Hiroshi Onishi: At the Intersection of Art and Marketing

My strong attraction to art began with my experience studying abroad in the United States as a university student. Standing before a work by Robert Rauschenberg for the first time at a private museum near my lodgings, I felt a sensation that shook my entire body rather than something I understood intellectually. For someone like me, who was used to seeking "correct answers," the existence of art—which presents questions without answers—was a shock. Since then, I began collecting works partly to support young artists, which became the primary experience for my later research on the theme of "Art in Business."

On the other hand, my field of research is digital marketing. It is a world that values rationality and empirical evidence, using data analysis to mathematically analyze social media reviews and advertising effectiveness to clarify consumer behavior. However, phenomena that cannot be explained by rationality alone often occur. Humans are emotional creatures, and sometimes their hearts are moved by a simple social media post, leading them to purchase a product. I began to think that there might be issues deeply related to the essence of marketing that cannot be solved simply by analyzing the data in front of us.

That is why I am working on the fusion of "Art Thinking" and "Marketing." Art Thinking is an approach that, like an artist in the unpredictable VUCA era, deeply questions society and oneself to derive new ideas from ambiguity and a sense of unease. When introduced into corporate activities, it can draw out creativity and organizational vitality that are difficult to generate through efficiency alone. I have organized this within the framework of "Art in Business" and analyzed its contribution to brand formation and innovation creation. For example, placing artwork in an office changes the dialogue between employees and creates opportunities to think about things from multiple perspectives. Companies that actively incorporate artist workshops are also seeing results in promoting innovation.

Moving forward, I want to continue my research while moving back and forth between rationality based on data analysis and the deep insights brought by Art Thinking. Through this research, I hope to contribute to society and corporate activities while conveying to everyone the emotion of that moment when I stood transfixed in the museum during my time abroad.