Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN

What Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN does

Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN (HILL ASEAN), legally HILL ASIA Co., Ltd., is a Bangkok-based research think tank and wholly-owned subsidiary of Hakuhodo Inc., established in 2014 to serve corporate clients seeking consumer and lifestyle insights across ASEAN markets. The institute operates the proprietary InsightOut® methodology, which is designed to uncover hidden desires driving sei-katsu-sha (holistic consumer) behavior rather than just observable purchasing patterns, building on Hakuhodo's sei-katsu-sha research tradition launched in Japan in 1981. Its core outputs include the annual ASEAN Sei-katsu-sha Forum (presenting themed research on issues such as emerging affluence, fandom culture, gender equality, and generational dynamics), the HILL Magazine (URBANZING series), and custom research engagements, covering six ASEAN markets: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

HILL ASEAN is governed by an Institute Director who simultaneously serves as Group CEO of Hakuhodo International Indonesia, and a Managing Director role, with strategic planning staff physically distributed across the region (Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore). The organization does not publicly disclose revenue or pricing, and operates as a private professional services entity integrated into the Hakuhodo Group's regional marketing services network. Its go-to-market is sales-led, centered on direct consulting engagements with corporate clients, primarily within the Hakuhodo network and external companies seeking to understand ASEAN consumer behavior for marketing purposes. The model supports the parent company's regional marketing efforts while publishing research publicly through forums, magazines, and webinars to maintain thought leadership and generate inbound interest.

Name

Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN

Legal name

HILL ASIA Co., Ltd.

Website

https://hillasean.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN is a Bangkok-based research think tank and wholly-owned subsidiary of Hakuhodo Inc. that provides consumer lifestyle insights and marketing consulting for corporate clients across six ASEAN markets using its proprietary InsightOut® sei-katsu-sha methodology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research & Consumer Insights

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

akta.pro primary industry

Market Research & Consumer Insights (BPAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Syndicated Market Research (Panels, Omnibus, Tracker Studies) (MPAAALAB), Social & Digital Insights (Social Listening, Online Community Research) (MPAAALAK)

Keywords

• Consumer insight research
• Market research consulting
• Lifestyle trend analysis
• ASEAN marketing strategy
• Brand positioning research

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangkok

HQ country

Thailand

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Research and Consulting Services: The think tank generates revenue through providing research insights, consulting services, and reports to companies seeking to understand ASEAN consumer behavior for marketing purposes. As part of the Hakuhodo Group, HILL ASEAN's services support the parent company's marketing efforts in the region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HILL ASEAN is a research think tank that conducts consumer and lifestyle insight research for corporate clients targeting ASEAN markets. It publishes themed annual research reports (ASEAN Sei-katsu-sha Forum), produces the periodic HILL Magazine (URBANZING series), and delivers bespoke consulting using its proprietary InsightOut® methodology, which examines hidden desires driving sei-katsu-sha (holistic consumer) behavior across six ASEAN countries.

Product overview

Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN (HILL ASEAN) is a research think tank offering a portfolio of consumer insight services centered on its proprietary sei-katsu-sha concept - viewing consumers as complete individuals rather than mere economic actors. The core offering consists of the annual ASEAN Sei-katsu-sha Forum (presenting themed research reports), periodic HILL Magazine publications, and custom research using the InsightOut® methodology. Established in 2014, the institute serves companies seeking marketing guidance in ASEAN markets by observing emerging lifestyles and sharing research-based ideas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• InsightOut®: Research approach that generates insights into patterns of people's hidden desires and brings out into the open the forces molding tomorrow's lifestyles

Products and services

• ASEAN Sei-katsu-sha Forum (Annual Research Forum) An annual branded research forum delivering themed original consumer insight reports on ASEAN sei-katsu-sha behavior and emerging lifestyle trends. Each forum targets corporate marketing and brand teams seeking actionable regional insight on topics such as Prime Generations, Emerging Affluent, Fandom culture, gender equality, the middle class, and technology-driven lifestyle change.
• HILL Magazine (URBANZING series) A periodic publication (URBANZING series) analyzing lifestyle and value gaps of consumers across ASEAN countries, with themed editions covering urbanizing regions, provincial cities, time perception studies, and automotive trends. Targeted at corporate readers interested in regional consumer lifestyle analysis.
• Sei-katsu-sha Consumer Insight Research Service A bespoke research service for corporate clients that views consumers as sei-katsu-sha—fully rounded individuals with their own lifestyles, aspirations, and dreams—across age groups and demographics in six ASEAN markets (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam). Delivers country-specific consumer insight findings to inform brand positioning, campaign planning, and marketing strategy.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hakuhodo Group (Parent Company)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014HILL ASEAN operates as the Hakuhodo Group's dedicated think tank for the ASEAN region, established in 2014. The organization taps the Hakuhodo Group's 30+ years of expertise in sei-katsu-sha insight research. Reports and methodologies are shared within the Hakuhodo network across Japan and ASEAN countries.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mintel: Consumer market research firm publishing trend, product, and consumer-lifestyle reports globally, including APAC. Closely comparable to HILL ASEAN's research-publication model (annual reports, magazine-style deliverables) focused on consumer behavior and lifestyle trends.
• Euromonitor International: Global market intelligence provider publishing syndicated consumer and lifestyle research across countries. Comparable to HILL ASEAN in cross-country consumer trend analysis and B2B research deliverables.
• NielsenIQ: Global consumer intelligence firm providing syndicated retail and consumer research, including deep APAC coverage. Comparable to HILL ASEAN on cross-country consumer insights and lifestyle trend tracking, though at significantly larger scale.
• Kantar: Global market research firm offering consumer insights, brand tracking, and syndicated studies. Directly comparable to HILL ASEAN in B2B consumer-insight research and, notably, Kantar MillwardBrown Singapore is named as a prior employer of HILL ASEAN's Chief Intelligence Officer.
• Macromill: Japanese digital market research firm with APAC operations covering consumer insights and online research panels. Comparable to HILL ASEAN on cross-market consumer research and digital/qualitative insight delivery across Asia.
• Intage Inc. Japan's largest domestic market research firm providing consumer insight, lifestyle research, and marketing consulting. The most directly comparable peer to HILL ASEAN's sei-katsu-sha-style qualitative consumer insight methodology, with established APAC research capabilities.
• Ipsos: One of the world's largest market research firms with strong consumer-insight and qualitative practices across Asia. Overlaps with HILL ASEAN on bespoke consumer behavior research, brand studies, and lifestyle trend reporting.
• GfK: Consumer market research company with strong consumer-lifestyle and brand studies practices. Comparable to HILL ASEAN in delivering consumer and lifestyle insight research for brands across multiple Asian markets.
• Kadence International: Asia-focused market research firm with deep presence in ASEAN, India, and Greater China providing consumer insight and brand research. Directly comparable to HILL ASEAN as a regional consumer-insight specialist operating across multiple Southeast Asian markets.

Emerging players

• Milieu Insight: Singapore-based consumer research and insight platform with on-demand panels across Southeast Asia. An emerging peer to HILL ASEAN in ASEAN-specific consumer insight research, though operating with a more technology- and panel-driven model rather than think-tank format.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN