[Promoting Cross-Industry Collaboration] Initiatives Aiming for a Rich Coexistence Society for People and Pets Through Industry-Academia Collaboration

In recent years, Japan has seen a decline in both the number of pets kept and the desire to own them, making the creation of environments conducive to human-pet coexistence a significant challenge. Particularly, building relationships with people who feel "uncomfortable," "dislike," or "have no interest" in pets remains an area the entire industry has not fully addressed.

Amidst this, Mars Japan Limited (hereinafter Mars Japan) promoted an industry-academia collaboration project with Tokyo University of Science and Dentsu Inc. tackling the difficult challenge of "coexistence between pets and people who dislike, are uncomfortable with, or have no interest in pets." The project's main protagonists were students from Tokyo University of Science. After conducting surveys, analysis, and extensive discussions, they made proposals focusing on "psychological and physical distance," which were highly evaluated by the corporate side.

We share the background of this project, details of the efforts undertaken, and the new insights gained, incorporating interviews with project members.

Can coexistence between pets and people who dislike or have no interest in pets be achieved?

Mars Japan, guided by its purpose of creating "A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS, " is advancing various initiatives toward realizing a rich society of coexistence with pets. As part of this effort, in spring 2025, Mars Japan participated alongside Dentsu Inc. in the "Capstone Project," an industry-academia collaboration problem-solving initiative led by the Kakihara Laboratory within the International Design Management Department (IDM) of the Faculty of Business Administration at Tokyo University of Science.

This project serves as the culmination of the students' four-year university education, challenging them to solve real-world business problems. The theme presented by Mars Japan was: " What Mars Japan can do to achieve a better society for living with pets, specifically focusing on coexistence with people who dislike, are uncomfortable around, or have no interest in pets." Developing strategies targeting people who keep their distance from pets, amidst increasingly diverse values, presented an exceptionally challenging task.

Six students from the Kakihara Laboratory participated in this approximately three-month project. The team included not only students who love animals, but also those who feel uneasy or uncomfortable around them. The project began by understanding each other's perspectives and values.

Subsequently, the target audience was defined as "people who dislike pets, are uncomfortable with them, or have no interest in them." Within this group, the current situation of those specifically uninterested in becoming pet owners was carefully analyzed. To understand this situation, they set research questions and conducted both quantitative and qualitative surveys. Using the collected data, they visualized the psychological and physical distance felt by people uninterested in becoming pet owners. Based on these characteristics, they categorized them into four groups: "Like pets and are good with them," "Like pets but are uncomfortable," "Dislike pets and are uncomfortable," and "Dislike pets and are not good with them."

Based on this analysis, we devised measures to reduce the psychological and physical distance for each segment. For example, we proposed three specific approaches: a UGC initiative collecting human-like moments observed in dogs and cats, and interactive experiences with dogs and cats using Magic Hands.

Each proposal centered on a stance of respecting diversity, aiming to gradually expand the possibilities for coexistence while addressing the specific distance felt by each group.

On the presentation day, students also interacted with dogs and cats accompanying their owners to the Mars Japan office, providing them with a tangible experience of their own sense of distance shifting slightly. The presentation was highly praised not only for its content but also for its structure and delivery. The proposed initiatives generated significant internal buzz at Mars Japan.

Reaching this output involved the students' own uncertainties and struggles, as well as their gradually deepening understanding of the challenges. Furthermore, the ongoing support from project members, including Mars Japan, was an indispensable element in refining the output.

How did this industry-academia collaboration project begin, and what outcomes and insights did it yield? We spoke with Mars Japan's Hidee Kawai and Yohko Nakamura, Tokyo University of Science Professor Masao Kakihara, and Dentsu Inc.'s Satoshi Oshima and Yuki Yamashita about the project's background and the feedback received after its implementation.

Why Mars Japan × Tokyo University of Science × Dentsu Deliberately Tackled a Difficult Question

──This theme focuses on coexistence with people who dislike, are uncomfortable with, or have no interest in pets. What challenges prompted Mars Japan to deliberately address this area?

