Pokémon Crowned Japan's Top Entertainment Icon in 2024

GEM Partners, a marketing agency, has released the results of a major survey measuring brand reach across seven media platforms in Japan. Pokémon secured the top spot, achieving a remarkable 65,578 points in the annual ranking.

This ranking utilizes a proprietary "reach score," a metric calculating the daily number of individuals engaging with a brand's content across various platforms including apps, games, music, videos, and manga. The monthly survey encompassed 100,000 participants aged 15-69.

Pokémon's dominance is particularly evident in the App Games category, where it garnered an impressive 50,546 points—representing 80% of its overall score. This success is largely attributed to the continued 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 partnership with Mister Donut, and the rising popularity of collectible card games also significantly boosted brand visibility.

The Pokémon Company's 2024 financial report underscores the franchise's robust growth, 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 the Japanese market.

The Pokémon franchise encompasses a wide range of media, including video games, animated shows and films, trading card games, and other related products. The franchise is a joint venture between Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, established under The Pokémon Company in 1998 to manage all aspects of the brand.