Bushnell vs Kowa:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Bushnell had more branded searches than Kowa among binocular brands in New Zealand. Bushnell had about 380 branded searches, while Kowa had 50. Bushnell made up 2.1% of all binocular brand searches we track, and Kowa accounted for 0.27%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about binocular brands, Bushnell appeared in three of the five answers and Kowa in two. Bushnell and Kowa were each mentioned first in two of the four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Bushnell, about 8 searches for every 1 for Kowa
Who does AI mention more?
Bushnell, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Kowa in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 2 of 4 answers.
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Top binocular brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Bushnell was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Kowa was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Bushnell and Kowa were each listed first in two of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Vortex5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Swarovski4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Nikon4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Bushnell3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Zeiss3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Kowa2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Steiner1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Canon0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about binocular brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which binocular brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best binocular brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best binocular brand in New Zealand for birdwatching?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“binoculars nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bird watching binoculars”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 20, 2026.
Is Bushnell or Kowa more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Bushnell and Kowa by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight binocular brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Bushnell, Kowa. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Swarovski | Canon | Nikon | Bushnell | Vortex | Kowa | Zeiss | Steiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 58.2% | 24.3% | 14.1% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 0.27% | 0.22% | 0.27% |
| Nov 2025 | 69.3% | 17.6% | 9.8% | 1.5% | 1.2% | 0.18% | 0.14% | 0.22% |
| Dec 2025 | 73.1% | 15.2% | 8.9% | 1.5% | 0.87% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.19% |
| Jan 2026 | 60.7% | 23% | 12.6% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.24% | 0.19% | 0.24% |
| Feb 2026 | 60.9% | 21.7% | 13.1% | 2% | 1.5% | 0.29% | 0.23% | 0.29% |
| Mar 2026 | 57.2% | 24.2% | 13.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 0.27% | 0.27% | 0.27% |
| Apr 2026 | 59.5% | 20.9% | 14.9% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 0.22% | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| May 2026 | 62.4% | 22% | 12.1% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 0.29% | 0.19% | 0.24% |
| Jun 2026 | 59.2% | 23.3% | 13.1% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 0.33% | 0.28% | 0.22% |
| Jul 2026 | 58.5% | 24.4% | 13% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 0.27% | 0.38% | 0.22% |
| Aug 2026 | 55.9% | 25.5% | 14.2% | 2% | 1.7% | 0.26% | 0.26% | 0.26% |
| Sep 2026 | 57.7% | 22.7% | 15.5% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 0.27% | 0.22% | 0.16% |
How has the Bushnell and Kowa comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Bushnell was ahead of Kowa in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Bushnell’s share of searches among binocular brands in New Zealand moved from 1.5% to 2.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 280 to 380.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kowa’s share of searches among binocular brands in New Zealand held steady at 0.27%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 50.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand binocular brands in September 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for Bushnell in New Zealand rose 35.7% over 12 measured months, from 280 to 380 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Bushnell’s and Kowa’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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