My primary area of expertise is the affluent and premium market in Japan, focusing on marketing strategies to target the “new rich”. I am researching buzz-marketing strategies (word of mouth marketing) and club-marketing strategies employed to reach exclusive customer groups that are blocked from normal marketing approaches. Of additional interest are social networking theories and urban studies that link opinion leader marketing with cultural studies. The dynamic of luxury is different in Japan. In order to understand its underlying principles, several disciplines have to be combined.

- working on my PhD thesis: “The underlaying social principles of luxury fashion consumption in Japan. The case of Louis Vuitton.”

- 4 years of research experience in Japan

- Working on models for word of mouth marketing in exclusive marketing environments.

- Preparing a detailed overview of the Japanese HNWI marketand its recent developments, using feedback from various sources within the industries and connections among service companies in the luxury market.

- Studying the consumer behavior of the “New Rich” in Japan. Categorizing the Japanese consumer market in order to give management implications for market segmentation and brand strategies.

- Studying brand management issues specific to the luxury market. Formulating a model epasizing the differences of brand perceptions in the Japanese market environment.