Recently, we’ve seen more and more companies utilizing anime for promotional campaigns across a variety of settings. Many people who are thinking, “I’d like to use anime for our company too,” tend to first consider whether they can collaborate with other companies.
However, there are actually some important points to keep in mind when planning tie-in promotions with other companies.
In this article, we’ll explain the key considerations for tie-ins with existing anime series.
Partnership promotions as a marketing strategy
One type of promotional strategy that leverages anime is known as a “collaborative promotion.” This approach not only increases brand awareness among existing customers but also reaches the fans of the partner brand. Furthermore, by partnering with popular, buzzworthy titles, the campaign may garner media coverage.
Example of partnership promotion: “Demon Slayer” × “Dydo Drinco”
Source: (Daido Group Holdings) “Daido Blend × Demon Slayer: Double Chance with the Demon Slayer Can!!”
This is an example of canned coffee produced in collaboration with the popular anime “Demon Slayer.” According to Sankei News, the following survey results have been released.
- The product was purchased by a demographic different from the usual buyers
- Although some products were vending machine exclusives, they were also purchased by people who do not typically buy beverages from vending machines
As such, it appears the product has reached a demographic that had previously been out of reach.
Benefits of partnering with anime productions
Fosters a sense of familiarity among users
Collaborating with an anime typically involves using the characters that appear in it. Utilizing an anime—that is, using its characters—has the advantage of making it easier for consumers to feel a connection to the brand.
For example, let’s consider the earlier example of the Dydo Drinco × “Demon Slayer” collaboration. While men in their 30s to 50s are typically considered the main target audience for canned coffee, partnering with “Demon Slayer”—which enjoys support across a wide range of age groups, including elementary and junior high school students as well as homemakers—can encourage purchases among audiences beyond men in their 30s to 50s.
Effectively communicates the features of your service or product
When characters from an anime explain the benefits of products or services that are difficult to describe or convey, this serves as a tool for communicating with consumers and makes the product or service more approachable. Furthermore, the nature of “animated videos” offers the following advantages:
- Highlighting users' concerns and challenges to elicit empathy
- Convincing the target audience that the product or service offers them personal benefits
- Clearly illustrating scenarios in which the product or service is used
Beyond partnerships, consider commissioning your own animations
However, tie-in promotions with existing anime series do not come without their drawbacks.
- The more popular the anime, the higher the costs associated with the partnership
- Obtaining permissions can be a hassle
- There is also a risk of damaging your brand with some partnerships
These are some of the disadvantages.
Furthermore, if you wish to conduct a tie-in promotion, you must find characters that align with your company’s services or products. If you do not partner with characters that have a high degree of compatibility—such as those sharing the same background or target audience—the connection between your service or product and the anime may be unclear, or the anime’s image may seem mismatched, potentially leading to brand damage.
If you wish to collaborate with an existing anime, consider potential partners while keeping in mind the characters’ personalities and the corporate image you want to convey to users.
Entrusting animation production to professionals
When considering a promotional campaign using animation, the first step is to solidify your vision for the animation and refine the concept. However, if you’re not familiar with the production process, coming up with a concept on your own can be challenging. Plus, since you’re investing in this, you’ll want to ensure your promotion is effective.
That’s why we recommend “voiPic,” a service operated by NOKID Co., Ltd. NOKID is a content production company specializing in illustration-style content, with a strong track record in animation production and a reputation for delivering quality that exceeds its price point.
Furthermore, because they have a large pool of creators, they’ve established a system capable of producing a wide variety of animations. This allows for end-to-end production—from scenario design and character planning for labor-intensive content like animations to the final delivery.
In addition to animation production, the service offers support from planning to distribution, taking into account the potential for IP (intellectual property) business development for the characters featured in the animations.
Marketing Perspective in Japan: Beyond Just Creation
NOKID provides creative planning and production for PR using characters, events, and video content. Effective videos balance business and creative perspectives, e.g., short clips optimized for TikTok, designed to capture attention in the first 2–3 seconds.
For first-time animation or PR-focused content, feel free to consult with us.
