The Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living (HILL) was established in 1981 as a flagship organ of Hakuhodo, an advertising company that advocates the concept of “sei-katsu-sha” (consumers as real, living people, not mere statistics). It goes without saying that Hakuhodo, as an experienced player in marketing and communication, is constantly striving to find solutions to its clients' problems. Solving these diverse and highly individual problems depends on the vector of sei-katsu-sha, i.e. monitoring the latest trends in consumer lifestyles. All consumer needs – food, housing, leisure, access to information – move in line with larger social trends. With this concept in mind, the Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living conducts research to glean consumer and social trends from a holistic viewpoint, reaching beyond the limits of markets or sectors.