We are already three weeks into another trip around the sun. While it is too soon to know whether this journey will require us to remain seated with our seatbelts fastened, we are well on our way.
As part of our annual Three Trends series, we speak with industry leaders across the Asia-Pacific region to share their perspectives on the shifts, emerging patterns, and what the journey ahead might look like.
Next, we catch up with Marc Wesseling, the Co-founder & CEO of UltraSuperNew.
Marc explores why 2026 creates a powerful imperative for Japanese brands to export and connect with global markets, how geopolitical shifts are shaping their positioning, and how Dentsu’s international exit is changing the agency landscape.
Looking Ahead: Three Trends Reshaping Japan’s Creative Industry in 2026
What are three trends to look for in the coming year?
Japan’s creative and marketing landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift, and the following three trends are creating big opportunities for Japanese brands to establish themselves globally and for international independent agencies to work directly with them.
1. The Perfect Storm: Weak Yen, Strong Culture, and a Shrinking Domestic Market
Japan’s domestic market is contracting because the population is declining due to an ageing society. Meanwhile, the yen remains weak, making Japanese products more competitive globally. But most importantly, Japanese culture has never been more popular worldwide and everyone wants a piece of Japanese culture and products.
This combination creates a powerful imperative for 2026: Japanese brands must export and connect to the world.
The cultural moment is real. Anime is mainstream global entertainment. Japanese fashion influences global trends. Japanese design philosophy shapes everything from interiors to interfaces. Even Japanese snacks and beverages are experiencing unprecedented international demand.
The marketing challenge is different from Japan’s previous export boom. Today, being distinctly Japanese is the selling point.
The weak yen makes this cultural moment commercially viable. Japanese products that were once premium-priced are now accessible. Manufacturing in Japan is suddenly cost-competitive again. For brands, the economics of export have fundamentally improved.
But here’s what’s often missed: this isn’t just about existing brands going global. The conditions are perfect for new Japanese brands to launch with a global-first strategy. The domestic market alone can’t sustain them, so they’re forced to think internationally from day one. And the global appetite for authentically Japanese products means they’re entering receptive markets.
The marketing challenge is different from Japan’s previous export boom. Today, being distinctly Japanese is the selling point. The challenge is contextualizing that Japaneseness for different markets without explaining it to death or exoticizing it.
2. Japanese Brands as the Geopolitical Alternative
In 2026, Japanese brands aren’t just competing on product quality: they’re benefiting from a geopolitical realignment. As US-China tensions continue and concerns about American tech dominance grow, Japanese brands offer a crucial third option.
This is particularly visible in consumer electronics and technology. Sony’s resurgence isn’t accidental. AlphaTheta (formerly known as Pioneer) dominates professional music equipment. In automotive, brands like Mazda and Subaru are carving out loyal followings precisely because they represent different values than both American and Chinese manufacturers.
Countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia are actively diversifying away from overreliance on American and Chinese suppliers.
Southeast Asian markets are particularly receptive. Countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia are actively diversifying away from overreliance on American and Chinese suppliers. Japanese brands, with their regional proximity and historical relationships, are perfectly positioned to fill this space.
Japanese brands offer something distinct: authenticity rooted in craft, considered design and a cultural philosophy that values longevity. The marketing implication is significant. Japanese brands don’t need to adopt American-style aggressive marketing or manufacture authenticity.
Their genuine cultural heritage and geopolitical positioning are competitive advantages. But translating that heritage for global audiences requires real cultural understanding, not just market research.
3. Dentsu’s International Exit Opens the Playing Field
Dentsu’s decision to sell off its international business isn’t just corporate news, it’s the end of an era. For decades, Dentsu was the gateway for Japanese brands wanting to go global and international brands wanting to enter Japan. That bridge is being dismantled, and the market is scrambling to figure out what comes next.
For Japanese brands with international ambitions, this creates a genuine problem and an opportunity. The problem: their traditional partner for global expansion is exiting. The opportunity: they’re forced to find new partners who might actually be better suited for the modern marketing landscape.
Dentsu was the gateway for Japanese brands wanting to go global and international brands wanting to enter Japan. That bridge is being dismantled.
The void Dentsu is leaving isn’t going to be filled by another holding company. It’s going to be filled by independent agencies and specialists who can actually bridge cultures rather than just coordinate global rollouts. Agencies that have operational infrastructure in both Japan and key international markets. Partners who understand that taking a Japanese brand global isn’t about adapting a Western playbook, it’s about translating Japanese values and aesthetics in ways that resonate without losing what makes them distinctly Japanese.
For agencies positioned to do this work, 2026 represents a historic opportunity. Japanese brands need international partners more than ever, and their default option just left the building.
What This Means for 2026
These three trends are interconnected and accelerating. The weak yen and cultural moment make global expansion feasible. Geopolitical tensions position Japanese brands as attractive alternatives. And Dentsu’s international exit creates space for new partnerships that can actually help Japanese brands navigate global markets.
The bridge between Japanese brands and global audiences isn’t being built by Dentsu anymore. It’s being built by those willing to do the hard work of true cultural translation, not just language, but values, aesthetics, and ways of working. That’s where the opportunity lives in 2026.
Looking Back:
Favourite or least favourite trend of 2025:
Favourite trend: that punk is back
Least favourite: all the geopolitical unrest
If you could sum up 2025 in one emoji:
🤯
One of your favourite campaigns of 2025:
Duo’s Sumo Showdown:
What was your 2025 New Year’s Resolution, and did you keep it?
To get the office fully back in shape and no…..not yet!
