Whether it be birthday wishes, anniversary celebrations, heartfelt messages, “support ads” have become a familiar sight throughout the city, but what makes them special is that these ads are not corporate promotions, but projects fans create, design, and fund on their own. Within the VTuber world as well, such support ads are quickly becoming a powerful means for fans to showcase their creativity and passion.
The COVERedge team spoke with four groups who plan and launch support ads for their favorite talents to take a closer look at how these ads have grown into a unique form of user-generated content (UGC) through fan interviews and case studies. What often begins as a small project driven by one’s own personal feelings towards their oshi can grow, through crowdfunding and social media, into a large-scale movement that brings entire fan communities together and in some cases, these efforts even transcend borders, fostering international collaboration. In this feature, we explore the new value and possibilities that support ads bring to the VTuber world.
Special Thanks to:
Virtual Sakura Shrine 35P PR Team/Sakura Miko 7th Anniversary Support Ad
Captain Marine’s Overseas Birthday Support Ad/Houshou Marine Birthday & 6th Anniversary Support Ad
JDON MY SOUL CLUB/Hakos Baelz 4th Anniversary Support Ad
vivid comedy project/Kikirara Vivi Birthday Support Ad
The Sudden Rise of Support Ads: A New Trend in the Ever-Expanding Oshi-katsu Market
In recent years, support ads have been drawing increasing attention as a key part of oshi-katsu. The “Oshi-katsu & Cheering Ads Survey 2024 (推し活・応援広告調査2024)” , released by JR East Marketing & Communications, Inc. in February 2025, found that planning, funding, or visiting support ads ranked among the top three ways fans celebrate their oshi’s special days. The survey also revealed that awareness of support ads has reached 59% among people actively engaged in oshi-katsu – an increase of 14.7 points from the previous year – highlighting the steady rise in recognition year after year.
According to the survey, the potential market for support ads is estimated around 76.9 billion yen – equivalent to about 10% of the overall oshi-katsu market, valued at roughly 800 billion yen. Originating from Seng-il (birthday) ads, as seen in South Korea’s K-pop fan culture, support ads began to spread widely in Japan following an idol audition program in 2019 since which they have firmly established themselves as one of the key ways fans express their support.
The survey also found that after running a support ad, about 80% of fans said it led them to engage more actively in other oshi-katsu activities – such as attending events or purchasing merchandise and CDs. In addition, 60% of people who saw a support ad said it sparked their interest in the featured talent, showing how these ads play a major role in expanding fan communities. The spread of support ads has shown how much of a natural fit it is within VTuber culture, and in recent years they’ve been drawing increased attention. A unique part of VTuber culture is the sheer abundance of fan-driven UGC and the extraordinary passion behind it, from highlight clips and fan art to music production and translation efforts, where fans actively take on the role of creator, building the culture alongside the VTubers themselves. Support ads stand out among these forms of expression as one of the most visible ways to showcase fan dedication.
Full-Scale Efforts Since Winter 2023: COVER Support Ads
At COVER, we also actively support fan-organized support ads as a form of UGC.
From the outset, we have had derivative works guidelines in place, which include clear rules specific to support ads outlining prohibited expressions that could be mistaken for official advertising, making sure support ads are clearly labeled as such, and emphasizing the need for originality. They also cover other basic prohibitions, such as third-party rights infringement, to ensure that fans can engage in their creative activities with peace of mind.
When fans submit their planned support ads via the form provided as part of the guidelines, we review ad visuals and share the information with the talent in the form of a report. As a token of appreciation, we also send fans a thank-you card and a key chain.
COVER’s Support Ad Application Process
1. Application: Fans submit their support ad plans to the company
2. Content Review: We check the ad visuals, confirm the applicant’s X account details, and request that they share their X post with us
3. Talent Notification: Once the post is confirmed, we share and report the ad to the talent
4. Thank-you Gift: As a token of appreciation for running a support ad, we send fans an exclusive novelty item.
These efforts to help promote support ads began in the winter of 2023, when we started receiving a growing number of inquiries about support ads and other fan-led initiatives. In response to these requests, our Legal and Creator Relations team took the lead in establishing clear guidelines, strengthening our commitment to supporting UGC and paving the way for a more structured approach to support ads.
