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Press Release

Kokorozashi Mirror Corporate Identity Signage

A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Advertising, Marketing and Communication Design

16 April 2026

Kokorozashi Mirror Corporate Identity Signage by Unou Jikenn, Inc.
Kokorozashi Mirror Corporate Identity Signage by Unou Jikenn, Inc.
Kokorozashi Mirror Corporate Identity Signage by Unou Jikenn, Inc.
Kokorozashi Mirror Corporate Identity Signage by Unou Jikenn, Inc.
Kokorozashi Mirror Corporate Identity Signage by Unou Jikenn, Inc.

Unou Jikenn, Inc. · CLIENT: Mitsui & Co., Ltd.

Kokorozashi Mirror is a corporate identity signage installation created for Mitsui & Co., Ltd. The signage is placed in a station passage that connects to the company headquarters. Photographs of employees and workplace scenes represent ten business divisions. Handwritten messages overlaid on the images express the aspirations of each division. A mirror stands at the end of the passage and carries the brand tagline It all begins with Kokorozashi. Viewers see their own reflection together with the message, which invites personal reflection.

Press Kit

Unique Properties
This display visually expresses the roles and values of each business division, based on Mitsui & Co.'s brand tagline: It all begins with Kokorozashi. Unique to this display is the use of mirrors. The use of an innovative display mirror with the theme It all begins with Kokorozashi provides employees with a unique opportunity to reflect on their own aspirations in the context of their work. And it also shows other passersby that Mitsui & Co. is a company that values its people's aspirations.
Dimensions & Packaging
Mirror Signage: Width 1377 mm x Depth 3 mm x Height 1030 mm.
Business Unit Signage: Width 1377 mm x Depth 3 mm x Height 1030 mm.
Tags
OOH, Out of home, Advertising, CI, Corporate Identity, Signboard, Station sign, Mirror
Production Technology
This PR display can communicate a variety of messages reinforcing the overall theme of Kokorozashi. The layout is unified so the different messages are easy to read. By using handwriting, the concept is personalized and individualized.
Design Challenge
The greatest challenge was inspiring Mitsui & Co. employees to reflect on their own Kokorozashi. Conventional signage offers merely a passive viewing experience. However, by having viewers superimpose their reflections over the concept It all begins with Kokorozashi displayed on a mirror, we created a natural catalyst for them to question their own aspirations. This transformed a one way message into an interactive experience.
Project Duration
Published: August 28, 2025 to Present in Tokyo, Japan.
Operation Flow
The placement of the displays is arranged according to the natural flow of traffic to maximize impact. There are messages from 10 different employees one after the other. The brand tagline comes last in the mirror. This allows passersby to get a sense of each business division's aspirations. The mirror and its message make a connection to them personally, to their own lives. It all begins with Kokorozashi.
Research
To visualize the brand tagline Kokorozashi, we expressed the aspirations of Mitsui & Co.'s 10 business divisions through handwritten messages. The aim was to convey that the company values personal aspiration, and to communicate the diverse range of its businesses. We developed a spatial design featuring the brand tagline on mirrors and the aspirations of the business divisions, reconstructing the station passage into a narrative space for visitors to experience the corporate values.
Inspiration
As a global trading and investment company, Mitsui & Co. faces the challenge that its wide range of businesses makes it difficult for many people to understand what exactly it is and its people do. Images of employees and workplace scenes are overlaid with messages articulating the Kokorozashi of each business division, followed by the reflection of the person looking into the mirror and the message. It symbolizes the inner drive needed to turn aspirations into reality.
Image Credits
Images 1 to 5: Photographer Takumi Ota.
Video Credits: Director, Cinematographer and Editor Yuki Nobue.

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