[Youth Now! Youth Trend Survey] Gen Z No Longer Chooses Brands by "Follower Count" – An Era Where "Enthusiasm" Creates Sales Over "Buzz"

Reaplus Inc. [Reaplus] (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Shion Matsumoto) conducted a qualitative survey on "Core Fan Formation and Community Building" targeting Gen Z influencers, using its next-generation insight marketing service "Youth Now!" which visualizes consumers' "now". This survey clarifies the definitive difference between "Awareness (Followers)" and "Enthusiasm (Core Fans)," and how to create fans that lead to sales. ■ Survey Overview Survey Name: [Youth Now! Trend Survey] Core Fan Formation and Community Design Among Gen Z Conducting Body: Reaplus Inc. [Reaplus] Survey Method: Individual Interviews (Qualitative Survey) Duration: Approximately 45 minutes each Participants: Influencers (Beauty & Entertainment fields) Survey Dates: March 5 & March 10, 2026 Survey Objective: To extract the process of converting followers into "enthusiastic core fans" and its reproducibility. *This survey is an exploratory study to clarify the structure of communication behavior and value standards, not statistical quantitative data.* ■ Survey Summary (Excerpt) 1. Core Fans are "Designed" Influencers do not acquire fans by chance, but cultivate communities through a clear process. This process is organized into four stages: ① Presentation of Appeal (Looks/Worldview) ② Reducing Distance (Individuality/Conversation) ③ Amplifying Enthusiasm (Live Performances/Real-life Interactions) ④ Acceptance of PR (Purchase/Diffusion) A structure that builds "relationships" rather than selling immediately. 2. From "Looks" to "Humanity" The survey confirmed a shift where: - Users who followed based on face or atmosphere - continue to watch because of "humanity." In particular, - Vlogs - Daily posts - Stories of failures and behind-the-scenes content are said to generate "empathy" and serve as a starting point for becoming core fans. *This release excerpts only a portion of the results.* The complete report, including results for all questions and detailed data, can be requested by inquiring via the link below. Youth Now! is also offering free marketing consultations, so please feel free to inquire about those as well. Report Request: https://www.youthnow.jp/report/how-to-build-core-fans-among-youth [Download Report button] ■ Example Material Phase 1: From Consumption of "Looks" to Empathy for "Humanity (Inner Self)" Phase 3: "Offline" and "Real-time" Enthusiasm That Jumps Out of the Screen ■ Example Implications for Companies and Brands ① Speak of "Humanity," Not "Function" Not WHAT, but WHO (who is making it) ② Influencers are Not "Megaphones" Design them as creators of communities. ③ Respect the Context of the Community A design for coexistence, not corporate intrusion. ④ Invest in Engagement, Not Reach Maximize LTV, not short-term numbers. ◼️ Message from Representative Director "What I felt was most important in this survey is the fact that 'buzz alone doesn't sell.'" Even if temporary reach is created, it doesn't lead to purchases on its own. It is a small number of enthusiastic core fans who actually generate sales. What companies should do is not to increase followers, but to "design relationships." I believe future SNS marketing will focus on "community building" rather than advertising. Reaplus Inc. Representative Director Shion Matsumoto Born in 1999. Engaged in multiple businesses such as advertising agency, influencer business, D2C, and research, analyzing the decision-making of Gen Z and Gen Alpha from three axes: "behavioral economics," "SNS data," and "actual work sites." In the SNS era, marketing challenges such as "buzzing but not selling" and "not reaching young people" are addressed by structurally organizing and implementing practical solutions from the perspective of whose words are reaching, and in what context. Combining real management perspectives gained from operating multiple businesses with the ability to verbalize understanding of younger generations without relying on intuition. ■Problem-Solving Support Specializing in Youth by Reaplus (Reaplus) It is important to structurally grasp "why behaviors and values of Gen Z are born and how they spread," not just observe them as trends. Reaplus provides solutions tailored to corporate challenges from both aspects: unique research specializing in youth utilizing YouthNow!, and marketing design based on SNS and content. ■Services Provided (SERVICES) ① Questionnaire Survey [Seeing the Reality of Purchasing Behavior Through Numbers] Quantifies product usage scenarios and purchasing behavior to visualize the decision-making patterns of young people. Provides "basis data" for target design and sales promotion strategies. ② Influencer Interviews [Exploring Emerging Trends from the Creator's Perspective] Hearing from influencers with tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of followers. Analyzes the factors that create empathy from the "creators" of trends. ③ Group Interviews [Capturing Moments of Empathy in Words] Visualizes emotional tones invisible in quantitative surveys through discussion sessions with 4-8 young people. Extracts "true feelings" and "unconscious needs" from conversations. ④ Gifting Survey [Measuring How Experience Influences Purchase Intent] Provides products and services to young people and visualizes changes in purchase intention simultaneously with SNS posts. Discover real voices after receiving the product, different from before use. ⑤ One-Stop Strategy Proposal [One Team Until Data is Transformed into Strategies] Analyzes survey results and translates them into marketing and advertising strategies. Designs actionable plans centered around insights. ⑥ Trend Survey Materials [Observing Youth's "Now" Continuously] Periodically distributes reports summarizing youth trends across industries. Can be used as internal material and input for next-period planning. ■ Assumed Usage Scenarios * Development and rebranding support for new products targeting young people * Verification of direction for SNS/influencer strategies * Campaign design and effectiveness analysis for the youth market * Youth trend reports / custom surveys etc. "We feel challenged in acquiring young people/Gen Z and want to effectively approach our target audience." "We want to create a 'brand experience that resonates' with Gen Z users." "We want to utilize surveys like this for our own product development and marketing." Companies and brands facing the above challenges are welcome to consult with us. We are offering free marketing consultations, so please feel free to reach out! ▶︎ Contact Us Here https://youthnow.jp [Inquiry button] ■ Company Profile Company Name: Reaplus Inc. (Reaplus) Location: 0208 Urban Park Daikanyama, 9-8 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Representative: Shion Matsumoto, Representative Director Established: July 20, 2023 Business Activities: Communication Production Business / Insight Business / Talent Support Business / Casting Business / Subsidy Support Business / D2C Business HP: https://reaplus.jp/ note: https://note.com/reaplus_