The History of AXHUM

AXHUM’s Transformation Journey

• The Era of Identity

  1989 - 1999

  

  This was the period in which AXHUM was founded as an independent entity, emerging from the corporate identity firm PAOS.
  We began exploring the integration of corporate marketing and corporate branding—a novel approach at the time.
  

  Through collaborations with PAOS and Dentsu, we engaged in branding projects across a wide range of sectors, including major corporations, public administration, and non-profit organisations.
  

  The global rebranding of Apple—marked by the launch of the iMac and the Think Different campaign—had a profound influence on the corporate branding landscape during this era.

  

• The Era of Paradigm Shift

  2000 - 2009

  

  During this period, Yutaka Sano—renowned for his creative direction at PAOS for clients such as NTT and NTT DoCoMo—joined AXHUM as Director and Creative Director.

  Alongside creative leadership on projects including au and Nisshin OilliO, we began a collaboration with MetaDesign (Berlin), known for its citizen-led design movement following German reunification.

  To explore global branding methodologies, we established the World Branding Committee, and published the bilingual book World Branding in both Japanese and English, distributing it internationally.
  By synthesising global approaches and adapting them through a uniquely Japanese lens, AXHUM began shaping its own original branding model—rooted in cultural insight and strategic creativity.

  

• The Era of Purpose and Transformation

  2010 - 2019

  

  AXHUM’s original branding methodology began to attract the attention of global business leaders seeking transformation.
  In close partnership with each client, we co-developed tailored branding models adapted to their unique corporate cultures and management styles.

  Through our collaboration with Lippincott (New York), we expanded our work to include the development of corporate purpose and the articulation of organisational meaning.
  This approach supported global branding initiatives designed to realise long-term vision, enabling vertical growth and sustainable value creation for our clients.

  

• The Era of Evolution and the New Normal

  2020 -

  

  As the world enters the era of the new normal, companies are increasingly expected to drive social transformation and generate new forms of value.
  Strategic evolution of identity has become a vital force in shaping the vision not only of organisations, but of society itself.

  Branding today serves as a platform for seamless problem-solving—across individuals and society, the physical and virtual, Japan and the wider world.
  In collaboration with Kontrapunkt (Copenhagen), we are also advancing our design development capabilities, including the creation of original corporate typefaces that reflect each organisation’s identity in a new era of expression.

  

The Origin of Our Name

The “a” represents the first syllable in the Japanese hiragana script. In Sanskrit, it signifies “the beginning of the universe” or “the origin of all things.”
The “hum” mirrors the final syllable in hiragana, and symbolises “the ultimate state of the cosmos” or “the embodied wisdom and virtue of all that exists.”

AXHUM, then, expresses the journey from a (origin) to hum (realisation), with the “x” representing the optimal solution discovered within the infinite universe that lies between.
It also denotes transformation—the idea of identifying and guiding the right “x” that leads to meaningful change.
The name reflects our desire to go beyond reductionist thinking or purely logical, left-brain approaches.
Instead, we seek to propose new frameworks for value creation—rooted in holistic perspectives, intuitive insight, emotional intelligence, and aesthetics—essential qualities for shaping a new era.

Additionally, hiragana itself is said to have been developed over a thousand years ago by women in Japan. The journey from “a” to “n” (あ to ん) in this script symbolises not only completeness, but also the graceful strength of taoyaka—a Japanese concept of soft, elegant resilience.
Through AXHUM, we aim to honour this human-centred cultural legacy, and to universalise its spirit through our work.

Kyoto – Daitoku-ji Temple
Karesansui (dry landscape garden) of Ryogen-in
East Garden of the Hojo (Main Hall)

This stone garden was named “A-un no Niwa” (Garden of A-un) by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.