The 25 years anniversary activations will join a massive music programme including headliner Katy Perry, surprise events and superstar collaborations.
The Pokémon Company International has officially launched celebrations for Pokémon’s landmark 25th anniversary. As an iconic video game and entertainment franchise beloved by millions of fans of all ages around the world, Pokémon has been bringing people together since its launch in 1996. In 2021, Pokémon will continue that tradition by aligning with another universal unifying force: music. Headlined by pop icon Katy Perry, the star-studded programme, created in partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), accompanies fan-focused activations celebrating 25 years of Pokémon across the franchise’s portfolio of video games, mobile apps, animation, merchandise and more.
To celebrate 25 years, The Pokémon Company International is teaming up with UMG to make 2021 the biggest Pokémon party in history. Pokémon is working with some of the biggest names in music, from rising artists to award-winning global superstars, for the programme, titled P25 Music. Pop icon Katy Perry has been revealed as a premier collaborator in the yearlong music campaign.
“Pokémon has been a constant in my life from playing the original video games on my Game Boy, to trading Pokémon TCG cards at lunch, to the adventures of catching Pokémon on the street with Pokémon Go,” said Katy Perry. “I’ve even visited the Pokémon Café in Japan while on tour. It is an honour to be chosen to help celebrate a franchise that has given me so much joy in the last 25 years.”
“In Katy Perry, we see a kindred spirit to Pokémon, whose world is bright, fun and uplifting,” said Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing at The Pokémon Company International. “Katy is a wonderful ambassador to help us celebrate 25 years of Pokémon, and we can’t wait for music fans everywhere to experience the exciting collaborations we have planned.”
The Pokémon Company International is teaming up with other iconic brands to help fans celebrate the journey throughout the year with unique promotions and merchandise. Collaborations include programmes from Build-A-Bear Workshop, Levi’s, McDonald’s and more. Special merchandise tied to the anniversary celebrations will be unveiled from licensees including Jazwares, Scholastic, Mattel, Funko, Power A and The Wand Company. Additional partners and celebrations will be announced throughout the year.
Fans can look forward to special 25th anniversary-themed collections of the Pokémon Trading Card Game later in 2021, and collectors will soon be able to seek out oversize cards featuring Pikachu and Pokémon from the various regions featured in the franchise-spanning retrospective. With 25th anniversary-related activations planned for Pokémon animation, Pokémon video games, mobile games including Pokémon Go and Pokémon Masters Ex, and more big announcements to come, fans have a year full of new journeys ahead. For more information, visit the Official Pokémon Website.
To help fans kick off this celebration, a live-action video, uniquely highlighting moments in the brand’s 25-year history and a journey through the Pokémon world’s many regions, can be viewed beginning today on the official Pokémon YouTube channel here:
