Morokami Seminar investigates the complex decision-making processes of consumers from the perspectives of marketing, cognitive science, and consumer psychology. We ask: what kinds of information influence consumers' minds, and how do those influences manifest in their thinking and behavior? Students build their knowledge progressively, starting from introductory texts and advancing to the point where they can read academic papers and specialist literature.
At the same time, through discussion-centered activities, students naturally develop the skills society demands: the ability to explain ideas clearly, to form and articulate original opinions, and to synthesize different viewpoints. We place equal weight on empirical practice alongside theory — students form hypotheses, produce advertisements and catchphrases, then verify their effectiveness through surveys and statistical analysis.
Beyond the seminar room, several live projects with companies, municipalities, and community organizations run in parallel throughout the year. Student initiative is especially valued: each project is planned and managed by the students themselves, with the professor providing guidance alongside them.
Read a seminar feature article (Yomiuri Shimbun, Japanese) →Three Pillars of Learning
Through close reading of academic texts, students deepen their theoretical knowledge of questions such as: what do consumers perceive and how do they act? How are the appeal and value of products and services judged? What influence does advertising and social media have?
Students explore consumer psychology and needs through surveys and statistical analysis, and when needed, create prototypes for user testing to capture real-world reactions. Verifying theory in the field is one of this seminar's defining approaches.
Students use theory and data to identify what effectively motivates consumers. Beyond product development and marketing strategy, participation in regional branding and community revitalization projects is a hallmark of this seminar's hands-on approach.
Sample Research Topics (Alumni)
Graduates of Morokami Seminar have written theses and presented at academic conferences on topics such as:
Main Seminar & Sub-Seminar
Each week, the main seminar (by year cohort) focuses on reading and discussing marketing theory, entering competitions, and individual research. The sub-seminar brings students across year groups together for cross-year collaborative projects with companies and communities.
Main Seminar
2nd Year Seminar 1
Students work through foundational advertising texts and develop discussion and presentation skills, guided by 3rd- and 4th-year students. They participate in external competitions and submit a group research presentation at the Faculty Research Symposium.
3rd Year Seminar 2
Students advance through a broad consumer behavior curriculum. To investigate what makes advertising and promotion effective, they form hypotheses, conduct surveys, analyze the data, and draw conclusions. Academic conference presentations and prize essay submissions are also encouraged.
4th Year Seminar 3
Drawing on the theory they have built, students collaborate with local companies, enter cross-year marketing competitions, and write their graduation thesis as the capstone of the seminar experience.
Sub-Seminar
In addition to individual and within-year activities, students participate in cross-year group projects.
Competition Participation
Individual students and joint teams compete in a range of marketing competitions. The seminar has earned numerous awards in events such as the National University Marketing Contest, ConCom, and radio CM contests.
Industry & Community Partnerships
Collaborating with companies and municipalities, students have proposed marketing strategies for daily-use products and cosmetics, and contributed to regional branding initiatives. See Activities for details.
Presenting to the World
The fruits of theory and practice reach the outside world through academic conferences and competitions. Standing on a real stage and presenting research to academics, judges, and audiences turns learning into something genuine.
Seminar Logo
The Morokami Seminar logo was created by the students themselves, applying the design and marketing knowledge they had gained in the seminar. The final design was chosen by internal competition.
