This initiative works in Japan because convenience stores are deeply embedded in consumers’ daily lives as essential lifestyle infrastructure, rather than simply retail outlets.

Japanese consumers use convenience stores not only for food and beverages, but also for paying bills, ticket purchases, parcel delivery services, and many other everyday needs. As a result, consumers visit convenience stores frequently, creating regular opportunities for brands to engage with them through in-store media.

FamimaTV leverages this high-frequency visitation by offering exclusive entertainment content alongside advertising, creating new reasons for customers to visit stores. This approach is particularly effective in Japan, where strong fandom culture (“oshi-katsu”) drives interest in idols, celebrities, and VTubers. Exclusive content and experiences that can only be accessed through a specific channel often motivate consumer action and deepen engagement.

FamilyMart had reported that social media announcements for its FamilyMartVision-exclusive program Nanashi Gakuen (launched in April 2026) led to increased store visits the following day, particularly among consumers in their teens and twenties. Rather than being a random entertainment program, Nanashi Gakuen was strategically designed as exclusive in-store content featuring multiple VTuber talents from the agency Nanashi Inc., each with an established fan community. By making the program available exclusively through FamilyMartVision, the initiative gave fans a compelling reason to visit stores to watch content they could not access elsewhere. At the same time, fans shared information about the program on social media, helping amplify awareness and attract additional visitors. This demonstrates how FamilyMart leveraged existing fan communities to convert online engagement into offline store traffic.

Shortly after, FamilyMart announced the re-positioning of FamilyMartVision to FamimaTV.

By combining convenience, entertainment, and exclusivity, FamimaTV has evolved the convenience store from a traditional retail channel into a retail media platform that creates ongoing consumer engagement. The initiative demonstrates how brands can leverage Japan’s unique combination of frequent store visits and fandom culture to strengthen both awareness and foot traffic.

The most important lesson for companies entering the Japanese market is that success comes not only from promoting products or services, but from creating experiences that consumers actively want to engage with.

FamimaTV has transformed convenience stores from simple retail channels into media platforms by leveraging its network of approximately 11,000 stores and delivering exclusive content featuring popular celebrities and VTubers. As a result, some consumers visit stores specifically to watch the content, while fans share information on social media, creating a virtuous cycle that drives additional store traffic.

The key takeaway is to view customer touchpoints - whether it be physical stores, mobile apps, or e-commerce platforms - not merely as sales channels, but as spaces where consumers can continuously interact with and build relationships with the brand. In Japan, exclusivity and fandom culture（推しかつ文化）are particularly influential, and experiences that can only be accessed through a specific channel often motivate consumers to visit, engage, and purchase.

FamimaTV also demonstrates the importance of connecting online and offline experiences. By generating buzz on social media and encouraging consumers to continue the experience in-store, brands can convert digital engagement into real-world traffic and sales. In the Japanese market, creating experiences that consumers actively seek out can be more effective than simply delivering advertising messages, helping brands build long-term awareness, loyalty, and customer acquisition.

Number of locations: Approximately 11,000 stores nationwide.  

Media visibility rate: Average of approximately 63.8%.  

Awareness rate: Average of 56% (reaching 70% among those in their teens and 20s).  

Advertisement Sales growth: Approximately 70 times higher compared to fiscal year 2021.  

Number of advertising companies: Over 440 companies.  

Among companies with products available in stores, 80% of those that advertised experienced an increase in sales.