Anime, as a genre of content, has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of viewers in the past few years. Between 2020 and 2022, the demand for anime content rose by a whopping 118%. Popular anime series like "Cowboy Bebop", "Naruto", "One Piece" and "Attack on Titan" have become part of the cultural Zeitgeist of several non-Japanese speaking nations.
But this fandom is just beginning and has started taking shape. The Global Anime market size is expected to grow from the current USD 28 billion to USD 60 billion by 2030.
Considering the enormous demand for anime and its impact worldwide, a number of brands have harnessed it to their benefit by incorporating anime content in their campaigns. These have particularly targeted Gen-Z audiences as a major chunk of anime fans fall in this category.
From global giants like McDonald’s and Taco Bell to automobile brands like Nissan and Acura, brands across categories have tried their hands at Anime collaborations to capture a wide consumer base.
Duolingo and Crynchyroll's recent collaboration saw the language platform giving its mascot a twist, turning it into a Japanese cartoon character to talk about its offerings.
On the other hand, while launching a new Fine Fragrance Collection, AXE collaborated with artist Lil Baby and created a special new manga titled “Shonen Baby”. People were able to check out this manga by buying an AXE product from that collection.
Magnum tied up with Anime artists and created two stories that emphasize the deep and meaningful pleasure that arises from being true to oneself. These were titled “Konnichiwa” and “Butterfly”.
The theme observed across these Anime commercials includes nostalgia, slice-of-life, companionship, and more.
Here’s a list of brands that have joined hands with Anime to pump up their numbers:
Duolingo x Crunchyroll
IKEA's back-to-college campaign
Acura
Nissan ARIYA
AXE
McDonald's
Taco Bell
YT IZZO
Magnum