Streaming titles such as Stranger Things, Emily in Paris and Wednesday outperform the average of all entertainment IPs tested by 30% in converting fans into buyers, according to new research from Dentsu Sports & Entertainment presented at the SEG3 conference in London.
The findings come as Dentsu expands its Fandom Intelligence platform, a tool that matches brands and fan communities based on behavior, values and purchase intent, from Japan, where it has been operating since 2020, to the US, UK, India and Greater China markets.
The December 2025 study behind the platform leveraged more than 21,000 online interviews across four new markets to measure awareness, favorability, and purchase intent for nearly 200 titles across anime, games, movies, TV, sports, music, and creators. Yoshi Nakano, general manager of Dentsu’s Tokyo Entertainment Business Center, said the platform tracks more than 400 IPs.
Broader research shows that entertainment IP, including superhero titles, action-adventure series, children’s animation, and classic character brands, convert fans into buyers at two to four times the rate of major sports teams and events. In the United States, anime currently ranks alongside the NFL in cultural relevance among Gen Z consumers. In Taiwan, it is the most culturally relevant entertainment category among adults.
Nakano said, “Since 2020, Fandom Intelligence has given Japanese teams an unfair advantage in IP partnership planning, but that advantage is now available to global brands as well. This expansion is about more than just exporting Japanese data. We built new datasets in each launch market and combined them with our years of fandom expertise.”
In his presentation at SEG3, Mr. Nakano explained the underlying partnership philosophy: “Instead of being pulled by an IP, let’s bring it closer to our core values. A short-term surge in purchases is a welcome force, but we need to turn it into long-term fandom.” On the attention economy, he added, “IP collaboration is a way to leverage what your audience is already interested in, and it’s like using algorithms to get your message to your audience.”
“We believe marketing success comes from identifying where cultural momentum is being generated and translating that passion into sustainable brand growth. Today, fandom has become one of the most reliable predictors of long-term brand value,” said Yoshiki Ishihara, chief new business officer at Dentsu.
The Tokyo Entertainment Business Center manages more than 100 branded IP collaborations annually and holds investment positions in more than 60 anime titles. The center will continue to be a center of Japanese IP expertise, with regional distribution handled by local teams in New York, London, Mumbai and Shanghai.
Fandom Intelligence is now available to Dentsu clients in all new launch markets.