The growing popularity of support ads is evident by the numbers alone: from just 4 in April 2024 to 29 in April 2025 – an increase of almost fivefold in a single year. Since October 2024, the use of the hashtag #holocheer on X has further boosted visibility, as talents react to ads and fans share their impressions online.
Today, support ads can be seen across a wide range of media, from station posters and wrapped buses to digital billboards and advertising trucks. Station ads still remain the most common format however: a frequent sight in places such as Akihabara.
Support Ads Powered by Fan Communities: Trends from 40 Supporting Ads cases
An analysis of the roughly 40 support ads carried out in July and August 2025 showed that the majority of the ads were birthday-related, accounting for about half of the total. For example, a crowdfunded ad was on display at Akihabara Station to celebrate Kikirara Vivi’s birthday, while fans from South Korea, Malaysia, and Hong Kong came together to launch an international campaign for Houshou Marine’s birthday as well.
The next most common type of support ads are those celebrating anniversaries, which have been steadily increasing year by year. For example, Sakura Miko’s 7th anniversary was marked with large-scale ads across three major Japanese train stations, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Akihabara, drawing significant attention. The 5th anniversary of “miComet,” the unit formed by Sakura Miko and Hoshimachi Suisei, was also celebrated not only in Japan, but also with ads displayed in Singapore at the same time.
In Japan, support ads are most commonly placed at major stations such as Akihabara, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Kokusai-Tenjijo. Of these, Akihabara Station – beloved by many as the “sacred site of VTuber culture” – stands out as the location with the highest number of placements. At the same time, ads displayed in unique locations that reflect a talent’s personality have also grabbed people’s attention. For instance, support ads for Rindo Chihaya, who has ties to horse racing, could be seen at Kanazawa Racecourse, while ads for hololive GAMERS were on display at Obihiro’s Banei Racecourse – showcasing the creativity and ingenuity that fans possess.
A representative for the group vivid comedy project, who organized a birthday ad for Kikirara Vivi from August 25 to 31, shared their motivations for running support ads: “We wanted to create a support ad so that more people could see just how charming Vivi-chan is. It was also a way to show our gratitude, and to let people who happen to spot the ad in the city discover what a wonderful talent she is.”
Their support ads could be seen in Akihabara and Namba, Osaka: “We chose these locations because Akihabara is a cultural hub that attracts many fans and tourists, making it the perfect place to capture the attention of people who may not yet know Vivi-chan, and we also wanted locals in Osaka, her hometown, to be proud of her success,” they explained.
“The criteria that needs to be met when support ads are screened vary depending on the area, and station ads in particular require a little more time to adjust any wording to meet the relevant guidelines and to confirm usage rights. Since this was our first time creating a support ad, we were running behind schedule and couldn’t quite achieve everything we had hoped, but even so, being able to place ads that reflected the uniqueness of both Akihabara and Osaka made us feel that we were able to share Vivi-chan’s appeal with many different people,“ said the vivid comedy project representative.
Crowdfunding to Discord: The Fan Communities Driving Support Ads
Support ad projects have given fans the ability to participate and collaborate in a number of different ways. Large-scale initiatives often turn to crowdfunding platforms to gather support, while project announcements and progress updates are typically shared on social media such as X and Instagram. Overseas, many projects are organized through Discord servers, enabling local fan communities to take the lead and build international collaborations. Project organizers also use hashtags like “#____supportadproject” on X to recruit collaborators, often working together with fans who are skilled in design and illustration.
Produced by the Virtual Sakura Shrine 35P PR Team, the 7th Anniversary Support Ad for Sakura Miko appeared in four cities – Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, Fukuoka.
