Originally published: ITBrief, 06 August 2026
Nexxen has published research on how US consumers perceive Japanese brands, pointing to a gap between positive sentiment and brand visibility.
The study suggests many Japanese brands enter the US market with consumer goodwill but still struggle to gain recognition in some sectors. It examines brand discovery and perception across television, streaming, mobile and social platforms, alongside the views of Japanese marketing decision-makers on localisation and media strategy.
Among US consumers surveyed, 61% said they find Japanese brands appealing. Gen Z respondents were 1.3 times more likely to describe them as very appealing.
Perceptions of innovation and quality were also strong. The research found that 67% of US consumers see Japanese brands as more innovative than other international brands, while 62% associate them with higher quality and durability.
That favourable view did not translate evenly across product categories. Electronics and cars showed the strongest visibility, with 48% and 47% of respondents, respectively, able to identify Japanese brands in those areas.
Other categories were much weaker. Fashion recorded 22% visibility, while travel stood at 14%. Overall, 73% of US consumers said they could not identify a Japanese travel brand.
The research was conducted with PureProfile and included responses from 1,008 US consumers and 262 marketing decision-makers based in Japan. It was designed to capture both consumer attitudes and advertiser assumptions about entering or expanding in the US market.
