Pantene in Japan Launches New Advertising Campaign Called "#Freedom in Job-Hunting," Leveraging Real Intentions of 1,000 University Students

- Also Addressing Societal Norm of Japanese Women Having Same Hairstyle during Job-Hunting; All Real Intentions Put into Mosaic Art and Showcased at Newspaper and Station Ads, Becoming Huge Discussion among Japanese Society

KOBE, Japan, Oct. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pantene in Japan, a hair-care brand established in 1945 by Procter & Gamble (P&G) Japan K.K., has launched an advertising campaign to encourage students to show what they really are with confidence in job-hunting activities -- the first such campaign in Japan. The campaign has been triggered by the outcome of a survey showing 1,000 university students' real intentions about job hunting.

Pantene in Japan, which has helped women create beautiful hairstyles, has learned from the survey that Japanese women face a serious challenge regarding their hairstyles. In Japan, there are regulations on hairstyles and dress standards for various occasions. The public tends to judge people by their appearances such as their clothes and hairstyles. Moreover, Japanese people are apt to avoid being out of place by following such rules, which is a customary practice deep rooted in Japan's culture.

Such a strange custom of valuing uniformity is clearly reflected in Japanese students' job-hunting activities. In particular, women tend to adopt standardized styles of clothes and hairstyles during job interviews. Specifically, they typically adjust their skirts to be of the same length as those of other students, put their hair together in a ponytail and pull their hair tightly back in accordance with the custom of valuing uniformity. They try to look similar as other applicants and suppress their individuality.

According to the survey, 81% of the respondents compromised themselves to appeal to employers during job interviews, and 70% were dissatisfied with the way they were dressed and their hairstyles for job interviews. The survey showed that many of the respondents hid the natural beauty of their own hair during job interviews. At the same time, 71% of companies that were also covered by the survey agree to the idea that applicants should show their individuality during job interviews through the way they are dressed as well as their hairstyles, highlighting a perception gap between companies and students.

In response to the outcome of the survey, Pantene in Japan launched the advertising campaign -- based on its philosophy of encouraging women to take a step forward by helping make their hair beautiful -- to inspire as many job-hunting students as possible to be active in their own fields with confidence while more freely showing what they really are than before. The advertisement is carried on newspapers and at railway stations, including on hanging straps on trains, while its video version can be viewed on the YouTube.

Pantene in Japan is determined to support women's aspirations to be active in society by helping make their hair beautiful.

(Photos: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201810108976?p=images)

YouTube: https://youtu.be/fVyK8wR9YY0

Comment from Pantene Japan Brand Manager Yoshiaki Okura

"I feel that people in Japan tend to be trapped by stereotypical views on how women should behave, although such a situation has been improving in recent years, and that such views are reflected in students' behavior in their job-hunting activities. Pantene is promoting the advertising campaign to help as many people as possible be active in their own fields while showing what they really are more freely than before by listening to what job-hunting students have to say and sending our message to them. Pantene hopes to help create a society in which both students and companies can work toward their goals while allowing students to show what they really are with confidence, including their clothes and hairstyles."