Kawai: We operate under the purpose of creating "A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS." Building a society where people and pets can live together safely and comfortably is a crucial theme for achieving this. Pets not only provide comfort and joy but also positively impact human society in various ways, such as health and community building. These values are not merely subjective; they are scientifically proven.

On the other hand, in Japan, the number of pets, especially dogs, kept as pets is decreasing year by year, and fewer people are considering getting one. Opportunities to interact with animals are also diminishing; we see fewer dogs being walked in the streets, and experiences with animals in the neighborhood are becoming less common. As a result, the current reality is that more people are either uninterested in pets or feel uncomfortable around them.

While we have primarily developed services and products for pet lovers, if we are serious about realizing a society of coexistence, we must also engage with those who keep their distance. We see this as a crucial opportunity to understand a demographic we haven't actively researched before, leading us to set this theme.

Nakamura: This year, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, our company has adopted a new vision for the pet care industry: " A world filled with more warmth and joy, together with pets." This "world" should be a society that respects not only pets and their owners, but also those who do not own pets. Reexamining coexistence with people who lack interest in or are uncomfortable around pets, as we are doing now, aligns with the essence of this vision. We also wanted to explore forms of coexistence from a different perspective than before.

──Professor Kakihara, what were your initial impressions when you first received this theme?

Kakihara: Frankly, I thought it was a very challenging theme (laughs). Just the concept of a society where humans and pets coexist is vast in scale, and within that, considering "coexistence with people who dislike pets" is no simple task for students. But at the same time, I also thought, "This is a really great theme."

The IDM department at Tokyo University of Science, where I belong, is still quite new, having been established only about five years ago. Challenging questions without clear answers is a pillar of our education. Our "Capstone Project," a required undertaking for all fourth-year students, is also fundamentally designed to engage with real-world issues in collaboration with industry partners. In that sense, this theme was a perfect fit for our department's philosophy.

Furthermore, the theme of pets is relatable to students. I believed it could serve as a catalyst for them to personally engage with the broader societal challenge of "coexistence." Having recently become a pet owner myself, I was acutely aware of the current situation surrounding pets and the disconnect surrounding them. That's precisely why I felt strongly this theme held significant educational and practical value.

──How did Dentsu Inc. design this industry-academia collaboration project, and what role did you envision playing?

Oshima: Our role, in a word, was that of a "producer." We stood between Mars Japan and the students, clarifying everyone's roles and supporting the project to ensure it progressed smoothly and effectively. Above all, we were particularly conscious of maintaining "balance."

For the students, we decided not to provide any direction from our side. We aimed to protect the unique freedom of student thinking while gently nudging them when necessary. We believed this was the appropriate distance for this project. On the other hand, precisely because the theme was challenging, we carefully aligned expectations with Mars Japan regarding the final output.

Another key priority was ensuring this wasn't just an academic exercise. Depending on the quality of the proposals, there was real potential for social implementation. We focused on accompanying them all the way, determined to see the outputs through to the end, keeping that potential firmly in sight.

Kawai: Honestly, I was initially anxious about what kind of output would emerge. However, this time we had the robust support system of Dentsu Inc. and Professor Kakihara accompanying us. We also approached it with the mindset that, precisely because it was a question with no single right answer, we would proactively embrace diverse opinions and ideas. In fact, our anticipation of encountering perspectives and sensibilities we rarely come into contact with was even greater.

Not leaving behind those outside the market. Insights gained from student proposals

──What were your impressions after receiving the students' final proposals?

Kawai: Frankly, I felt they were proposals of an exceptionally high caliber. What was truly outstanding was how they didn't lump people who dislike pets into a single category. Instead, they persistently grappled with questions like "Why do people dislike pets?" and "What does it mean to have no interest?", further categorizing them into finer segments and proposing effective approaches for each. I was deeply impressed by their attitude of broadening their own scope and thinking through the issue from multiple angles.

Furthermore, their consistency in deriving the axes of psychological distance and physical distance, and designing their proposals based on these, was remarkable. The logical progression from hypothesis to output was superb. Not just myself, but every member of our company listening to the presentation was genuinely surprised.

