Press Release

Celebrities' Images Survey in China
Top Favorites: Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung;
Takuya Kimura and Noriko Sakai Are Top Japanese Celebrities
- Results for the first "MingXing Survey" summarized -

April 8, 2005

Video Research Ltd. engages in international business with an aim to cope with the globalization of the market. As a part of this international business, it implemented a Celebrities' Images Survey in China, "MingXing　Survey" (implemented in December 2004).

The results of the survey are summarized as follows.

This survey was planned to provide information that can be used as basic data when casting for TV programs and commercials aired in China. It is the Chinese version of the "Celebrities' Images Survey" that we implemented in Japan (starting in 1973, it was implemented every February and August within a 30km radius of the Tokyo metropolitan area). In this survey, we studied the popularity, name recognition and images of 400 celebrities, actors and athletes that appear on TV in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China.

Upon implementing the survey, we formed a partnership with the Shanghai Radio, Film & Television Information Consulting Co., Ltd (SRFTIC).

From the survey results

⇒According to the first "MingXing Survey", the top favorite male celebrity was Andy Lau, and the top favorite female celebrity was Maggie Cheung.

Male celebrity
Andy Lau, an actor of high profile in Asia, mainly in Hong Kong, obtained the top favorite position. He was followed by international action star and film director Jackie Chan with a narrow margin. Chow Yun Fat placed third.
Female celebrity
Maggie Cheung, an actress from Hong Kong, obtained the top position. The second place was obtained by Ruby Lin, an actress and singer from Taiwan, followed by Cecilia Cheung.
Popularity of male celebrities (Total) Popularity of female celebrities (Total)
No.   (%) No.   (%)
1 /Andy Lau 81.1 1 /Maggie Cheung 74.9
2 /Jackie Chan 80.4 2 /Ruby Lin 67.2
3 /Chow Yun Fat 78.8 3 /Cecilia Cheung 66.4
4 /Li Jet 74.2 4 /Gigi, Angie 64.9
5 /Stephen Chow 73.9 5 /Rosamund Kwan 62.8
6 /Jacky Cheung 72.3 6 /Cheng Sau-Man, Sammi 62.3
7 /Yao Ming 69.3 6 /Lydia 62.3
8 /Tony Leung CW 68.1 8 /Andy Lam Yik Lin 62.0
9 /Emil Chau 67.8 9 /Carina Lau 60.3
10 /Zhang Guoli 66.3 9 /Ren´e Liu 60.3

 

⇒When viewing the popularity of Japanese celebrities only, Takuya Kimura and Noriko Sakai obtained the top positions for male and female respectively. Among the Korean celebrities, Cha Tae Hyun and Kim Hee Sun were the top favorites.

Popularity of
Japanese male celebrities		 Popularity of
Japanese female celebrities
No.   (%) No.   (%)
1 /Takuya Kimura 31.8 1 /Noriko Sakai 38.3
Popularity of
Korean male celebrities		 Popularity of
Korean female celebrities
No.   (%) No.   (%)
1 /Cha Tae Hyun 26.2 1 /Kim Hee Sun 39.2

Survey Outline

Surveyed area: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou
Respondents: Males and females ages 15-45
Sampling method: Area sampling based on the population ratio of each metropolitan area
Sample size: 1200 samples in total
Survey period: December 2004
Survey method: Direct visit & face-to-face interview
Surveyed items:

Popularity/name recognition/image evaluation of the celebrity
Consumers' awareness on and involvement with the celebrity, and ads of products in which they are interested

400 celebrities
350 celebrities in Chinese cultural area (175 each of males and females), 50 celebrities in Japan and South Korea (20 males and 30 females)

 

Company profile for Shanghai Radio Film & Television Information Consulting Co., Ltd

Company name: Shanghai Radio, Film & Television Information Consulting Co., Ltd
General Manager: Mr.Zhou Jing
Address: Room1608,No.511 Wei-hai Rd. Shanghai,P.R.C
Founded: 1996 (100% owned subsidiary of Shanghai Media Group)
Descriptions of business: Media survey, various ad-hoc surveys