Dentsu Study: Streaming IPs Convert Fans 30% Above Average
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- Dentsu's Fandom Intelligence study found that streaming titles including "Stranger Things," "Emily in Paris" and "Wednesday" outperform the average across all entertainment IP by 30% when converting fans into buyers, per findings released at the SEG3 conference in London.
- The December 2025 research drew on more than 21,000 online interviews across the U.S., U.K., India, and Greater China, measuring awareness, likeability, and purchase intent for approximately 200 titles spanning anime, gaming, film, television, sports, music, and creators.
- Dentsu is expanding Fandom Intelligence — a platform for matching brands with fan communities based on behavior, values, and purchase intent — from Japan, where it has operated since 2020, to four new global markets, with regional delivery handled by teams in New York, London, Mumbai, and Shanghai.
- Nakano Yoshi, general manager of dentsu's Entertainment Business Center in Tokyo, said the platform tracks more than 400 IPs, manages 100+ brand-IP collaborations annually, and holds investment positions in 60+ anime titles.
- Entertainment IP converts fans to buyers at two to four times the rate of major sports teams and events; in the U.S., anime now ranks alongside the NFL on cultural relevance among Gen Z consumers, and in Taiwan, it is the most culturally relevant entertainment category among adults.
- Ishihara Yoshiki, dentsu's chief new ventures officer, said fandom has become "one of the most reliable predictors of long-term brand value," while Nakano advised brands: "Don't let the IP pull you – get the IP to come to your core value."
Why it matters: Brands in four major markets now have access to a tool that quantifies fandom-to-purchase conversion across 400+ IPs and 21,000 consumer interviews, with dentsu positioning fandom as a top predictor of long-term brand value. For advertisers evaluating IP partnerships, the data suggests anime and streaming franchises deliver 2–4× the buyer conversion of major sports properties.
