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About Akiko
Akiko Tanaka is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Economics, Department of Business Economics, at Asahikawa University, and also affiliated with the Graduate School of Regional Policy, Department of Regional Policy. Her primary research specialization is Consumer Culture Theory (CCT), which investigates how individuals construct and express culture through consumption activities, such as selecting clothing, visiting cafes, sharing on social media, and challenging market or societal norms. She applies CCT to analyze fashion brands, cosmetics, advertising controversies, and town development projects. Tanaka teaches courses including Marketing Theory, Distribution Theory, Consumer Life and Economics at the junior college level, and Special Lectures on Regional Marketing Theory at the graduate level. She engages students in practical learning through seminars focused on marketing, group research on topics like university goods development and music festival experiences, fieldwork, debates, and career reports.
Tanaka obtained her Ph.D. in Commerce from Kumamoto Gakuen University in 2020, with a doctoral dissertation titled 'Brand Analysis in an Unequal Society — Introduction of Consumer Culture Theory (CCT).' She earned her Master's degree in Commerce in 2017 and Bachelor's degree in Commerce in 2015 from the same university. Her career at Asahikawa University started as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Economics and Graduate School of Regional Policy from 2020 to 2022, promoted to Associate Professor in 2022, continuing in both roles through the present. Previously, she served as a part-time lecturer at Kyushu Lutheran College, Faculty of Humanities, from 2018 to 2020. Key publications include 'Brand Identity Inheritance and Transformation — Case Study of ISSEY MIYAKE and Mame Kurogouchi' (2022, Asahikawa University Faculty of Economics Bulletin), 'Expansion and Typology of Fitness Clubs in Japan — Toward Applying Consumer Culture Theory to Fitness Club Research' (2021, Kumamoto Gakuen University Journal of Commerce), 'Possibilities of Integrating Brand Research and Consumption Theory — Based on the Development of Consumer Culture Theory (CCT)' (2020, Kumamoto Gakuen University Journal of Commerce), 'Analysis of the Interrelationship Between Consumption Patterns and Brand Strategy — Case Study of Lifestyle Brand THREE' (2019, Kumamoto Gakuen University Journal of Commerce), and 'Gender in Brand Strategy — Case Analysis from the Perspective of Cultural Branding' (2018, Ryutsu). Tanaka contributes to the community through regional research in Higashikawa-cho and Sounkyo, citizen lectures at Machinaka Bunka Goya in Asahikawa, and committee roles such as Consumer Life Council Member for Asahikawa City (2024–2028), Regional Future Investment Promotion Subsidy Review Committee Member (2020–2022), and Craftsmanship Enterprise Sales Channel Expansion Support Subsidy Review Committee Member (2020–2022). She is a member of the Japan Marketing Society, Circulation Economics Research Association, Japan Society of Commercial Sciences, and Japan Society of Distribution.