Photomatic Partners with Jissen University for Student-Led IP Brainstorming
The self-photo brand Photomatic, operated by Kitamura Holdings' subsidiary Photo Create, ran a two-part special lecture series at Jissen Women's University's Shibuya campus. The target: media culture students who could flip their daily user experiences into proposal-led thinking, using the university's own Photomatic booth as a live case study. The brand framed the sessions as a bridge between Gen Z consumer reality and corporate marketing logic, aiming to spark new intellectual property collaborations.
The lectures grounded students in the business mechanics of IP tie-ups — revenue models, partner conditions, case studies — before handing the floor. In return, Photomatic received a flood of ideas rooted in pure fan psychology. The brief required students to step from 'user' to 'planner' and design IP collaborations that could extend the value of a self-photo beyond the booth. What surfaced was less about print quality and more about emotional immersion.
'Normally in meetings with IP holders, we think about what's trending and how to reach more customers,' said a Photomatic representative. 'The students went further: how to recreate the atmosphere of being in the same space as their fave, how to turn a single print into a treasure that lasts.'
The Rise of Experiential 'Oshikatsu': Beyond Goods to Immersive Fan Journeys
From 'Oshi' Goods to 'Oshi' Experiences
The standout insight from the sessions was a clear shift in what fans value. Rather than collecting physical merchandise, students repeatedly asked for the world of their idol or character to follow them home. Concrete ideas included using the printed photo as a membership card that unlocks return visits, and designing AR or physical frames that plunge the fan into the IP's universe. The photograph itself became a token, not the end product.
This reflects a broader acceleration of 'oshikatsu' — the practice of supporting and emotionally investing in a fave — toward experiential layers. Where once a limited photo strip sufficed, now the time spent shooting, the ambient sound and light that echo the IP, and the post-visit utility of the output all matter. Photomatic's own value proposition — professional lighting and 'true to self' image quality — is being asked to embed that authenticity into narrative, not just aesthetics.
What This Means for Photomatic's Collaboration Strategy
The brand has long positioned itself away from heavy retouching and toward a natural, 'real you' look. That authenticity now overlaps with a fan demand for believable immersion: if you can't be edited into a fantasy, the environment itself must deliver it. Photomatic says it will feed the student proposals directly into upcoming IP partnership pitches, signalling a move from photo-as-commodity to photo-as-gateway. The risk is that installation and tech complexity could inflate costs per campaign, though no financial figures were disclosed.
What the Shift Means for Brands Targeting Fandom Culture
- For IP-based brands and retailers: treat photo output as a potential membership mechanic — a print that becomes a loyalty card, discount token, or unlock key for digital content — rather than a throwaway souvenir.
- For location-based experience designers: students' repeated demand for 'atmosphere' suggests that lighting, scent, and sound cues tied to the IP during the shoot itself are as valuable as the final image.
- For Photomatic's next steps: the company says it will integrate these insights into its pipeline of multi-dimensional collaborations, potentially extending the booth's role into a recurring fan touchpoint beyond a single purchase occasion.
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