Licensing and Tie-ins
Creating more and more new encounters with Pokémon
Today, Pokémon’s fan base is remarkably diverse, including not only fans of the video games, but everyone from preschoolers infatuated with the TV anime to people in their senior years who enjoy playing “Pokémon GO.” And to keep providing Pokémon fans of all ages with more and more fun encounters with Pokémon, The Pokémon Corporation collaborates continuously with a host of tie-up partners and licensees in planning and developing new products and services. By integrating other companies’ strengths and Pokémon’s own potential, we are able to strive for products and services of the very highest quality – and also venture into myriad new areas we at Pokémon couldn’t approach on our own. That’s what is so amazing about working with tie-up partners and licensees, and going forward we will continue to pursue collaborations spanning many different areas – to create ever more opportunities for new encounters with Pokémon.
Our Business
A beloved product of enduring popularity
One of our most enduringly popular products is Pokémon Bread, which is produced in collaboration with First Baking Co., Ltd. First marketed in 1998, Pokémon Bread was developed out of our desire to make children’s eating experiences more enjoyable. Special limited-edition versions are often offered aligned with seasonal occasions like Halloween or Valentine’s Day. Children are especially attracted to the cute Pokémon stickers that are enclosed in every bread package. Stickers are coordinated with the TV anime and inserted entirely at random, making Pokémon Bread an irresistible target of avid anime fans. Several times a year, packages come with special sticker holders, and on these occasions the product sells out almost immediately. It’s also quite common in supermarkets to see young children pleading for Pokémon Bread, or slipping a package surreptitiously into the shopping cart. Sometimes, Pokémon Bread is the first encounter a child has with Pokémon. One of the illustrators involved in Pokémon card production recalls with a smile how he became infatuated with Pokémon after his first encounter with Pokémon Bread as a kindergartener.
A new brand launched to connect different generations
People who were captivated by Pokémon video games and anime as kids not so long ago today form a new generation of young moms and dads. Especially with them in mind, we launched “monpoké,” a brand of Pokémon-themed products designed to give their babies and young children first-time life experiences together with Pokémon. In developing products for the new brand, we partnered with companies known for producing baby and children’s items of outstanding quality. Among the monpoké offerings are a selection of Pikachu picture books aimed at fostering intellectual development through various visual, aural and tactile gimmicks to stimulate a child’s mind. We also offer Pikachu rain boots to make rainy days both safe and fun, and plushies that are completely washable. We also created a lineup of items for expectant mothers. Tastefully designed in subdued colors and of the highest quality, these products also make excellent gifts. In the years ahead we will continue developing products that will help children acquire a fertile mind from various first-time life experiences -- and please their parents, too.
Collaborations between Pokémon and high-end brands
Pokémon collaborates with many of the world’s most preeminent high-end brands. In 2022, working with CDG by Comme des Garçons a line of unique Pokémon-themed clothing and accessory items was launched. In 2023, through collaboration with Tiffany & Co. a selection of jewelry items was developed in images of Pokémon artworks originally created by contemporary artist Daniel Arsham. Especially attention-grabbing was a jewelry case in Tiffany Blue® crafted in the shape of a Poké Ball. In 2024, in partnership with FENDI and fashion creator Hiroshi Fujiwara a collection emerged focused on Dragon Pokémon – 2024 being the zodiacal “Year of the Dragon.” Here, Pokémon Dragon motifs feature prominently against background designs replete with FENDI’s familiar “FF” logo. In these and other ways, we are collaborating with various luxury brands to create items sure to surprise and excite both Pokémon fans and fans of our partner brands.
Synergy derived from collaborations promoting good health and well-being
Coinciding with the release of our “Pokémon Sleep” app, we began joint planning with various companies involved in promoting good sleep. Working with gelato pique (MASH Style Lab Co., Ltd.), a company offering a wide range of sleepwear and sleep-related products, a line emerged of comfortable and cute casual clothing ideal for lounging around at home. Partnership with Nissin York led to Pokémon’s sleeping face adorning packages of “Pilkul Miracle Care,” a probiotic drink that improves sleep quality and brings relief from everyday fatigue. Out of collaboration with Showa Nishikawa evolved “MuAtsu,” a Pokémon-printed mattress that maintains a comfortable sleeping position to promote optimally relaxing sleep. Cooperation with Kao Corporation produced “MegRhythm Steam Eye Masks” that feature the image of a sleeping Pokémon for extra-soothing relaxation. All our partners said that promoting sound sleep in a fun way was a concept that struck a deep chord with them. These sleep-related collaborations outside the scope of our “Pokémon Sleep” app have expanded interest in Pokémon even to people who are unfamiliar with our games.