
2021年10月23日
ゼミ/授業名：Germainゼミ
October is "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" in many countries around the world, including Japan. In my 2nd year zemi, we used this opportunity to study the way different countries use advertising to increase awareness about breast cancer. The symbol of breast cancer awareness is the pink ribbon. Many adverts feature this symbol, as well as using pink as a dominant colour. Japanese adverts often feature drawings or sketches, whereas western adverts use photographs. Japanese adverts also tend to have a lot of information, with long texts, and a soft approach to message communication.
On the other hand, many western adverts rely on simple but powerful messages, designed to shock women into understanding the risks, and performing regular self-checks.
The different ways Japan and western countries approach breast cancer awareness is probably linked to the urgency of the risk represented by breast cancer in these countries. Breast cancer survival rates in Japan are about twice those of the US and Europe (Tsugane, 2020). However, changes in diets and lifestyle are causing the number of cases in Japan to increase, which could lead to more powerful advertising campaigns being needed to improve breast cancer awareness.
Reference:
Tsugane, S. (2020). Why has Japan become the world's most long-lived country: insights from a food and nutrition perspective. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 75(6), 921-928.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-0677-5
Images:
Dugade, Y. (2009). Breast cancer knows no age [Illustration]. Cancer Foundation Of India Breast Cancer Awareness.
http://www.adeevee.com/2009/11/cancer-foundation-of-india-breast-cancer-awareness-22-36-outdoor/
Tsushima, Y. (2019). # 乳がん検診行ってきた [Illustration]
https://www.pinkribbonfestival.jp/history_design_award/
担当教員：Germain Mesureur
Using Advertising (広告), and the language of adverts and CMs, to learn English, understand other societies and the ways advertising influences them and us. My main focus is on the representation of gender in advertising, and how that affects men and women's perception of themselves and others.