Introduction
This time, we will explain the results of the "Brand Japan 2026" survey conducted by Nikkei BP Consulting.
This survey evaluates the image that ordinary Japanese consumers have of companies and brands. Surprisingly, Suntory, which was ranked 25th last time, has returned to the top spot, and Panasonic has also made significant progress thanks to its achievements at the Osaka World Expo.
We will explain "how your company can enhance its brand power" and "how consumer perceptions are changing."
In the second half, we'll share three specific tips we can learn from the strategies of other companies.
Suntory takes first place! What are the important facts revealed by the indicators that measure "brand power"?
First, I want to convey the core of these research findings.
"Brand Japan 2026" is a corporate and brand evaluation survey conducted by Nikkei BP Consulting. Responses were collected from internet users in November 2025 and analyzed separately for "General Consumers" and "Business Professionals."
In the section for general consumersSuntory HoldingsSuntory Holdings took first place overall. This is a significant improvement from its 25th place ranking in the previous BJ2025. YouTube, which was the top company last time, also surpassed Suntory in this survey.
Suntory President Nobuhiro Torii stated, "We are pleased that we have been well-received by general consumers," but also showed humility by saying, "We didn't have many hit products in 2025." In fact, what is hidden within these words is the essential strategy of Suntory Style.
Brand power isn't just about whiskey and beer!
Suntory's strength lies in its diverse product lineup, which includes not only whiskey and beer, but also "BOSS coffee (ranked 158th)" and "Iyemon green tea beverage (ranked 176th)," allowing it to connect with consumers through a wide variety of products.
"A brand that can meet the needs of every aspect of life" is what defines modern Suntory. Furthermore, as part of its commitment to the environment, it incorporates the message "SUNTORY: Living with Water" into all of its corporate activities. It's not just a commercial; it's a distinctive feature that conveys the company's very stance through the image of water.
From whiskey to coffee, the company's activities are all guided by the theme of "living with water." It's not just about selling products; its overall brand building is highly regarded.
Furthermore, this survey revealedPanasonic HDPanasonic achieved an excellent result, ranking 4th overall (top in the home appliance category). Their ranking improved from the previous year, and one of the contributing factors was their participation in the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Panasonic set up a pavilion called "NOMO Country," which was a great success, attracting approximately 470,000 visitors.
Competition is intensifying in the home appliance industry, but the company has clearly stated its aim to build brand trust not only in B2C (business-to-consumer) but also in B2B (business-to-business). The idea that "it is precisely because of the brand trust built in home appliances that we can be recognized as a partner in the B2B sector" is an important perspective that other companies should learn from.
Specific Details | 3 Key Points We Can Learn from Other Companies' Success Strategies
In addition to Suntory and Panasonic, many other companies are featured in this survey. Let's take a closer look at how each company perceives its own strengths and weaknesses and how it is trying to enhance its brand power.
Ringer Hut (140th overall) has significantly improved its ranking from 293rd last time.
The restaurant chain, which operates Nagasaki Champon's "Ringer Hut" and tonkatsu's "Tonkatsu Watari," had been continuously switching to using domestically produced vegetables in all its stores since 2009. However, then-President Fumio Fukuhara noticed that when he asked a survey question, "Do you use domestically produced vegetables?", "More and more people are aware that we use domestically produced vegetables."
This experience made us feel a sense of urgency, and we decided to "emphasize this point again," actively strengthening our communication efforts through menus, posters, and television programs. As a result, the number of customers increased, and awareness spread to a new demographic—a success story.
The lesson here is that **it's not that "years of effort were recognized," but rather that "how you communicate is crucial."** Even if you've been doing something for a long time, if it hasn't resonated with consumers, you need to appeal to them again.
"What they're doing hasn't been communicated" = Insufficient communication.
After years of effort, they realized that "it won't spread unless you say it," and increased their communication efforts to raise awareness.
Point 2: LOPIA is gaining attention with its "food theme park" concept.
Lopia (185th overall) has significantly improved its ranking from 552nd last time.
OIC Group operates a supermarket chain with 141 stores, mainly in eastern Japan. It has expanded its presence in regional areas, taking over stores in Hokkaido and Tohoku that were withdrawn by Aeon Ito-Yokado, a subsidiary of Seven & i Holdings.
"The number of stores has increased, and so has the number of customers. The experience of customers having fun when they come to the store and tasting delicious food is boosting the brand's strength," says President Tsuneo Okubo, who previously worked at Seijo Ishii and Seiyu. He has created a "food theme park" concept, with elaborate decorations in each sales area. They are differentiating themselves by offering surprising products such as "rare cuts of beef 'misuji' at reasonable prices" and "raw bluefin tuna boomerang that lets you enjoy lean, medium fatty, and fatty tuna all at once."
**By emphasizing the "enjoyment of food," they are successfully attracting customers not merely as a purchase, but as an "experience."** This strategy is working brilliantly.
By providing "fun" and "surprise," it transforms from a mere supermarket into a "theme park."
While leveraging its origins as a butcher shop, the store maximized the experiential value.
Disney+ (ranked 265th overall) has made a significant leap from its previous ranking of 496th.
Walt Disney Japan's President, Shiraishi, says that by adding digital spaces such as games and video streaming to the physical experiences of "movies, merchandise, and theme parks," they are creating a synergistic effect, which he calls a "synergy circle."
