AXHUM’s Characteristics
and Strengths
- 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
What Sets AXHUM Apart
Defining the Identity Core
At AXHUM, we specialise in uncovering what we call the Identity Core of an organisation—a foundational concept from which many of our branding projects begin.
The Identity Core refers to the intrinsic values that reside within a company or organisation. These values are often unspoken, yet implicitly shared among employees and stakeholders alike.
By making the Identity Core visible and actionable, we are able to highlight the organisation’s uniqueness, align its principles with its behaviours, and create strategies and designs that foster genuine understanding and emotional resonance.
This process ultimately enables the establishment of a strong and coherent corporate identity.
AXHUM’s Core Solutions
AXHUM was established following our roots in PAOS Inc., a pioneer of corporate identity in Japan. Through collaborations with some of the world’s leading branding firms, we have developed our own distinctive methodology.
Our core solutions centre around the development of corporate philosophy and vision, the formulation of brand strategies and concepts, and the creation of comprehensive design systems—including logos and original typefaces.
- For a deeper understanding:
- AXHUM’s Transformation Model
AXHUM’s Strengths
AXHUM’s Unique Branding Methodology
Since its founding in 1989, AXHUM has collaborated with some of the world’s leading branding agencies to refine its own distinctive methodology.
These include MetaDesign (Berlin), known for its role in citizen-led design movements following German reunification; Lippincott (New York), recognised for developing the design system for Starbucks; and Kontrapunkt (Copenhagen), one of Denmark’s most prominent branding consultancies, with a presence in Japan.
Through these global partnerships, AXHUM has established its own brand concept frameworks, creative approaches, and methodologies—enabling vertical business growth and lasting value creation.
- For more on our history:
- The Evolution of AXHUM
Integrating Strategy and Design
As a brand consulting firm, AXHUM seamlessly bridges the highly specialised domains that are often handled separately by research firms, strategic consultancies, advertising agencies, and design studios.
We provide end-to-end corporate branding solutions that unify strategic thinking and creative execution.
This integration is made possible through our proprietary brand concept framework—applied even to global brands—combined with a high level of strategic expertise that allows us to articulate brand concepts and formulate directional hypotheses.
Moreover, our advanced design capabilities enable us to develop and systematise core brand elements, including logos, typefaces, colour systems, and visual styles.
A Partnership-Based, Collaborative Approach
Many of our clients have worked with us for over a decade. Over these long-term relationships, we have witnessed their remarkable growth and transformation.
At AXHUM, we place particular importance on building trusted relationships with senior leadership. We work closely with decision-makers, proactively engaging with the challenges they face and co-developing strategic solutions.
This trust-based relationship enables us to deliver branding that is not only creative but also deeply strategic and value-driven.
Through long-term collaboration, we remain closely involved in day-to-day challenges and shifting organisational dynamics. This allows us to identify and manage both “The True”—the enduring, unchanging core values—and “The New”—the evolving, forward-looking expressions of value—ensuring sustainable brand management over time.