“As Sakura Miko reached this major milestone of her 7th anniversary, we wanted to express our gratitude and celebrate in a way that was visible to everyone,” said a team representative in reflection of the anniversary project. As this project was only possible through crowdfunding, the locations of the ads were carefully considered. Akihabara was selected for its high foot traffic with a higher proportion of passersby familiar with VTuber culture, Nagoya in order to give fans outside the Kanto region the chance to enjoy the ads, and Fukuoka was included because many of the crowdfunding supporters happened to live there.
“The response on social media was amazing – we saw so many posts of people saying ‘I went to see it!’, ‘It was so cute!’, and ‘Happy 7th Anniversary, Miko!’ A lot of people even took photos in front of the ads with merch such as hololive friends plushes. It made me really happy to see how the ads were able to become a way for everyone to share in the celebrations, but the comment that has stayed with me the most was one that said, ‘I’m so glad I’ve stayed a fan all this time,’ reminding me that the memories Sakura Miko have created with all the fans are still ever present in their hearts.”
The representative also looked back on how the project drew even greater attention after being mentioned during Sakura Miko’s own countdown stream.
Expanding Across Southeast Asia: International Support Ads Led by Fans Abroad
Support ad projects organized by overseas fans are also thriving. Among the campaigns rolled out in July and August 2025 were those in several places such as Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Thailand: in Bangkok, Thailand, ads even appeared on the famous tuk-tuks. South Korea and Taiwan, in particular, have become central hubs for the overseas support ad movement.
We talked to an organizer of a birthday support ad for Houshou Marine that was put together in Malaysia in collaboration with fans from Taiwan and Hong Kong who explained their motivations for the project: “I wanted to express my gratitude for the energy and smiles Captain Marine brings us every day and contribute, even in just a small way, to the community by creating a support ad that everyone can enjoy. At the same time, I hope more people can understand and appreciate the charm of Captain Marine.”
The organizer also spoke about the creative side of the project: “We worked with illustrator, Yoshinone Sensei, who is also part of the same Houshou no Ichimi community, on this project because we thought their style matched perfectly with what we had in mind, and we felt it would bring even more excitement to the project.”
When running support ads overseas, it’s also important to pay attention to cultural sensitivities and local etiquette.
“Because the ad was going to be displayed in a public space in Malaysia, and there were design restrictions from the advertising company, we had to be very careful in deciding on the design. We were mindful that it would be seen by many people, so we repeatedly checked to make sure the expressions we used were appropriate,” said the representative of the Houshou Marine Birthday & 6th Anniversary Support Ad.
The Hakos Baelz 4th Anniversary Support Ad, organized by the Taiwanese fan community JDON MY SOUL CLUB, was made possible after crowdfunding targets were reached much sooner than expected. The campaign featured ads in several cities and formats, including a lightbox ad in Taipei, a bus stop ad in Kaohsiung (pictured below), and a wrapped bus in Taichung – all popular locations for support ads.
Its organizer also reflected on the project: “I learned so much through this experience, from working with vendors and managing schedules to figuring out how to promote the campaign and deal with unexpected challenges.” They added that having other members’ ads displayed nearby created natural opportunities for interaction between fans and project teams, bringing everyone closer together and further strengthening the community.
A New Culture Shaped by Fan Creativity: Support Ads Connecting Communities and the Future
Unlike traditional advertising, support ads have grown into a new way for fans to express how they feel about their favorite talents. As we heard from project organizers, these ads have become a recognized part of VTuber culture – an extension of UGC that allows the creativity and passion of fans to be seen by all.
What stands out most about these activities is how they create opportunities for fans who had never met before to connect with one another. Whether it be supporting one another through crowdfunding or sharing project updates on social media, new bonds are created naturally, and in many cases, these connections go beyond a single project and blossom into lasting relationships. Overseas, too, local fans are also organizing support ads, using Discord and social media to collaborate internationally, creating new ways to connect with other like-minded fans that transcend both language and distance.
The growing presence of support ads shows how fan-driven UGC activities are not only about enjoying content, but also about shaping new cultural movements. At COVER, we expect support advertising to continue to evolve as a new and important way for fans to express their creativity and love as part of their oshi-katsu, so we will remain committed to supporting such fan-led initiatives and providing a safe space for fans to continue to create and express themselves.
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