Beyond that, the passion infused into the presentation itself left a strong impression. They created outputs designed for clarity, such as using AI to generate images and producing videos showing real-world reactions to their proposed measures using their own pets. I was also impressed by how they incorporated advice received from Dentsu Inc. the day before into the next day's presentation, which really highlighted their strong teamwork.

The proposal content also strongly reflected each student's personal experiences. I heard some students weren't fond of pets, but incorporating those members' perspectives significantly boosted the proposal's persuasiveness. After the presentation, some students were so moved they shed tears. It was heartwarming to see them engage with such dedication.

Nakamura: Watching the presentation, I sensed that this team must have gone through intense discussions. I imagine it was harder than expected for people who love pets and those who don't to tackle the challenge together. For pet lovers, there were probably opinions that made them think, "Is that really a valid perspective?" Conversely, those who dislike pets might have felt moments where the ideas seemed overly pushy.

That's precisely why I was amazed and highly impressed that they ultimately produced such a cohesive output. I believe this proposal emerged precisely because each member spoke frankly from their own perspective while working together as a team.

As an aside, when we shared this project internally, seeing the AI-generated visuals prompted feedback like, "You really are the AI-native generation." The natural way they utilized AI and seamlessly integrated it into their output felt refreshing, making me realize that proposals like this will become commonplace in the future.

──I hear that on the day of the final proposal, Mars Japan employees brought their dogs and cats to create an opportunity for the students to interact with them.

 

Kawai: Since the students took the trouble to visit our company, we wanted to show our appreciation. We asked employees who own pets to bring their cats and dogs to the office. Through this interaction, I believe they could experience firsthand the process described in the proposal: " How closing psychological and physical distances changes awareness."

In fact, we saw a student who was initially hesitant around pets start offering treats to a dog on their own, with some support. It was very memorable when they said, "I can do it too." That moment felt like the hypothesis you all proposed was proven right there.

──Professor Kakihara, could you share what you focused on when guiding the students?

Kakihara: Personally, I constantly considered what kind of support was needed for students to engage with real corporate challenges and produce outputs that could contribute to society, even in small ways. Given that Mars Japan and Dentsu Inc. approached the students with such deep educational insight and care, I consciously chose to provide more rigorous direction.

For instance, the first thing I conveyed to the students was the difference between university evaluation standards and business reality. While a 60 might pass and an 80 be considered excellent in university, society constantly demands exceeding expectations. In other words, even a 100 isn't enough; you must aim for 120 or 150 to secure the next job. I emphasized that since adults were investing their time and energy to mentor them, they should deliver results that surpassed those expectations.

On the other hand, I also have points to reflect on. I thought I understood intellectually that young perspectives and open-minded sensibilities are students' greatest strengths. Yet, I realized my own instructions were increasingly based on my experience and knowledge. For example, the initial theme given was "Coexistence between Pets and People Who Are Uncomfortable with, Dislike, or Have No Interest in Pets." I thought, "Approaching people who have absolutely no interest or dislike pets might be too difficult," and advised focusing instead on a relatively more receptive group—those who have at least some level of interest.

 

However, the students responded with clear conviction: " Looking at Japan's pet ownership rates, the number of people who don't own pets is overwhelmingly larger. That's precisely why we want to challenge ourselves to change the many people on the 'outside'. "

That moment reminded me of what Mr. Kawai and Mr. Oshima said during the initial briefing: " Precisely because this is a theme without a clear answer, we want you to tackle it with excitement and enjoyment." Perhaps I myself had become too fixated on achieving results that exceeded expectations, causing me to lose sight of the original intent. Realizing this, I shifted my role to purely supporting the students so they could fully engage with the challenge they truly wanted to pursue.

As a result, the students tackled extremely difficult challenges head-on and grew tremendously from the experience. And I believe I, too, gained many insights and learned a great deal through my dialogues with them.

Yamashita: Regarding the students' proposals, even the initial plans were highly polished, making me feel strongly that we had to take them seriously. However, when we actually started working on them, we inevitably tended to be pulled toward practical perspectives like feasibility. Amidst that, the students' attitude of "let's try it" rather than "can we do it?" and the sheer scale of their dreams felt incredibly pure. It reminded me of a feeling I had almost forgotten.

