These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers.

The company is hoping to gather one trillion yen, roughly $9.8 billion at current exchange rates, in deposits from individual consumers, who know it through its high-quality consumer products.

But proponents of such online charitable programs say even incremental sums of money gathered from consumers while they shop online are worth seeking out.

The spots are spoofs of actual focus groups held to gather information from consumers as well as advertisers.

Account planners are responsible for gathering insights from consumers on their opinions about brands and products, then sharing that information with the creative department to help produce more effective campaigns.

UNIQLO's marketing team gathers responses from consumers through several methods,such as customer feedback sheets placed in their stores and regular surveys.

The spots, in which Dockers-clad men engage in offhand chats about life, have been changed in response to data gathered from consumers, Mr. Goldstein said.

The NPD Group, which gathers apparel data from retailers as well as consumers, predicts that fall suit sales will increase no more than 5 percent - a modest gain compared with the 13 percent increase for sweaters in 1999.