How Many Indian Snapchat Influencers Are Finding Brand Deals in Japan?

India sends around 200,000 tourists to Japan annually. A significant portion of this travel is toward business and work.

And once in Japan, they do what any normal tourist would do. They upload content to social media. They document, archive, and upload. To the family back home, to friends, where they are staying, and to their employers. They also do what any normal employee would do. They work their asses off. This often involves taking important calls from colleagues back in India while dining at expensive restaurants from the list of locations they have curated.

These calls become frequent, often extending past midnight, as the timezone difference between India and Japan makes it difficult for them to talk during the day. In the process, many Indians have ended up becoming influencers on Snapchat.

With no cultural or personal ties to the country, they are able to upload content from a perspective that sits outside the Japanese point of view, and it is precisely this perspective that is unique. They showcase the views of the locals and talk about goods and services by local brands that are often ignored in their own country.

Indian brands have taken notice of this, opening up more brand partnership opportunities for these Indian Snapchat influencers. Indian brands are utilizing their products in these influencers’ posts instead of forming collaborations with Japanese influencers based in Japan.

Last month, Indian Snapchat influencers promoted a vegan restaurant in Tokyo for a local Indian brand that sells viands and condiments back in India. In 2025, this trend will continue to grow, as Indian Snapchat influencers will be the forefront of advertising for Toyota cars in India.

🌎 The Global Influencer Market

According to a Statista report, the global influencer marketing industry is poised to surpass US$16.4 billion by 2025, despite the fact that the majority of business owners have yet to realize the impact that influencer marketing can have on their business.

The findings showed that only 3 out of 10 business owners were already investing in influencer marketing.

The same report stated that 27% of businesses have plans to increase their influencer marketing budgets in the next 12 months, while 42% stated that they have plans to invest in influencer marketing for the first time in 2025.

With only a small percentage of businesses taking advantage of influencer marketing, and a vast majority of business owners still undertaking traditional marketing methods, this indicates a long-term trend for influencers as more businesses will come to realize the value.

🏢 Japanese Businesses Are Traditional

Japan is often seen as a world leader in technology.

Innovation is present in every aspect of their lives, from architecture, interior design, and transportation, to the culinary arts.

But when it comes to marketing, the Japanese remain rooted in traditional methods. They prefer to invest in advertising agencies that rely on offline marketing strategies, such as TV commercials, billboards, and newspaper ads.

This is likely because the Japanese tend to trust more traditional advertising over social media and influencer marketing.

The country’s low levels of trust in influencers and skepticism toward influencer marketing when compared to other countries are reflected in survey results.

Despite the trust levels, Japanese brands, specifically local Japanese brands, are now coming to terms with the effectiveness of influencer marketing.

👨‍👩‍👦 Indians Are Currently Influencing The Japanese Consumer

According to a survey conducted by the Japan Marketing Research Organization, 85% of Japanese consumers were open to hearing opinions from influencers.

In 2025, Indian Snapchat influencers will already be established as reliable voices in the opinion of Japanese brands and the Japanese consumer.

They will have the experience and expertise that will allow them to position themselves as trustworthy authorities among their audience.

At the same time, it has become increasingly difficult for Japanese brands to engage with their local influencer scene compared to foreign influencers such as their Indian counterparts.

Japanese influencer marketing platform KURAWANKA recently discovered that over half of Japanese influencers do not want to work with local brands. This is because local brands are often slow to respond and have long contract negotiations.

They are also very picky, often not providing any reasons when declining contract offers.

📱 Snapchat Is Popular In Japan

Snapchat is the third most popular social media platform in Japan today. 8 million Japanese use Snapchat on a daily basis, up from 5 million users in 2020.

The increase in Snapchat users can be attributed to the younger generation. Japanese teens are leading the way in growth, with 35% of users aged 13 to 24.

The Japanese youth generally prefer to use Snapchat over its Asian competitors such as LINE and WeChat.

Marketing consultant Ryo Shiota, who specializes in the Japanese influencer market, stated that Snapchat is perceived as cooler than other social media platforms by Japanese teens, and brands in Japan are taking notice.

Because of Snapchat’s popularity in Japan, there are also increased opportunities for Indian Snapchat influencers to work with Japanese brands.

💳 Payment Issues Aren’t An Obstacle

Cross-border payments have always been a challenge for Indian brands to facilitate influencer marketing campaigns abroad.

Many global influencer platforms do not support Indian payment gateways, while others have high fees that discourage brands from utilizing them.

Despite this, influencer marketing platforms such as BaoLiba specialize in cross-border campaigns and have the tools to facilitate payments from Indian brands to Indian influencers going abroad.

In addition to payment facilitation, these platforms also provide support in campaign management to ensure successful collaborations and campaigns.

At the forefront is the influencer because they are the face of the campaign. The success of any collaboration will ultimately rest on them and how well they deliver on their promises.

💡 Indian Snapchat Influencer Culture

Indian Snapchat influencers have a distinct identity that sets them apart from other influencers, not only in Japan but globally.

They share a unique bond with their audience, showcasing not only the products and messages that they represent, but also snippets of their day-to-day life.

They take pride in their ability to keep their audience up to date with their latest endeavors and whereabouts, even if they are halfway around the world.

Although they are separated by distance, the Indian Snapchat influencers bridge that gap by showcasing their work and travel experiences through raw and unfiltered Snapchat content.

This rise in popularity of Indian Snapchat influencers is also reflected in the fact that many now have their own reality TV shows in India. These shows take a look behind the scenes of their public life, showcasing their private lives.

Indian Snapchat influencers are where it’s at for Japanese brands looking to engage with Indian consumers in India or anywhere else.

Indian Snapchat influencers have a deep understanding of what resonates with their audience, allowing them to create impactful content that drives engagement and ultimately sales.

🛑 Be Culturally Sensitive

In 2025, Japanese brands are going to be throwing big bucks at Indian Snapchat influencers.

But because these influencers will be pitching products through Snapchat to their audience in India, they are going to have to remain culturally sensitive to avoid going viral for the wrong reasons.

They will also have to avoid showcasing anything that contradicts their values and morals back home.

For example, Indian Snapchat influencers will have to avoid any nudity in their Snapchat posts while promoting a product from a brand that is contradicting their Indian morals.

In 2025, Indian Snapchat influencers are going to be the best at influencer marketing, and they’ve only just begun.

📢 Conclusion

Indian influencers are raking in deals with Japanese brands for posts on Snapchat. In 2025, Indian Snapchat influencers will be the go-to influencers for local Japanese brands looking to utilize influencer marketing.

They constantly reinvent what it means to be an influencer, offering not just an alternative voice, but an alternative perspective. Though they live thousands of kilometers away from Japan, they represent a unique point of view that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

BaoLiba will continue to monitor and report on trends in influencer marketing in India and around the world. Follow us for updates and learn how influencer marketing can help you.