● Users Can Win Up to 1 Million Yen in Prizes

● According to a study into how New Year’s greetings are sent, the most popular reason across all age demographics for sending them through LINE was that “it is easy and casual”

 

 

 

TOKYO – December 15, 2017 – LINE has unveiled the designs of its “New Year’s Gift Stickers” lineup – stickers that come with “Otoshidama” that users can gift to their friends in the LINE app – to go on sale on December 26.

 

It also presents the results of its survey into how New Year’s greetings are sent (n=4,020 respondents between 15 and 59 years old).

 The LINE “Otoshidama” campaign was held for the first time last year, which borrowed from the Japanese New Year’s custom of exchanging New Year’s post cards that double as lottery tickets, giving the recipient a chance to win money. According to a survey into how New Year’s greetings are sent (n=4,020 respondents between 15 and 59 years old), the top reason across the surveyed demographics for sending New Year’s greetings over LINE was that “it is easy.” This reinforces the idea that sending New Year’s greetings over LINE is becoming the norm among all age demographics, and not just the younger generation.

 

Other popular reasons for a growing number of people to choose LINE to send New Year’s greetings is that the recipient’s mailing address is not needed, and no preparations need to be made in advance. This became clear from the survey results which showed 50% of respondents choosing “because it can be sent without knowing the addresses/I don’t know the addresses” as one of their reasons to use LINE to send New Year’s greetings.

 

In order to make communication over this growing tradition of using the LINE app for New Year’s greetings even more fun, LINE will once again start selling “New Year’s Gift Stickers” from December 26, 2017 as versatile greetings during the New Year’s period.

 

There are 25 New Year’s greeting sticker designs in total (17 Official and 8 Creators’ designs), including popular characters such as Pokémon, Rilakkuma, and Mr. Osomatsu and other popular Creators’ designs such as Usamaru and Butata.

 

 Users will receive 10 “Otoshidama” from the LINE Otoshidama Official Account with every sticker set purchase (JPY 120, or 50 Coins each). Users can send these Otoshidama to LINE friends between January 1 to January 3, 2018, which will allow the recipient to participate instantly in an Otoshidama lottery.

In this campaign, 10 million users will win a variety of prizes (one lottery entry per Otoshidama), including: First Prize – JPY 1,000,000; Second Prize – JPY 10,000 (added to LINE Pay balance); Third Prize – JPY 1,000 (added to LINE Pay balance); and more.*

* Notes: For certain prize levels, winners will be given their prize money through alternative methods. The campaign website will be announced separately.

 

 

New Year’s Gift Stickers Overview

New Year’s Gift Stickers – Sale Period

　11:00 am on December 26, 2017 to 11:59 pm on January 3, 2018 (GMT+9)

　* Period for sending Otoshidama: 12:30 am on January 1, 2018 to 11:59 pm on January 3, 2018 (GMT+9)

 

Otoshidama Prizes

　First Prize: JPY 1,000,000 (100 winning tickets)

　Second Prize: JPY 10,000 (added to LINE Pay balance; 1,000 winning tickets)

　Third Prize: JPY 1,000 (added to LINE Pay balance; 10,000 winning tickets)

　Fourth Prize: 1 Point (10,000,000 winning tickets)

　Sticker Prize: 120 Points (700,000 winning tickets)

 

‎Participating Stickers

　25 designs in total (17 Official and 8 Creators’ designs)

　On sale from 11:00 am on December 26, 2017 (tentative)

　Number of stickers: 16 per set

　Price: JPY 120 (incl. tax) or 50 Coins per set

　Where to buy: LINE Sticker Shop accessible from the LINE app and the official LINE STORE website

 

 

Summary of Survey Results for “How New Year’s Greetings Are Sent”

How New Year’s Greetings are Sent

・ There was an approximately 10% increase over the previous year among those between the ages of 10 to 19 who responded that they “plan to send New Year’s Greetings only through LINE”

 

Reasons for Sending New Year’s Greetings through LINE

● The most popular reason across all age demographics for sending through LINE was that “it is easy”

 

Happy to Get New Year’s Greetings on LINE

● Of those who plan to send New Year’s greetings over LINE, 50% said that they know the mailing addresses for 20% or fewer of the recipients

 

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Survey Result Details

How New Year’s Greetings are Sent

・ There was an approximately 10% increase over the previous year among those males and females between the ages of 10 to 19 who responded that they “plan to send New Year’s Greetings only through LINE”

・ Compared with those who responded that they intend to “mail New Year’s greeting cards” and “send New Year’s greetings using other social media,” on average “send through LINE” was the top response across all age demographics, with those between 10 and 29 years old bringing up the average.

 

Reasons for Sending New Year’s Greetings through LINE

● The most popular reason across all age demographics for sending them through LINE was that “it is easy.” In addition to being easy, over 50% also gave the reason that “it can be sent without finding out the addresses/I don’t know the addresses.”

● Of those who plan to send New Year’s greetings over LINE, 50% said that they know the mailing addresses for 20% or fewer of the recipients. Among those in their 20s in particular, 50% responded that they know the addresses for 10% or fewer of those they will send a greeting to.

 

Happy to Get New Year’s Greetings on LINE

Across all age demographics, the top response for the types of New Year’s greetings they’d like to receive over LINE were those that include both stickers and text. There was a strong trend among females in particular for wanting “text with stickers.”

 

Through these New Year’s Gift stickers and Otoshidama, LINE hopes to provide opportunities for its users to casually wish their family, friends, and acquaintances a happy new year, and to create a communication-rich New Year’s custom.

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“Survey into New Year’s Greetings Customs” Overview

Survey Method: Smartphone research using the LINE Research Platform

Respondents: 15 to 59 year olds in Japan

Valid Responses: 4,020

Survey Period: December 1 to December 3, 2017

 

 

Survey Results

 

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