LEE Geunhee | APU RESEARCH SEEDS - Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Investigate cutting-edge consumer marketing through the collaboration of companies, students, and university researchers

The relationships between companies and consumers have dramatically changed under the influence of social media. Online consumer word-of-mouth goes so far as to influence company marketing strategies and product development, and the power of this influence is increasing every year. Amid such rapid change, even the newest superior marketing theories might already be outdated by the time they make it into a book.
In this study, I tackle this type of issue using my own unique approach. This is a method of directly involving students, who are also the consumers of today, in resolving actual business marketing challenges. By making use of first-hand opinions and ideas from diverse students in our proposed solutions for solving business challenges, we can develop proposals that incorporate the latest consumer viewpoints. The international students who gather here at APU from more than 100 countries around the world and the Japanese students who study together with them are the wellspring of our strength for developing business proposals.
These efforts result in benefits for each of the three parties: companies, students, and university researchers. Companies get consumer insights from the latest global viewpoints, students get opportunities for practical learning, and university researchers are able to achieve new integrations of theory and practice. The track record from our cooperation with well-known companies, both international and domestic, such as New Balance and Sanwa Shurui, shows the effectiveness of this approach.

Collaboration among companies, students, and faculty (researchers) generates unique proposals to address current marketing challenges.

An essential approach to consumer marketing that continues to change

Along with the evolution of digital marketing, consumer behavior is changing day by day, moment by moment. Information spreads in an instant via SNS, so it is no surprise that communication between consumers also influences the fates of companies and products. In this kind of environment, the perspective of a single marketing expert and existing theory alone don't suffice.
The approach of this study is unique in that it faces the above-mentioned reality head-on and works out solutions. The students who gather at APU from countries around the world are consumers who have lived their lives embodying the leading digital trends. We can say that this method that takes advantage of their diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas in solving practical challenges in business is an experiment that passes beyond the limits of conventional industry-academia cooperation.
Other universities might also be conducting experiments where students discuss actual business marketing challenges and come up with ideas. However, in this study, APU's student body, more than half of which consists of international students from more than 100 countries around the world, yields significant differences. For example, we can rapidly propose solutions for difficult problems, such as local marketing challenges for Japanese companies thinking to expand abroad.
This research method also adopts flexible approaches as called for by the circumstances. In large classes of more than 200 students taught by me, the principal investigator, students develop various ideas, and through integrating and analyzing these ideas, derive strategies for comprehensive solutions. Additionally, in seminars, where students are few in number, we undertake a deep analysis of a specific issue and develop a proposal for it. Furthermore, we are also proactively incorporating information-sharing methods in line with the times, such as sharing our research findings via video.

Collaboration with New Balance, the global athletic shoe company.
Above are photos of student discussions and presentations.

Continuing to run together with companies and students in the fields of SNS marketing and consumer behavior analysis

This study’s activities have already produced many concrete results. For example, in working together with New Balance (New Balance Japan, Inc.), we developed a proposal making use of student perspectives to address the challenge of increasing brand awareness in Gen Z, and it was very well received. Additionally, in a joint study with Oita Kotsu (Inc.), a bus company in Oita Prefecture, where APU is located, we presented a solution based on the values of young people to address the issue of procuring bus driving personnel, a challenge many bus companies are facing. Our solution led to real improvements in hiring. Also, Sanwa Shurui (Co., ltd.), an Oita Prefecture company known for its iichiko shochu, etc., is facing challenges in expanding in Asia. Students from the target countries of Sanwa Shurui developed a highly effective proposal to address these challenges. On the other hand, we also have examples of issues we have tackled when foreign companies are expanding their business activities in Japan. Furthermore, we have undertaken collaborations with a wide range of businesses, ranging from local, small and medium enterprises to global entertainment companies.
These results are what draw a line dividing our collaborations from more conventional industry-academia cooperation. For the companies, in addition to access to the knowledge of marketing experts, this is an opportunity for them to obtain opinions first-hand from their target demographic, young people. For the students, it is valuable experience in dealing with actual business challenges. And for the researchers, who are also university faculty, it leads to the establishment of new educational and research models, tying together theory and practice.
I am aiming to further expand this approach and collaborate with even more companies and organizations in the future. I believe that I can offer new ideas and insights that will support the rapidly changing digital environment in the fields of SNS marketing and consumer behavior analysis in particular.

“New Balance collaborates with Prof. Lee's Consumer Behavior class of APU” Video

“What Should You Study in Japan? Marketing” Video