Pokémon's 30th Anniversary Sparks Nostalgic Economy, Rare Cards and Nintendo Stocks Become Investment Hotspots

The 30th anniversary of Pokémon has led to an explosion of brand popularity, from Super Bowl advertisements to rare card auction records, one of the world’s most valuable IPs once again verifies that “nostalgia is the most powerful word in the world.” For investors, Nintendo (OTC:NTDOY), co-owner of The Pokémon Company, is currently the most direct brand investment agent.

30th Anniversary Brand Explosion: Super Bowl advertising and cross-border co-branding are in full swing

Pokémon advertised in Super Bowl 60 and featured Lady Gaga on camera, rekindling memories for a wide audience at the most-watched sporting event in North America. Leonhart noted that the ad is expected to attract a large number of Lady Gaga fans to the brand for the first time, commenting that the anniversary event “doesn’t reach the maximum scale it can achieve.”

Anniversary business events are much more than that. The LEGO × Pokémon collaboration series is a “dream come true” for fans; McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) re-establishes as a brand partner; Leonhart also expects General Mills (NYSE:GIS) to launch the Pokémon cereal box again. The Pokémon Company recently acquired Excell Brands, a distributor that distributes cards to retailers like Target (NYSE:TGT), and is investing in new printing facilities to boost production.

Pokémon 30th Anniversary Key Business Developments

Super Bowl ads: Super Bowl 60 ads featuring Lady Gaga to reach non-traditional audiences

Universal Studios: The brand landed at Comcast’s (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Universal Studios theme park

Nintendo Switch: Classic game series continue to be released, strengthening the core audience base

Cross-border co-branding: LEGO, McDonald’s, General Mills make up the extensive licensing matrix

Supply chain expansion: Acquired Excell Brands and invested in printing facilities to strengthen distribution control in the card market

Investment perspective: Nintendo shares, rare cards and hypothetical IPOs

The Pokémon Company is jointly owned by Game Freak, Creatures, and Nintendo, operating as a joint venture and not yet going public independently. Leonhart said that if The Pokémon Company goes public, market interest will be “astronomical”, but the closest way to investing in the brand is to hold Nintendo shares (OTC: NTDOY) or directly collect rare cards and sealed card products.

In terms of the card market, a rare Pikachu illustrator card previously held by Logan Paul recently sold for $1,650, setting a new historical record. Leonhart believes that this sky-high transaction has given Pokémon cards new legitimacy in the eyes of large institutional investors, who previously focused more on the traditional collectibles or sports card market.

At the level of key collectibles, Leonhart specifically named the first edition base series PSA level 10 Charizard card, calling it “the Mona Lisa of the Pokémon world.” He himself holds a PSA 10 Charizard card purchased in 2016 for $18,500, which he later asked original illustrator Mitsuhiro Arita to autograph as a permanent treasure. Leonhart also mentioned that although Pokémon games are currently exclusive to Nintendo consoles, it is also a conceivable scenario to launch on the Sony (NYSE:SONY) PlayStation platform in the future, and the commercial coverage will be further expanded at that time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to invest indirectly in a Pokémon brand?

The Pokémon Company is currently not on the market. Leonhart said the closest way is to hold a stake in Nintendo (OTC:NTDOY), as Nintendo is a co-owner of The Pokémon Company; The second is to purchase rare or sealed card products as alternative asset allocation.

What is the investment logic of the Pokémon card market?

The price of the top rare cards has repeatedly hit new highs, and the Pikachu illustrator card sold for $1,650 is a representative milestone in recent times. Leonhart pointed out that such sky-high transactions give brands more credibility in the eyes of large institutional investors, enhancing the market appeal of Pokémon cards as alternative assets.

What does the 30th anniversary of Pokémon mean for Nintendo shares?

As a co-owner of The Pokémon Company, Nintendo has directly benefited from the expansion of brand business activities, including crossover co-branding, theme park licensing, and game releases. The increase in brand popularity driven by anniversaries usually positively affects Nintendo’s licensing revenue performance and market valuation sentiment.