Early on, you did an excellent job thoroughly researching data. That was truly impressive. On the other hand, your hypothesis-driven thinking was still developing. There were times when it wasn't clear why you were collecting data or how it would translate into your final proposal. I recall the impression that you sometimes gathered too much information, which paradoxically led to confusion. We were also figuring out how best to provide hints as we walked alongside you.

Even so, once they pinpointed what they truly wanted to achieve and set the goal of "a society where everyone can live comfortably with their pets at the right distance," the process suddenly flowed much more smoothly. Their growth was truly astonishing, and it made me think, "I can't afford to lose."

Kakihara: While I've traditionally prioritized data-driven, evidence-based thinking and proposals, envisioning a "future not yet proven" like this one shows how crucial storytelling, imagination—in other words, ideation—truly is.

 

Designing that first experience for people who dislike or have no interest in pets involves aspects that can't be measured by mere rationality. People often only realize things through experience. To overcome psychological barriers, you need a "trigger" that naturally blends into their lives. In that sense, the narrative quality of the initiatives the students envisioned held tremendous significance.

Around the midpoint of the project, through mentoring from the Dentsu Inc. team, there was a moment when the quantitative and qualitative data collected in the first half began to align seamlessly with the vision of the ideal society outlined in the latter half. That timing felt like the project accelerated dramatically, and it was incredibly memorable.

Oshima: We'd also like to share a few particularly striking insights we gained from the presentations.

First, the importance of " experience." We saw great potential in how many student ideas were grounded in "getting people to actually experience things," rather than just unilaterally delivering advertising or awareness messages. This is a crucial theme within the CX (Customer Experience) context we're currently working on, and I believe the students naturally grasped its essence.

For example, their approach of repeatedly iterating between action and conception—like building their own prototype using a Magic Hand and actually testing it—demonstrated strong practical skills and sensitivity.

I was also reminded of the critical importance of diversity within teams. I heard that opinions clashed fiercely, sometimes even leading to tears. Yet, it is precisely such dialogue and conflict that broadens perspectives and leads to unexpected insights.

I was also struck by the uniquely AI-native generation approach. Using AI to generate visuals for presentation materials and naturally incorporating techniques to maximize clarity and impact felt like a valuable hint for future project design.

Finally, the most significant realization was the difficulty of "designing relationships between the community and those outside it." For example, while tribe marketing is effective for targeting specific preference groups, it carries the risk of alienating others. This proposal specifically focused on those outside the community, reminding us of the crucial theme of how to connect with those marketing often unconsciously excludes.

Kakihara: I believe that was the essence of this theme. If we think solely in terms of ROI, focusing on segments with high consumption intent might be the most efficient business approach. However, to improve society as a whole, it's essential to also direct our gaze toward those outside the market. Working on this with powerful partners like Mars Japan and Dentsu Inc., who shared this perspective, became a tremendous asset for both the students and myself.

New Perspectives Brought by Industry-Academia Collaboration. Outcomes Born from Mutual Understanding Among Three Parties

──Could you share your thoughts on the value and potential of industry-academia collaboration through this initiative?

Kawai: I truly feel the great value of industry-academia collaboration lies in revealing perspectives and approaches we often overlook. For instance, the emphasis on experience over messaging was incredibly fresh and provided many valuable lessons.

Furthermore, having Dentsu Inc. act as an intermediary between the students and the company allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of the passion, effort, and design philosophy behind the proposals. It was precisely this three-party structure that enabled us to achieve such substantial output.

Oshima: In today's increasingly complex and commoditized era, it's difficult for a single company or organization to solve problems alone. In that sense, I believe industry-academia collaboration holds tremendous potential. While this project was a short three-month period within the Kakihara Lab framework, I think medium-to-long-term forms of industry-academia collaboration should expand going forward.

Above all, " mutual understanding " is crucial for making such initiatives work. It's essential to understand each other's roles and perspectives—the university and students' standpoint, each company's position, and sometimes even the government's role—and to find common ground. In that regard, I felt this project was very ideal.

Yamashita: Combining the perspectives of "industry" and "academia" gave me a sense that the quality of thinking deepened significantly. When the ideal pursued as a brand intersects with the simple questions and feelings of consumers, more essential proposals emerge. This reaffirmed the significance of Dentsu Inc.'s role in facilitating engagement between both sides.

