Appinio vs Zappi

Anime and Manga Market Reaches Billion Volume, Brands Underrepresented

A study by THE AMBITION, IKAI ZERO, and Appinio reveals that the anime and manga market in Germany generates an estimated annual consumer spending of 1.5 billion euros among 16-45 year olds. Nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials have consumed anime or manga in the past year, with 97% recognizing at least one title. Despite this large audience, brand presence is minimal, with the most recognized brand, Crunchyroll, only reaching 5% awareness. However, over 95% of active fans are open to brand engagement, and 91% view brands more favorably if they engage authentically. The study identifies eleven distinct communities within the anime/manga fandom, emphasizing the need for tailored marketing approaches.

• Anime and manga market in Germany has an estimated annual consumer spending of 1.5 billion euros among 16-45 year olds.
• Nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials have consumed anime or manga in the past 12 months.
• 97% of Gen Z and Millennials recognize at least one of 20 anime/manga titles.

Jung von Matt Start Criticizes Startup-Verband with Sidewalk Chalk Letter

German creative agency Jung von Matt Start wrote an open letter in chalk on the sidewalk outside the Startup-Verband's Berlin office, criticising the association for prioritising founder numbers over market relevance, customer demand, and brand building. The letter accompanies the upcoming 'Startup Brand Ranking 2026' by Jung von Matt Start and Appinio, which removed its 'Top 5 Digital Consumer Services & AI Startups' category due to a lack of relevant cases, noting e-commerce now has only four qualifying startups. It specifically calls out president Verena Pausder for celebrating rising founder figures on LinkedIn without economic impact. The Startup-Verband responded by welcoming the impulse, acknowledging gaps in B2C branding, and inviting the agency to direct talks, while noting strengths in B2B and Deep Tech. Both sides agree that quantity alone does not create a strong startup nation.

• Jung von Matt Start wrote a chalk open letter/brief on the sidewalk outside the Startup-Verband's Berlin office.
• The letter accompanies the 'Startup Brand Ranking 2026' by Jung von Matt Start and Appinio.
• The ranking removed its 'Top 5 Digital Consumer Services & AI Startups' category due to lack of relevant cases.

Carter's Relies on Data and Nostalgia to Stay Relevant

At Brandweek 2026, Carter's global VP of brand marketing Aubrie Corey and Zappi CMO Nataly Kelly discussed how the 161-year-old brand stays relevant. The strategy combines generational insights with a constant pulse of consumer data. Carter's recently launched a brand evolution targeting Gen Z parents, who favor self-expression over the 'mini me' style of the past. The brand also tapped into nostalgia with the OshKosh Reissued Collection, reviving 1980s and 1990s styles, and partnered with Umbro for World Cup-themed clothing. Kelly emphasized the need to centralize customer signals from siloed systems to effectively anticipate consumer trends.

• Carter's is a 161-year-old brand that uses consumer data to guide brand evolution.
• At Brandweek 2026, Carter's global VP Aubrie Corey and Zappi CMO Nataly Kelly discussed brand relevance.
• Carter's brand OshKosh B'gosh launched the Reissued Collection, featuring vintage styles from the 1980s and 1990s.

Converse Ad Rollout Fails Due to Lack of Single Accountability

This article is an opinion piece analyzing Converse's global ad campaign missteps, which led to two separate ads evoking lynching imagery. The first ad, featuring global ambassador Karina, was posted on Threads on Sept. 3. A second ad, a collaboration with Danish brand Palmes, was posted via Converse Mexico's Instagram on Sept. 14, with a similar image also appearing on Converse Malaysia's Instagram. The author attributes these failures to a decentralized global marketing process without a single point of accountability, where local teams and third-party partners lack shared cultural context and consumer testing data is not integrated globally. The piece advises global CMOs to test concepts earlier across markets, include partner and influencer content, and implement a one-flag rule for escalating any mentions of violence, hate symbolism, or historical trauma.

• Converse apologized for a Sept. 3 ad on Threads featuring Karina, which evoked a lynching.
• A second ad, a collaboration with Danish brand Palmes, was posted on Converse Mexico's Instagram on Sept. 14, showing a man on a ladder with sneakers overhead.
• Converse Malaysia's Instagram also posted the second ad image.

Zappi Newsroom: New Consumer Insights on Sydney Sweeney x Novig, Callaway x Good Good, and More

The newsroom page has been updated with new articles including 'Consumers on Sydney Sweeney x Novig: Winning men, losing women' (September 15, 2026), 'Consumers on Callaway x Good Good: Memorable for the wrong reasons' (September 2, 2026), and 'Why we built the Synthetic Idea Pre-Screener' (August 26, 2026). Additionally, the page now features a banner for 'The third annual connected insights report is here' with a link to get the report.