Aflac does a good job with Manekinekoduck!
Posted by: kirin on 
Nov 22nd, 2009 | 
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Aflac (American Family Life Assurance Company) is an American insurance company that is successfully increasing its sales in Japan, too. Basically I don’t like TV commercials of any insurance companies, and Aflac was not exceptional. I have negative images on them because sometimes I’m annoyed by their sales pitch phone calls.
As you may have already known it well, duck is often used in a TV commercials of Aflac. In Japan, it has been the same. The duck has been a symbol of Aflac. You can watch several commercials of Aflac in Japan from here.
But recently they released a cute original character named “Manekinekoduck” and I’m in love with this since I got a mascot from some medical seminar that was sponsored by Aflac the other day.
Video is worth a thousand words. There’s Manekinekoduck song available.
Here’s a photo of the mascot I have.
What I am impressed is not only the cuteness of the character or the song, but their effort to compete in Japanese market. I mean, “When in Japan, do as the Japanese do”. That is to say, creating original character or paying for a copyright to collaborate with famous character such as Rilakkuma is inevitable to win more Japanese customers today. Characters are not only for kids or girls. Any aged men or women like to have character goods in Japan.
In fact, Manekinekoduck has already changed my negative image towards insurance company so far, and I do press it several times a day to enjoy its singing. This cute character is awesome. It’s going to brainwash us and someday I may knock on the door of Aflac’s office to join their insurance. :p
Many international companies come and leave Japan. It doesn’t mean their strategy that worked out in the U.S or Europe will do in Japan, too. I can see that Aflac is adjusting to Japanese market now, and I liked that. 
How did you like Manekinekoduck?
(Manekineko= beckoning cat)
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November 22nd, 2009 at 4:13 pm
私は日本に住んでいないのに、ALFACを買いたい！
That song is soooo cute. :3 I can't stop watching it!
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
it is so cute! I love character goods, and I wish in America they had more… I secretly judge companies based on whether I like their ads/commercials and if they have a character…
Also, I think it is easier to remember a company if they have a character mascot! like I remember Geico because they have a Geico Gecko, so it is easy to remember
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:55 pm
LOL.. that'a a nice short video there..
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:42 am
I think you will like this Aflac manekkiduck truck as well http://shibuya246.com/2009/11/14/japan-aflac-merry-xmas/
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:27 am
Ha, I can see what you mean! The song is very cute, as is the Manekineko Duck! How devious of them to get to our hearts like that.
It's interesting since it's an American company and the duck is well known back home in the US… but only as a symbol, not as a cute duck with a life of its own. ^^
That's one thing I miss about Japan – there's a cute character for everything! Even transport cards like ICOCA have their own, easily recognisable figure (he's also really cute!!!).
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:48 am
this is so cuute ~ ! i would probably fall in love with aflac too if i saw this character all the time Dx i actually saw a commercial of this with the ducks while watching live japanese broadcast tv via the keyhole tv software but didnt know what it really was until now xD the kid's voice that sang in the song is really cute too x3 the duck combined with the cat in front of a shrine = manekinekoduck <3 what an ingenious marketing strategy !
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 pm
って思うよね～♪ You know exactly how I feel now!
I cannot stop pressing the mascot to play the song everyday. ^ ^
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
That's true, easy to be remembered! Sometimes I feel there are just too many characters anywhere in Japan and I'm kinda fed up with them, but this one was something special to me. ^ ^
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Thank you. I had no other way to tell you how the Manekinekoduck makes sound. hahaha…
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
That's also cute! Thanks for sharing.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I wonder how non-Japanese people who are not familiar with characters designed for adults would react if they have such commercials in the U.S…
The penguin of east Japan's SUICA is also cute! (http://www.jreast.co.jp/suica/index.html)
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Actually I liked the kid's voice, too!!
And, yes, Aflac looks innocent and cute with their lovely character but they are ingenious and strategic! I think this is Japanese way. They are doing a good job even they are away from home country.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:19 pm
How cute. i WANT ONE!
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