"Not Chinese"

It didn't use to be like that.

But these days, more and more TV advertisements of Japanese brands are shown in Hong Kong in the Japanese language. Japanese songs or monologues by young Japanese ladies are typically used. The message doesn't seem to be what is being sung or said, as the advertisement producers do not even bother using Chinese subtitles or anything like that, although only a small portion of the Hong Kong population can understand Japanese. The real message, loud and clear, is that the products have a Japanese origin, even though they are not necessarily made in Japan. It is a Japanese feel that the advertisments are trying to create.

What has prompted this advertising ploy? Behind it, there has to be a conviction that the Japanese bloodline is a drawcard, a strong selling point. But there has always been a deep-rooted belief in the consumers' minds that Japanese products represent good quality. Why is there the need for this strong cultural manifestation? My guess, Heaven forbid, is that another message is actually intended - that the product is "not Chinese".

Need I elaborate on what makes products with Chinese associations so slighted or even despised?

So who cares what that Japanese chick says? It sounds good. It feels good. And that's good enough.