Pokémon Tops Japanese Entertainment Influence Rankings in 2024

A recent GEM Partners survey reveals Pokémon's commanding lead in brand reach across seven major Japanese media platforms. The annual ranking, based on a proprietary "reach score" (daily interactions across apps, games, music, videos, and manga), awarded Pokémon a staggering 65,578 points. The survey sampled 100,000 individuals aged 15-69 monthly.

Pokémon's dominance stemmed largely from its App Games category score of 50,546 points – a remarkable 80% of its total. This success is attributed to the enduring popularity of Pokémon GO and the recent launch of DeNA's Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. Further contributions came from Home Video (11,619 points) and Video (2,728 points) categories. Strategic collaborations, such as the Mister Donut partnership, and the escalating popularity of collectible card games also boosted brand visibility.

The Pokémon Company's 2024 financial report underscores this success, reporting sales of 297.58 billion yen and a gross profit of 152.23 billion yen. These figures solidify Pokémon's position as a leading and rapidly expanding brand within Japan.

The Pokémon franchise encompasses a diverse range of media, including video games, animated shows and films, trading card games, and other related products. Jointly managed by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures since the formation of The Pokémon Company in 1998, the franchise benefits from a highly coordinated brand management strategy.