Recently, TBS and Tokyo Otaku Mode Inc.™ (TOM) agreed to work together to promote e-commerce of products based on TBS programs via social networks and other media on a global scale. According to its official website, “TOM shares with the world the latest Japanese pop culture news through its Facebook page,” which has over 17.48 million likes (as of March 3), the third-highest in the world after iTunes and Amazon. TOM “sells products related to Japanese anime, manga, games, music, and fashion through its website, the Tokyo Otaku Mode Premium Shop.” (TOMPS).

Leveraging a wide range of social media, TOM promotes Japanese pop culture to the world in English. Its Facebook page is one of the most “Liked” in Japan and ranks high globally as well. Having founded the e-commerce site TOMPS in 2014, TOM has become highly successful at selling anime goods and collaborates with anime creators to develop its own original products. It has already logged sales in nearly 100 countries and regions worldwide.

In 2014, with a view to expanding its e-commerce business in Japan, TBS launched “Animaru!,” an online shop specializing in products based on TBS anime programs. On “Animaru!,” visitors can purchase over 2,500 products based on some 100 original TBS anime programs, including “K-ON!,” “Amagi Brilliant Park,.” and other anime that TBS broadcasts. Visitors will find original goods exclusive to the site, as well as opportunities to purchase products before they reach other distribution outlets. Starting in the 1960s, TBS has proactively distributed its programs and formats internationally for over 50 years, and the broadcaster has exported many anime programs since the 1990s. TBS has sold “K-ON!,” “Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions!” and other series for television broadcasts and online streaming in over 100 countries and regions in Asia, Europe, and North America. In China and Taiwan, TBS has sold licenses for products based on its anime programs, while in Europe and North America, it has sold DVDs and Blu-ray discs of its popular anime programs. Moreover, Bandai Co., Ltd. and Good Smile Co., Inc. sell via their online stores figures and other goods based on characters from “K-ON!” and “Amagi Brilliant Park,” which have become worldwide favorites.

Recently, as a result of this increased global fan base, demand by fans outside Japan for TBS anime products originally marketed in Japan has also risen. Partnering with TOM will allow TBS to respond to this rising demand outside Japan more quickly and flexibly. Initially, TBS is making products based on the “K-ON!” and “Rozen Maiden” anime programs available via TOMPS but plans to increase the number of programs and products going forward. On March 2, TOMPS launched a page dedicated to TBS anime products. In addition, TBS plans to market via TOMPS products based on the “SASUKE” sports entertainment program, which continues to win passionate fans around the world. The page specially featuring TBS anime related products was launched on Monday, March 2: (URL address here). The TBS International Program Sales page on Facebook currently has over 260,000 “Likes.” (as of March 3). By partnering with TOM, TBS will leverage both companies’ fan bases and strength in social media, resulting in powerful marketing synergy and a stronger e-commerce presence for TBS.

Among other initiatives to promote its anime programs outside Japan, TBS is partnering with Chinese IT giant Tencent to offer digital stickers featuring characters from the TBS anime “Beyond the Boundary” on Tecent’s hugely popular WeChat, a free voice call and messenger application. The new partnership with TOM to build TBS e-commerce sales via social networks further reflects the strong determination of the broadcaster to expand its business worldwide.