Index
1. The Launch of India Marketing Office
India today has the largest population in the world, serving as a vibrant home to hundreds of languages and diverse cultures. It’s in this dynamic environment that we have begun an ambitious new chapter for Pokémon.
The Pokémon Company first entered the Indian market in 2013. Since then, we have steadily increased the broadcast frequency of the “Pokémon” TV anime series while also gradually increasing our lineup of available character merchandise.
A decade later, in 2023, India’s population surpassed China’s to become the world’s largest. Anticipating incredible market growth, we officially established our India Marketing Office.
2. New Pokémon Anime Captivates Indian Audiences
In 2024, we reached a major turning point with the new Pokémon TV anime series. To resonate with Indian viewers, we commissioned renowned Indian composers Vishal and Shekhar to produce the theme music. We also collaborated with talented singers Armaan Malik and Shirley Setia to perform the opening and ending songs.
The premiere of the new series achieved the top viewership spot on 900 local TV channels. Social media platforms buzzed with excitement and praise for the launch, signaling a rapid surge in Pokémon’s popularity across the country.
3. Creating Real-World Connections with People in India
Building on this momentum, we next focused on creating authentic, real-world opportunities for fans to connect with Pokémon. We began by holding “Pokémon Mela*,” a series of events in major shopping malls. These events featured interactive activities, including Pikachu dance performances and meet-and-greet photo sessions with Pokémon.
Mela: Means “festival” in Hindi, the most common language in India
We also launched a high-profile collaboration related to cricket, India’s most popular sport. We partnered with the Mumbai Indians, a pro team based in the western commercial hub of Mumbai, to host Pokémon-themed promotions at all seven of their home games during the professional league season.
In addition to distributing Pokémon stickers and keychains, we also set up booths where fans in attendance could meet Pikachu wearing the team’s uniform. On a specially held “Kids Day,” approximately 15,000 children came to cheer and interact with Pikachu.
4. Collaborating with Traditional Culture
Besides sports, we are also making connections with India’s traditional culture. During India’s “festival season” from September to December, which includes two of India’s three major national festivals, we unveiled Pikachu wearing traditional Saree and Kurta outfits.
These specially dressed Pikachu appear on the packaging of Yakult, a popular probiotic drink in India, and as digital stickers for chat apps.
5. Crossing Culture Gaps to Deliver Joy
Reflecting on these diverse initiatives, one staff member noted, “At first, we struggled to really grasp the nuances of Indian culture and daily life, which sometimes made it difficult to know the best course of action. But we worked hard and eventually found a middle ground where we could honor local traditions while staying true to the spirit of Pokémon.”
The staff member continued: “The incredible energy at our events and on social media really brought home just how many passionate fans there are in India. Seeing their love for Pokémon firsthand has given our team a big motivational boost.”
Going forward, we remain dedicated to bringing even more smiles to the people of India through Pokémon. We will continue to overcome cultural differences to collaborate with local partners and bring exciting new projects to life.