AXHUM’s Brand Development Approach
- AXHUM’s Characteristics
and Strengths - AXHUM’s Perspective on Identity,
Branding, and Evolving - AXHUM’s Brand Development
Approach - Our Clients
- AXHUM Purpose and Values
- Company Profile
- The History of AXHUM
Branding in the Age of AI
AI has reached the point where, when given clear instructions and access to structured data, it can generate highly plausible and convincing responses.
However, it remains incapable of uncovering the deeper, often unspoken values unique to an organisation—what we refer to as the Identity Core.
Furthermore, questions such as “What do we aspire to become?” (vision) and “Why do we exist and work?” (purpose) are rooted in human intention and conviction.
These are matters of will and belief, not outputs to be determined by machines.
At AXHUM, we view AI as a tool for enhancing operational efficiency. We use it to explore diverse creative directions, while reserving human judgement for what truly matters: asking the fundamental questions and creating authentic, enduring value.
This is where our focus must remain.
In the age of AI, branding will become even more meaningful when grounded in a holistic and deeply human-centred approach—such as the one outlined below:
- Identifying the Identity Core—the organisation’s unique value that has yet to be made explicit
- Defining the company’s purpose: why it exists and what it aims to achieve through its work
- Formulating a clear vision and concept that articulate what the organisation aspires to become and the value it seeks to provide—alongside strategic hypotheses
- Developing an integrated design system that unifies the brand across all touchpoints
- Enhancing emotional value to spark movements among people and across society
AXHUM’s Unique Creative Process
Unlike conventional strategy or brand consulting firms, AXHUM places great importance on its own distinctive perspectives and methodologies for deriving conceptual “facets” or viewpoints.
Rather than relying solely on reductive logic, we employ a cross-functional and holistic lens to reveal the values embedded within an organisation.
We focus on the interplay between elements and the relationships that define them, symbolising what is occurring on the surface as well as the deeper values that underpin it—all of which we then systematically articulate through language and structure.
In addition, AXHUM’s creative process emphasises a staged approach to ideation.
Typically, we conduct a three-phase creative ideation process, which aligns with the Japanese concept of Shu–Ha–Ri—a traditional model of progressive mastery and creative evolution.
- Three-Phase Ideation: Shu – Ha – Ri
Phase 1: Shu – Foundation and Exploration -
In this initial stage, we focus on mastering the fundamentals in line with the project's purpose and challenges.
Ideas are expanded in all directions—360 degrees—to explore a wide range of possibilities and strategic directions.
- Phase 2: Ha – Refinement and Breakthrough
- We then narrow the angle of focus and deepen our exploration from new perspectives.
By breaking away from conventional assumptions, ideas are developed and extended into new and unexpected territories.
- Phase 3: Ri – Detachment and Innovation
- In the final stage, we refine the newly discovered territory to the point where we can transcend the initial concepts.
This leads to the emergence of entirely new forms of value that had not previously been imagined.
Through this iterative three-phase ideation process, AXHUM develops strategies and designs that drive the evolution of organisations—enabling breakthroughs that go far beyond traditional expectations.
Surfacing Tacit Knowledge through
Strategic Value Assessment
To define an organisation’s purpose, vision, values, or broader brand concept, it is essential to uncover and articulate forms of value that have not yet been made explicit—both internally and externally.
In many of our projects, AXHUM facilitates workshops and interviews involving senior executives, next-generation leaders, junior staff, and external stakeholders.
These sessions utilise over 200 picture cards as a tool for strategic value assessment, allowing participants to reflect, visualise, and express the implicit values embedded in the organisation.
Each participant extracts meaning from imagery, while AXHUM brings a structured, objective perspective to organise and synthesise the collective insights.
Through this process, new language and concepts emerge—expressions that would not typically surface in day-to-day operations.
This approach serves as a catalyst for transformation and enables the creation of enduring, purpose-driven concepts that support long-term organisational growth.
Defining the Value Promise
Branding is the process of defining an organisation’s unique value promise—also known as the brand promise or brand concept—anchored in its future aspirations.
It involves delivering this promise effectively as a brand experience to all stakeholders, and planning and implementing strategies (including resource allocation) to generate confidence and drive action.
The value promise serves as a powerful bridge between the value a company offers and the value expected by its stakeholders—customers, employees, and society at large.
To build a strong brand identity, the value promise must be defined where the organisation’s intrinsic strengths align with the needs and expectations of its stakeholders.
If a company focuses solely on those external expectations, it risks falling into a “red ocean” of commoditised competition.
At AXHUM, we fuse logic and intuition, combining reductionist and holistic approaches to uncover latent psychological drivers and tacit organisational knowledge.
From this objective and in-depth perspective, we define a value promise that is both distinctive and enduring—positioning the brand for long-term success.
Branding is the process of defining a “Value Promise”.
Managing “The True & The New”
Branding is the process of defining an organisation’s unique value promise—its brand promise, value proposition, or core brand concept—focused on the future.
It involves delivering this promise effectively as a brand experience to all stakeholders and implementing a strategy (including resource allocation) that inspires confidence and drives action.
The value promise serves as a powerful bond that connects the value an organisation offers with the expectations of its stakeholders—customers, employees, and society as a whole.
To build a strong brand identity, the value promise must be defined where the organisation’s intrinsic strengths align with the needs and expectations of its stakeholders.
If a company focuses solely on those external expectations, it risks falling into a “red ocean” of commoditised competition.
At AXHUM, we fuse logic and intuition, combining reductionist and holistic approaches to uncover latent psychological drivers and tacit organisational knowledge.
From this objective and in-depth perspective, we define a value promise that is both distinctive and enduring—positioning the brand for long-term success.
