38.3% of Teen Girls Have an 'Oshi': Over 60% of VTuber Fans Buy Collab GoodsA · FULL TRANSLATION
- A survey finds 38.3% of teenage girls actively support ('oshi') an idol
- Among VTuber fans, over 60% have bought corporate collaboration goods
- For readers: the 'oshi economy' is one of few high-stickiness, high-spend growth segments in Japan
- Brand collaborations with VTubers and idols are an effective path to young consumers' wallets
A survey by Excrie, part of the Cross Marketing group, finds 38.3% of teenage girls in Japan actively support an idol, and over 60% of VTuber fans have bought corporate collaboration goods, pointing to a forming consumer structure, the 'oshi economy.' 'Oshi' means the figure a fan wholeheartedly supports, from traditional idols to VTubers. It matters to brands because it is sticky, high-spend and high-conversion: fans pay for merchandise, collaborations and concert tickets. Against weak overall domestic demand, this emotion-driven spending is one of the few expanding segments. For readers there are two takeaways: in marketing, the high collab-purchase rate shows 'brand x IP x virtual talent' is an effective route to young wallets; in industry, the oshi economy underpins a supply chain of merchandise, licensing, events and payments, a gauge of the creator economy's health. Watch its resilience under price pressure, the ceiling on VTuber monetization, and whether collab fatigue sets in.
Excrie (HQ: Shinjuku, Tokyo; President: Toru Ogasawara), a social and sales promotion company within the Cross Marketing group, surveyed people aged 15 to 69 nationwide. It found 38.3% of teenage girls support ('oshi') an idol, and among VTuber fans, more than 60% have purchased corporate collaboration goods.