On Tops 241-Brand Survey as the Brand That Makes Customers Happiest

Fan General Research Institute, a research organization of Fanbase Company Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), has conducted its annual survey using its proprietary index, the 'Customer Well-being Score (CWS),' which visualizes the 'happiness' that brands bring to customers. This marks the third year of this joint research project with Nikkei Cross Trend, and the scope has been significantly expanded to cover 14 industries, 36 categories, and 241 brands. This release presents part of the first report of its unique analysis based on fan psychology and behavior.

▶ Significance and Background of the Research

From material satisfaction to spiritual richness—against the backdrop of growing interest in well-being and the spread of 'oshi-katsu' (fan activities), people's values have shifted from 'ownership' to 'happiness through connection.' In corporate activities, the perspective of 'how much a company enriches customers' lives and contributes to their happiness' has become indispensable.

To capture this transformation, the Fan General Research Institute developed the 'Customer Well-being Score (CWS)' in 2024. As an index that visualizes the 'deeper relationship between brands and customers' that cannot be measured by behavioral data, it has been gaining attention in marketing, PR, and management fields.

In its third year, this research aims to co-create a future where companies and fans can feel mutual happiness by capturing the 'happiness' underlying good fan relationships with higher resolution.

▶ Top 20 Brands out of 241

The CWS was calculated by asking respondents to rate 'the degree of happiness felt due to the brand's existence' on a scale of 1 to 10.

We are releasing the top 20 companies from the 241 brands surveyed this time.

The overall first place is On. The top 20 brands include a diverse range of industries, from everyday food and dining out to entertainment and outdoor brands with passionate fans.

[Figure] Customer Well-being Survey 2026 / Top 20 Brands out of 241

▶ Trends by Industry

We compared the average CWS scores across the 14 industries covered in this survey. The highest industry average was for Automotive, and the lowest was for Finance/IT, with a gap of about 10 points. This is thought to be influenced by the structural characteristics of the industries, such as their business models, product category traits, daily contact frequency, level of involvement in life, and purchase cycles.

When evaluating a company's own CWS, it seems important to look not only at the overall ranking but also at its relative position within its industry.

[Figure] Customer Well-being Survey 2026 / Comparison of Industry Averages

▶ Relationship with Various Business Indicators

In this survey, we also measured key business indicators such as recommendation intention and retention intention.

We analyzed the relationship between these intentions and customer well-being to see how improving CWS impacts business growth, such as customer expansion and LTV enhancement.

Recommendation intention showed a strong correlation with CWS (r=0.92), with higher customer well-being tending to lead to higher recommendation intention. The data showed that as CWS increased, recommendation intention rose approximately fourfold, indicating that raising CWS is a key factor in generating brand recommendation behavior.

Furthermore, retention intention also showed a strong correlation with CWS (r=0.71). The higher the degree of 'happiness' felt towards a brand, the stronger the intention to 'continue using it in the future.' This suggests that raising a brand's CWS can lead to increased retention intention and improved LTV.

[Figure] Customer Well-being Survey 2026 / Scatter Plot of CWS and Recommendation Intention

[Figure] Customer Well-being Survey 2026 / Scatter Plot of CWS and Retention Intention

The first report can be viewed here:

https://www.fanbasecompany.com/fansoken/pdf/report260603.pdf

▶ Future Developments

[1] Nikkei Cross Trend Feature Article

A detailed analysis of this survey is featured as a special article in Nikkei Cross Trend.

Please check it out along with the report for in-depth brand analysis and the relationship between CWS and management indicators.

[2] Planned Sale of Survey Reports

We plan to sell paid reports summarizing detailed analyses of each industry and category based on this survey.

Target industries include all 14: Automotive, Daily Goods/Healthcare, Food & Beverage, Retail, Prepared Food, Dining Out, Sports & Outdoors, Travel & Leisure, Fitness, IT, Broadcasting & Distribution Services, Home Appliances, Transportation, and Finance.

If you are interested in detailed data on CWS scores and fan psychology for your own brand or competitors, please feel free to contact us.

[3] Future Reports

This report is the first in a series, and we plan to release analytical reports periodically.

If you would like to receive future research results and report sales information, please register using the link below.

▼ Nikkei Cross Trend Feature Article

https://xtrend.nikkei.com/atcl/contents/18/01390/

▼ Register for future research results and report sales information

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/EqrZFqTdcw

▶ Overview of the 2026 Survey

[Survey Method] Internet survey

[Survey Targets] 14 industries, 36 categories, 241 brands (see table below)

[Main Survey Items] Awareness/Usage Experience, Brand Favorability, Customer Well-being Score (CWS), Intention Scores (Support, Recommendation, Retention, Brand Loyalty), Fan Psychology (Happiness Factors), etc.

[Survey Respondents]

Screening Survey: Nationwide, men and women aged 18-69. *Some industries were surveyed in limited areas.

Main Survey: Respondents classified as [Core Fan / Fan / Light Fan] for the relevant brand in the screening survey.

[Sample Size] *Valid Responses

Screening Survey: n=262,173

Main Survey: n=28,261

*Responses were collected targeting n=100 per brand, and tabulated based on valid responses.

[Survey Period] January 14 (Wed) to February 10 (Tue), 2026

*This release and the first report disclose only a portion of the survey items.

*CWS is a registered trademark of Fanbase Company Inc.

Customer Well-being Survey 2026 / List of Surveyed Brands

The survey was conducted targeting the following industries and brands.

■ Fan General Research Institute

The Fan General Research Institute is a research organization of Fanbase Company that delves into the unique psychology and behavior of fans, such as 'liking' and 'wanting to support' something.

Website: https://www.fanbasecompany.com/fansoken/index.html

■ Fanbase Company Inc. Company Overview

Company Name: Fanbase Company Inc.

Location: SAAI, Shin-Tokyo Building, 3-3-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Established: May 7, 2019

Representative: Representative Director, President & CEO Masayasu Tsuda

Business: Project accompaniment, analysis, and planning support

*Fanbase® / fanbase® are registered trademarks or trademarks of Fanbase Company Inc.