Pokémon Named Japan's Top Entertainment Brand in 2024

A recent survey by marketing agency GEM Partners reveals the top brands in Japan across seven media platforms. Pokémon secured the number one spot, achieving a remarkable reach score of 65,578 points.

This "reach score" is a proprietary metric that calculates the daily number of individuals engaging with a brand's content across various channels, including apps, games, music, videos, and manga. The survey, conducted monthly, sampled 100,000 Japanese residents aged 15 to 69.

Pokémon's dominance stems largely from its App Games category performance, where it garnered 50,546 points—a staggering 80% of its overall score. The enduring popularity of Pokémon GO, coupled with the recent launch of DeNA's Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, significantly contributed to this success. Further bolstering its reach were substantial scores in Home Video (11,619 points) and Video (2,728 points), aided by collaborations like the Mister Donut partnership and the rising popularity of collectible card games.

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

The Pokémon franchise encompasses a wide range of media, including video games, animated shows and films, trading card games, and other merchandise. Managed collaboratively by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures—companies that established The Pokémon Company in 1998—the franchise benefits from a unified approach to brand management.