Kakihara: From the university's perspective, we also feel we must better deliver our resources and assets to companies. To achieve this, having a catalyst to facilitate this movement is indispensable. I believe this collaborative model involving companies, universities, and supporters could become a new standard moving forward.

Kawai: Personally, I initially wondered, "Why is Dentsu Inc. involved?" (laughs), but now I'm filled with gratitude for the immense value of their role. Mars Japan members who heard the proposals even said, "We want to implement this immediately." I'm reminded that this outcome was only possible because of this specific collaboration.

Aiming for a "Society of Coexistence" – A Challenge No Single Company Can Solve Alone

──Based on the students' proposals, what future developments are you considering?

Kawai: Every single proposal we received was truly outstanding. The idea of gradually bridging physical and psychological distances, rather than trying to do it all at once, feels absolutely spot-on.

Of course, we won't implement the proposals exactly as they were presented. However, we currently have a team working to realize our vision: "A world filled with more warmth and joy, together with pets." We plan to incorporate the ideas from this project into our discussions as we move forward.

What can Mars Japan do for people who are uncomfortable with or uninterested in pets? This is precisely the core question of this project, and your proposal has provided extremely valuable insights for concretizing our approach.

Nakamura: This theme is by no means a challenge for our company alone. Rather, I believe it is a societal challenge that the entire pet industry should tackle. Action taken by just one company will have limited impact. That is precisely why I feel initiatives are needed across the entire industry to increase pet ownership intentions and interest.

One of the missions of Mars Japan's Pet Care business is " to challenge ourselves to create new pet markets together with like-minded individuals, organizations, and stakeholders. " We want to explore ways to expand this proposal on a larger scale, using it as a hint to embody that mission.

──Professor Kakihara, from an educational perspective, how do you view the significance of this project and your expectations for its future?

Kakihara: First, I am truly grateful that this was such a fruitful experience for the students. They must have learned a great deal through the process of confronting real-world social issues and shaping solutions.

Furthermore, the feedback received after the final proposal—particularly the phrase " This is where the real work begins "—was profoundly meaningful. Encountering the reality of how many hurdles exist to actually implement a proposal in society, rather than it ending with the proposal itself, held significant educational value.

Another point is how to approach social issues. While this project focused on coexistence with pets, it's not just an issue for the pet industry. In a society facing declining birthrates and an aging population, it's a crucial question from the perspective of how to live happily and design one's own life. For the younger generation, where pet ownership is no longer a given, rethinking the nature of the relationship with pets provided new insights into the structure of society as a whole. I hope the students will continue to grapple with these questions throughout their lives.

──Could you share Dentsu Inc.'s outlook for the future?

Oshima: We intend to further accelerate and expand such industry-academia collaboration projects. Leveraging our ability to connect diverse stakeholders, creating a platform where industry, government, private sector, and academia collaborate is one of the key roles we can play. This time, I felt the approach of tackling social issues in a challenge-driven manner, rather than product-based, was particularly crucial. That's precisely why we want to take on the role of a "hub" going forward, connecting client companies and initiating cross-industry actions. We've already begun building networks for this purpose, and they are steadily expanding.

Yamashita: On a personal note, I myself have a strong passion for pets. I want to carry this enthusiasm forward, driving this project with more passion and positivity than anyone else. I want to keep challenging myself, involving more companies and stakeholders, to get even a little closer to the ideal coexistence society envisioned by the students.

[Project Members]

＜Mars Japan Limited＞
・CMO / Marketing Director: Hidee Kawai
・Director, Public Relations & External Affairs: Yoh Nakamura
 
＜Tokyo University of Science＞
・Professor Masao Kakihara

・Students
 
＜Dentsu Inc.＞
・Business Producers Division 6
　Account Lead Division 6, Naoki Miwa
　Account Lead, Division 5 Naoko Tsuji
 
・Marketing Division 7
　CX Consulting Division 1: Satoshi Oshima
　Marketing Consulting Division 2, Yuki Yamashita
 
・Marketing Division 2
　Marketing Consulting Division 3 Kenta Oda