With stars' clothing, TV show blurs ad line

OSAKA — An actress starring in a weekly TV drama wrapped up her performance in the first episode Oct. 13 with an unusual plug that sent viewers racing to the television station's Web site.

"I have wonderful news," she said. "You can get the clothes we wore in the drama."

Those who checked out the home page of Kansai Telecasting Corp. in Osaka, which produced and broadcast the program "Real Clothes," did not find any giveaways. They instead were diverted to a mail order site.

The drama is set in the women's clothing section in a department store, where the heroine struggles with work, relationships and fashion, and grows as a person.

This show has been attracting attention because its stars include TV celebrities Karina, Anna Nose and Erena, who are sisters in real life, and Imalu, the daughter of popular comedian Samma Akashiya and his former wife, actress Shinobu Otake.

The show has also been recognized for its unique ploy of marketing to viewers the outfits worn by its actors and actresses via the show's Web site.

Immediately after the end of the first episode, the Web site received about 20,000 hits, crashing the server.

About 350 items, including dresses and necklaces, were sold out.

The Osaka TV station said the actress made the announcement as a service to viewers after there was a flood of inquiries about the clothing that was being worn on the program.

"The purpose of the announcement is to let viewers enjoy the show even more. The program is not aimed at selling merchandise," said an official of the TV station's public relations department.

The TV station's view was echoed by Lucky Shokai, a jewelry maker in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, that provides accessories for the show.

"The characteristic of Japanese people is that they want to put on things that other people have," the jeweler said in a statement.

"We benefit from having our accessories used on the program."

Honoo Tajima, program director of the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan, called the Osaka broadcaster's decision to allow the actress to make the announcement "an attempt aimed at putting digital broadcasting to practical use."

An association guideline asks members not to make programs that can be mistaken as advertisements so viewers won't be confused.

Tajima said he does not see the marketing ploy by the program as crossing the guideline, but the association will continue to monitor how viewers respond to the clothing overture.

But Hiroyoshi Sunakawa, an associate professor at Rikkyo University specializing in media theory, pointed out that television stations have used the merchandise of sponsors as props for programs, but the actress' pitch represents a step further.

It is necessary for the television station to carefully explain the difference between the program and a commercial to avoid confusing viewers, he said, warning that excessive interference by business will mean a loss of confidence in the media.