A Distinctive Ethos That Nurtures Rich Human Character

Craftsmanship and Business Acumen

It was about ten years ago that Musashi Paint asked us, as part of its corporate branding, to undertake rebranding of its visual elements. We began by interviewing a wide range of people to identify the brand’s values and core elements.

Color and material texture, which are Musashi Paint’s business domains, relate to human sensibilities that cannot be expressed by numbers alone, and are perceived differently depending on culture and individual differences. We heard many voices from various customers and creators saying “only Musashi can do this,” and were impressed by how the craftsmanship required to control such complex elements, together with long-term trust relationships, leads to business success.

Craftsmanship and business acumen coexist on the foundation of each employee’s rich human character, and there is an organizational ethos that nurtures that character. I felt that this is precisely Musashi Paint’s uniqueness and the source of its strength.

Mature Branding

Humans recognize written information that enters through the eyes by first converting it into a “voice” in the brain. In other words, typefaces and how they are read have a significant impact on the perception of meaning. In that sense, the selection and control of typefaces in corporate branding is nothing less than creating a company’s “voice.”

In Musashi Paint’s case, we judged that a sensitive branding approach that conveys refined sensibility was appropriate, so we adopted a cool gray color that pairs well with the red of the symbol mark for the text, and selected a typeface from a small French type foundry.

The aim of our program was not to drastically transform values, but to bring about a gradual change in external perceptions over a long period of time. It was an initiative that could be called “mature branding,” and for me it was a very intriguing experience. Ten years have passed since then, and I am very pleased to see that the project’s deliverables fit seamlessly with the even more mature form Musashi Paint has today.

PROFILE

While primarily focusing on typography, he is involved in brand communication for companies and municipalities, sign system design, and product development, and also conducts research and education centered on typography at universities and other institutions. Visiting Professor at Kyoto Seika University, Lecturer at Robun-do Shinjuku Private School, and Vice Chair of the Japan Typography Association.