The General Incorporated Association Japan Institute for Evidence-Based Marketing Research (headquarters: Nakano-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "EBMI") announces that Ren Serizawa, Chief Research Officer at EBMI and Executive Officer at Collecticia Co., Ltd., will take the stage at the keynote session of "Nikkei X-TREND FORUM 2026," to be held on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

This keynote session will feature a rare visit to Japan by Byron Sharp, author of the global bestseller "Brand Sense: 11 Marketing Truths Nobody Told You" (Asahi Shimbun Publishing) and Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science at the University of Adelaide. He will engage in a special dialogue with Ren Serizawa, Japan's leading expert in evidence-based marketing, to discuss authentic brand growth strategies and the latest advancements in scientific marketing in the AI era. This high-level joint session brings together two of the world's foremost thought leaders to present the next-generation standards for marketing.

Background and Highlights of the Session

Rapid advancements in AI technology are dramatically transforming the marketing landscape. Yet, no matter how sophisticated technology becomes, there remain unshakable "scientific principles" underlying how consumers perceive, choose, and form habits around brands.

This session offers a rare opportunity to experience firsthand the insights of Byron Sharp, a world-leading authority who continues to redefine marketing through data and evidence. Together with Ren Serizawa, a key driver of evidence-based marketing in Japan, they will uncover the "true brand growth strategies" businesses should adopt in today's AI-driven era, drawing on the latest global research. Witness the cutting edge of marketing science—beyond intuition and anecdote—live at the event.

Session Overview

Date and Time: Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 10:00–11:00

Event Name: Nikkei X-TREND FORUM 2026

Session: Keynote Session (in-person event)

Theme: Scientific Marketing from the Latest Research: Brand Growth Strategies for the AI Era

Speakers:

Byron Sharp (Director, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, University of Adelaide)

Ren Serizawa (Executive Officer, Collecticia Co., Ltd.; Chief Research Officer, Japan Institute for Evidence-Based Marketing Research)

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Speaker Profiles

Byron Sharp

Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science at the University of Adelaide. Author of global bestsellers including "Brand Sense: 11 Marketing Truths Nobody Told You" (Asahi Shimbun Publishing) and "The Science of Marketing: Theory, Evidence, Practice." A leading authority in evidence-based marketing.

Ren Serizawa (Serizawa Ren)

Chief Research Officer, EBMI; Executive Officer, Collecticia Co., Ltd. He supports business expansion for companies through evidence-based consulting, while actively engaging in writing and public speaking, including corporate training programs. His publications include "Understanding the 'Un' Customer: Why Do We Only See Customers Who Buy?", "Strategy Pretend: Problems Before Marketing", and "'Un' Customer Strategy: The Science of Memory and Habit in the Face of Consumer Indifference" (all published by Nikkei BP), all of which have gone through multiple reprints and have been translated and released across Asia. Member of the Japan Marketing Society; Advisory Board Member, Nikkei X-TREND. Reads international academic papers daily. Cat enthusiast.

<Ren Serizawa Official LINE Account>

Exclusive content including topics not covered in his books, updates on the latest evidence, a reader Q&A section (FAQ), and event announcements are regularly shared. Open for registration to readers, this serves as a valuable tool for continuous learning.

Overview of the General Incorporated Association Japan Institute for Evidence-Based Marketing Research (EBMI)

EBMI is a specialized research organization established to promote and advocate for "evidence-based marketing." Bringing together corporate CMOs, marketing executives, and academia, EBMI aims to discover growth principles unique to the Japanese market through pioneering and reproducibility studies, and to return insights and practical skills to marketing practitioners.

Founded: July 31, 2024

Address: 4-30-9 Higashi-Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo

Website: https://ebmi.jp/

Official X account: https://x.com/EBMI_JP

<Press Inquiry Contact>

Japan Institute for Evidence-Based Marketing Research (EBMI)

EBMI Secretariat: Kimura, Nonoe, Hayashi Email: access@ebmi.jp

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