Yakult sales rise after its cameo on Netflix teen-comedy, To All The Boys I've Loved Before

After the release of the Netflix movie, Yakult's 'mention frequency' was also on a rise.

Yakult sales rise after its cameo on Netflix teen-comedy, To All The Boys I've Loved Before
PC: YakultUSA/Facebook

Japanese dairy producer Yakult Honsha Co realised the power of product placement after viewers got convinced that a drink making a cameo in new Netflix teen-comedy, To All The Boys I've Loved Before, is Yakult. Viewers of the Netflix original film spotted the main character, Lara Jean's sister Kitty drinking a 'Korean yogurt smoothie' - which she is particularly fond of. Later Lara Jean's love interest Peter Kavinsky, who is introduced to the drink by the sisters, also takes a liking to the drink.

Although the movie never specifically mentions Yakult, the audiences have spotted the distinctive small bottle with a red foil top.

After the release of the Netflix movie, Yakult's 'mention frequency' was also on a rise. Majority of the conversations were directly related to interest in the product, as mentioned in a report in Bloomberg.

Shares of Yakult's stock that had dropped about 6 per cent this year as growth slowed down, climbed about 2.6 per cent since the release of the movie in August 17. The stock closed 1.7 per cent higher on Monday - the highest since July 31.

The rising conversation levels have led to an increase in Yakult's brand awareness, driving higher sales volume.

Yakult is a fermented skim milk drink with a special strain of bacteria Lactobacillus casei. It was started in Japan in 1935. The drink is marketed in different sizes in different countries. For instance, in some countries, including India, Yakult is sold in 65 ml bottles, while in some countries including USA and Japan, it is sold in 80 ml bottles. Yakult also comes in 100 ml bottles that are sold in countries like China, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong.

(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)