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Life in a Japanese company can be tough. For some it can be downright war. And with more and more companies beginning to adopt English into their daily routines, it can be hard for an average salaryman to get ahead or even survive.
Nissin’s Cup Noodle tries to sum it up how the feeling of a typical worker in their advert titled Globalization. Let’s take a look.
The commercial opens with the CEO of Nissin announcing that their company will change their official language to English. The news doesn’t go over well with the employees but they accept their orders.
They then encounter their new boss who begins to unleash a fury of English challenges with cannon balls of “Nice to meet you.” and musket volleys of “How are you?”
Many died on that day as many had only achieved level three on their Eiken English proficiency tests. However, a small but resilient few – the last salarymen if you will – met the onslaught with a heroic counter of “Fain sankyu end u?”
And of course after a hard day’s battle the survivors celebrate with a piping hot Cup Noodle.
Source: YouTube
Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Is Japan Witnessing the Start of a Female-Oriented Instant Noodle Revolution? -- Order in English and Your Coffee is Free at Rosetta Stone’s Language Cafe -- Softbank to Offer Employees Cash Bonuses Based on English Ability
© RocketNews24
15 Comments
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gogogo
That has to be the most racist commercial since the softbank put a monkey as Obama.
hatsoff
Ah, that was just a bit of fun. The Japanese are making fun of themselves and their poor English skills. Why, they even got the subtitles wrong: "What A good pronunciation..."
Erm...that subtitle error WAS meant to be ironic...
...wasn't it?
Raymond Chuang
@hatsoff, I think people are TOTALLY missing the point of the commercial. You are totally correct--it's the Japanese doing self-decreating humour at their limited English skills.
TokyoGas
Hmmm.. Reminds me to visit the Ramen Museum in Yokohama.
Kobuta Chan
Nissin’s Cup Noodle tries to sum it up how the feeling of a typical worker in their advert titled Globalization.
Nissin need to learn how S. Korean Instant Noodle Company NONG SHIM has improving its Instant Noodle taste, Noodle quality and pricing. Honestly, my family only buys grocery which made by Japanese Company and made by Australian Company. We compare taste, noodle quality and pricing between Japanese Company NISSIN, AJINOMOTO and other Japanese Instant Noodle and Korean NONG SHIM's Instant Noodle and then we all voted for S. Korean Company NONG SHIM's Instant Noodle.
Our Japanese Company's Instant Noodle price is over 3 times expensive than their rival S. Korean NONG SHIM' Instant Noodle. NONG SHIM's Instant Noodle 120g package cost 80C but if you bought one box (20Pcs) and then reduce to $ 70. Japanese Instant Noodle cost $ 3.50 - $ 5.00 but Expired package can be bought it for $ 2.50. Also Japanese style Instant Noodle made in Taiwan by Japanese Companies can buy $ 1.50 but taste is not quite right. Also Noodle quality is poor and soup is not good enough.
Korean Instant Noodle quality is very good and soup is tasty. The price is 3 times cheaper than Japanese Instant Noodle price. NONG SHIM Instant Noodle is very popular with Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, other Asian ethnics’ background and non-Asian background. Last night I went to Asian Grocery shop and the price of NONG SHIM Seafood Instant Noodle package increase to $ 1.10. You can see how S. Korean Instant Noodle is popular in here and the price jump 30C to $ 1.10 from $ 80 while Japanese Grocery shops are trying to selling Expired Japanese Instant Noodle stocks. I'm sure S. Korean NONG SHIM Instant Noodle is popular in US, EU and other countries.
If Japanese Companies do not learn what taste non-Japanese peoples like and noodle quality and pricing and then Japanese Foods Companies will be fell behind S. Korean Company like what happening TV and Smartphone market.
Instant Noodle market is very huge market. It is not only in Asia-Pacific but the market is expending to worldwide. The world market for Instant Noodles is forecast to exceed 154 billion packs by the year 2017.
If Japanese Companies want to get more market share in world Instant Noodle and then they need improve noodle quality, taste and price. Promoting their products with English language slogan is good but no one will buy if the noodle quality is poor, taste is not good and expensive. However, I really do not understand about Japanese Company NISSIN changing its official language to English from Japanese to just say “Hello and How are you”. I do not know whether NISSIN has selected wrong person as CEO and not but I must confess it’s very strange.
wtfjapan
yep pretty much sums up salarymen, living in the past, trying to do battle in the future! LOL
Stephen Knight
Hello?? It's JUST A COMMERCIAL. And a pretty funny one, at that.
Serrano
This commercial is funny! Hee hee!
Altruist777
Ahaha, stupid and funny. Which means the commercial served its purpose. Thumbs up.
Ranger_Miffy2
Burst out laughing in a movie theater when this played before the movie. "How are you?" "I'm fine, thank you. And YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU?" Later located a translation of the whole thing. Totally hilarious. Best commercial of 2013!
Jimizo
It's a nice thing to be able to laugh at yourself. Interestingly, some of my Japanese coworkers who are fluent in English didn't see the funny side.
Qamar
Great. I'm laughing at the university lab...laughing too much too!!
CoconutE3
Faster & easier to learn english if Japanese "Romaj english" is abolished in primary & secondary education.
Dennis Bauer
Luckily i work in the counter intelligence department, so i do not have to go out on the battlefield, Hmm this color tie would work best with which ninja suit?
billybegood33
Haha. this was funny! 'How are you? Nice to meet you.' I wonder if this commercial is sending a message though.