It's no secret that Japanese TV commercials heavily rely on the use of celebrities both domestic and foreign, or that it's common to see famous faces appearing for multiple brands during the year (often with ads for different companies airing at the same time).
But which performers are most in demand?
According to data compiled by Japan Monitor, amongst male celebrities, singer/actor Takuya Kimura (a.k.a. "Kim Taku") appeared in the most campaigns (10 different brands), while the most oft used female was model/actress/singer "Becky," who starred in ads for 14 companies.
While Kim Taku's affiliation with 10 different brands is impressive, in actuality he tied former pro tennis player Shuzo Matsuoka for first amongst men, and when tallies for both genders were combined, he was matched by five female performers who were featured in 10 TV ads too.
The true runner-up amongst all celebs was TV and film actress Saki Aibu, who showed up in spots for 11 different brands.