For example, the services are interconnected, with features like "Watch the previous film at home before going to the cinema" and "You can also watch Korean dramas on Disney+." It has also attracted attention for its exclusive distribution of popular titles such as "SHOGUN" and "GUNDHAM," and has recorded high scores in evaluation categories such as "OUTSTANDING" (ranked 70th in the restaurant industry).
Furthermore, as an official sponsor of the WBC (World Baseball Premier Cup), they are using Gemini (Google's AI) to analyze videos of Japanese players' home runs and providing commentary on X (formerly Twitter). They are offering a new experience that fuses generative AI and entertainment.
By combining "physical + digital" elements, we strengthen our fan community.
We designed the services to create synergistic effects, such as encouraging viewers to watch the previous film at home before going to the movie theater.
In the ranking of AI generation servicesChatGPT (81st overall), Microsoft Copilot (552nd overall), Gemini (584th overall)These are among the top-ranked apps. Gemini, in particular, has seen a remarkable increase in users since the last time we looked at it, and is being praised for its "multimodal processing (integrated processing of images, audio, and video)" and "accuracy of text understanding."
Supplementary Information | Consumer Changes and Future Trends Revealed by Survey Results
These survey results provide insights into what modern consumers prioritize and what changes are occurring in that regard. This is particularly important.
① "Brand Reputation Path": Capturing Consumer Hearts with Four Factors
Nikkei BP Consulting surveyed consumers about six brand image items and scored them according to four factors.
– "I like it, I'm fond of it," "I'd be sad if it were gone," "I feel a connection to it," "I can relate to it, we have a good feeling about it."
– "I don't know about it," "I've been using it recently," "It's of excellent quality," "It's useful, it's practical."
– "High status," "Unique appeal," "Cool, stylish," "Outstanding individuality"
– "Currently attracting attention," "Pioneering a new era," "Having momentum."
We calculate "overall brand strength" from the scores of these four factors to provide a comprehensive evaluation of companies and brands. Importantly, we measure not only "mere name recognition" but also "consumer sentiment."
② "The fusion of digital and physical" is an essential trend.
Examples from Disney+ and Google AI demonstrate the importance of connecting digital and real-world experiences in today's world. From encouraging people to watch previous installments at home before going to the cinema, to using AI to analyze and explain home runs hit by players in the World Baseball Classic, the synergy between "physical" and "digital" elements is enhancing the fan experience.
③ "Environmental considerations are a given, but how you communicate them is crucial."
Just like LingoHot's commitment to domestically produced vegetables, if long-standing environmentally conscious activities haven't been communicated to consumers, it's necessary to appeal to them again. We live in a society where not only "what you do" but also "how you communicate it" is valued.
1. Strengthen the fan community by creating synergy between digital and physical experiences.
2. While environmental considerations are a given, the "way of communicating" is also important.
3. Brand evaluation is measured by an overall score that includes "emotions."
These trends are applicable not only to B2C companies but also to B2B companies. Constantly considering how to enhance the experience of customers using your products and how to communicate your commitment to environmental responsibility is key to improving brand strength.
Summary | 3 Insights to Enhance "Brand Power" and Future Strategic Perspectives
Finally, let's summarize the key points we can draw from these survey results. This is not merely a ranking; it contains many lessons on how modern companies and organizations can enhance their "brand power."
Firstly, "breadth" and "consistency" are important.
Like Suntory, which boasts a diverse product lineup ranging from whiskey to coffee, it consistently adheres to the same theme (living with water) in all its activities. It is not merely product sales, but "brand building for the entire company" that is being recognized. It is also suggestive that they are leveraging "the trust of the brand built with home appliances" not only in B2C but also in B2B to be "recognized as a partner."
Secondly, "how you communicate" is everything.
Even with long-standing efforts like LingoHot's (producing domestic vegetables), if the message isn't getting across to consumers, it needs to be promoted again. It's not just about "what you do," but also "what you say." Environmental considerations and social contribution activities are expected, but how you communicate them is the key to success.
Thirdly, "synergy" and "experience"
Like Disney+, it enhances the "fan experience" by blending physical experiences (movie theaters, theme parks) with digital spaces (games, video streaming). By providing "experiential value" rather than just offering features, brand loyalty can be increased. Furthermore, there is a need to deepen the customer experience by using new technologies, such as expanding content using generative AI (WBC home run analysis).
Furthermore, consumer evaluation criteria are also changing. The value of companies and brands is now seen through comprehensive scores such as the "Brand Evaluation Path," which measures not only "name recognition" but also "emotions," "trust," and "feelings." It's no longer just about sales figures; what's important is how you capture the "hearts of consumers."
These survey results indicate that by 2026, the definition of "brand power" in Japan will include not only "product quality" and "awareness," but also "social responsibility," "digital adoption," and "experiential value." This is highly significant from the perspective of how companies and organizations should survive in the future.
Whether in B2C or B2B, the strategies of companies like Suntory, Panasonic, and Ringer Hut serve as exemplary models when considering how to enhance one's own brand. Understanding "the consumer's heart," providing "experiential value," and "communicating and practicing" environmental considerations are key to improving brand strength in today's world.
"Brand strength = Product quality × Social responsibility × Digital utilization × Customer experience"
The modern corporate landscape is not simply about pursuing sales, but about how companies value consumer sentiment and their contributions to society. Keeping three key points in mind, learned from examples like Suntory, will be a great help when developing your own company's or organization's brand strategy.
