Kensho for Haru15

[Akinomaki 40,053]

The basho had 1374 kensho, 208 more than last year.

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/03/22/kiji/K20150322010031340.html

kensho scene for day 8 M4w Tochinoshin (5-3) hatakikomi Y1w Harumafuji (6-2)

[WAKATAKE 2,644]

My understanding is that sumo popularity was very high during the Taka-Waka-Akebono era, but the kensho during that time is not as high as compared to recent years. In the last ten years we have had Asashoryu, and then transitioned to Hakuho. Perhaps the increase in kensho handed could also be attributed to an increased number of sponsors actually putting kensho forward for the matches? And how is it that a company like Nagatanien will put up five kensho for one match? Is that for each different product that they sell?

[Gurowake 4,016]

I may be wrong, but when multiple kensho are bought for the same match, the banners are brought out together and in a certain order to present whatever image that they end up wanting to advertize. It's not about different products to pitch, but having more space in the parade that people might notice your name and brand with closely packed style-matching banners that combine to form a cohesive message. Most advertizing is about selling an image more than selling a product.

[Akinomaki 40,053]

Some firms have different kensho banners shown together in one parade, some all the same. Some have different slogans for different products announced with their company name, some have the same slogan repeated several times by the hall announcer.

Nagatanien seems to have the same design in their banners and mostly several different types of o-chazuke get announced.

[Tsubame 359]

My understanding is that sumo popularity was very high during the Taka-Waka-Akebono era, but the kensho during that time is not as high as compared to recent years.

I may remeber wrong, but I think that in these former days the number of kenshos per bout was smaller than today. If I remeber correct in the era of Taka-Waka the maximum was 30 kenshos. Nowadays it's 50. So it is hard to compare the absolut numbers over the years.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Tsubame

[Asashosakari 18,968]

The maximum allowed doesn't have much bearing on the total number though, considering only very few bouts ever get even 30 kensho. I think kensho are just perceived as a more worthwhile advertising vehicle than 20 years ago, though I'm also unclear on the reasons for that.

[krindel 671]

The maximum allowed doesn't have much bearing on the total number though, considering only very few bouts ever get even 30 kensho. I think kensho are just perceived as a more worthwhile advertising vehicle than 20 years ago, though I'm also unclear on the reasons for that.

Without direct knowledge of the Japanese media, and drawing parallels to other advertisements on media and sporting events, I would assume that kensho are a better advertisement today, simply because you don't only get advertised to the people who see the kensho, but also through the various channels that reproduce the kensho information.

The parallel I am thinking of is other performance events. Sponsoring such an event (like a theater production, or a prize fight) is no longer just about having your banners fly at the event, its also has the added value of having your name associated as a sponsor with internet mentions of the event as well. This was not the case 20 years ago, and hence, sponsoring events is considered a more viable advertising option nowadays.

Like I said, I don't know how much coverage kensho advertisers get from the Japanese media in this sense, but its possible that there is a similar kind of thinking involved.

[Akinomaki 40,053]

Could be that nowadays the sponsored rikishi are more active and effective in promoting the company. Making a CM automatically means fixed kensho for the rikishi. The restrictions on CM appearances might have put kensho numbers down during the Waka-Taka era. The present rikishi do PR for their sponsors much more liberally than in the past.

Goeido working as shop manager, Kakuryu as health promoter and of course the Endo and Ichinojo CMs - Hakuho does a whole load of CMs for different firms.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,053]

I don't know how much coverage kensho advertisers get from the Japanese media in this sense, but its possible that there is a similar kind of thinking involved.

The actual kensho parades are only fully shown on the NSK stream, NHK mostly only gives an overview to see how many are on the bout. The announcement is barely recognizable on NHK, but can clearly be understood on the NSK stream.

The number of people actually seeing and hearing those "CMs" are therefore much bigger presently - in the past it basically was limited to the spectators in the hall.

New kensho sponsors are announced in the media to quite some extent - I post those articles always in the kensho threads.

Commercial activities of the rikishi related to kensho I also post frequently on the "Rikishi extra activities" thread.

[Irakusamaru 77]

Are there restrictions on who can buy a kensho banner? I know Paul McCartney advertised one of his albums via kensho, but I presume they'd frown on someone proposing to their SO via kensho.

[Shitamachi 21]

The basho had 1374 kensho, 208 more than last year.

Yes, but in dollar terms, 2012 was still much more impressive as a year (not that most rikishi are overly concerned with the USDJPY rate)