Beyond the drive
POSTED ON 12/03/2025

Placing positive human emotion above all else, Mazda’s design experts are unified in the belief that their work should enrich the lives of drivers around the world.

Words Shogo Hagiwara / Images Masashi Fujii

 

Brand identity is a fluid process; a moving, evolving entity that demands both innovation and, importantly, collaboration. Mazda’s own identity is a perfect example of this, having innovatively evolved for over a century, with the changing needs and desires of each new generation represented through the adaptation of logos, design philosophies, and brand values. Inevitably, an evolving brand identity is part of every corporation, big or small, and, as such, not unique to Mazda. The Japanese marque has one vital difference, however, in an aspect it considers more important than any other: the human touch.

That’s because Mazda vehicles are designed to uplift the body and soul. They are made by people, for people, and are meticulously designed to create an emotional connection, not simply to get you to your destination (although they do that admirably too). At Mazda’s Hiroshima headquarters, many of Mazda’s designers, with a range of different backgrounds and talents, are working side-by-side to put human emotion into every vehicle and at every customer touchpoint around the world.

Mazda SUV on display with people walking around it
Head shot of Takaya Kawasumi

“We put our heads together and bring our very best to the table.”

TAKAYA KAWASUMI, SENIOR CREATIVE EXPERT, DESIGN DIVISION

Takaya Kawasumi, Senior Creative Expert at Mazda’s Design Division, is part of the team responsible for spearheading the company’s digital initiatives. Kawasumi focuses on creating visualisations – three-dimensional digital builds of the Mazda vehicles of tomorrow, many of which start their life as hand-carved clay models. Having begun his Mazda career as a clay modeller, he remains passionate about this humanistic approach to design despite stepping to the digital world.

Mazda designers standing next to a clay model of a Mazda car

“Mazda was one of the first automotive companies to start digitising some of its development process,” he explains. “Some people say clay modelling and sketching are more emotive concepts, but so is digital modelling… While valuing the spirit of creating by hand, we will continue to utilise digital technology to expand our creativity and work together with designers and clay modellers. We put our heads together and bring our very best to the table to realise our collective vision.”

One key advantage digital technology offers over traditional methods is the precision with which designers can refine a car’s design in the virtual environment. This includes adjusting for strict safety regulations or complying with market-specific laws, such as those in Europe or America, all before production begins.

Silhouette of a man standing in front of a large screen showing a red Mazda car

“Being able to create designs while incorporating local regulations is a massive advantage of having digital technology at our disposal,” Kawasumi explains. “As we can bring the car to life digitally, it means that we can place the car in a situation like a street in Europe, or a highway in America, and see in advance how the actual car will look in the real world. This allows us to enhance the design further.”

Grey Mazda CX-60 parked on a city street with a man walking by

Kawasumi notes that the benefits of digital technology extend beyond the vehicle development process, particularly when it comes to altering the customer experience for the better. “Just like the immersive digital world we created for the Mazda Iconic SP concept at the Japan Mobility Show, digital technology can offer customers never-before-seen experiences that are both moving and phenomenal,” he smiles. “That’s very exciting.”

Black and white sketch of a Mazda Iconic SP concept car
High front three quarter view of a red Mazda Iconic SP concept car on display

Often, the creative output of Kawasumi and his wider team involves deep collaboration with the Brand Style Management Department, where a talented team oversee Mazda’s branding and style. While many companies outsource these efforts to third-party agencies, Mazda distinguishes itself by handling it all internally in Hiroshima – and the teams working across this need to be as synchronised as possible. The results speak for themselves.

Headshot of Takahiro Matsui

“We put precision and warmth first and foremost.”

TAKAHIRO MATSUI, SENIOR CREATIVE EXPERT, BRAND STYLE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

“I think we’re quite unique in that we’re part of the Design Division,” says Takahiro Matsui, a Senior Creative Expert at Mazda’s Brand Style Management Department, who admits that this is a rare occurrence in the car industry. “Here, all the Mazda car designs are being drawn from the ground up – but we are tasked with planning and executing everything from visual assets to graphic and spatial design.”

Mazda design collage
Mazda design collage

Matsui and his team are specialists in building the brand world around the Mazda product, working on everything from spatial design to intricate graphics. “Mazda’s ultimate design philosophy is to give life to every vehicle that we create, as all the cars are meticulously crafted by the hands of our Takumi designers and engineers, so they’ll have a heart and soul just like us,” Matsui continues. “This very same ethos runs through the veins of our department; we put precision and warmth felt by touching an object created by human hands first and foremost.”

Formed in 2016, the team has a vast area of responsibility, covering all the touchpoints seen by customers – think out-of-home advertisements, TV commercials, and short films – and keeps expanding outward to include dealerships, event venues, and brand activations.

Mazda designer sitting at his desk
Mazda designers in a discussion at work
Mazda designers in a discussion at work

At the marque’s Hiroshima headquarters, the Brand Style Management Department’s experts create brand values around each Mazda.

Mazda’s brand values are emotional rather than physical, and are purpose-built to connect with people’s feelings. A task easier said than done, however, as there’s no formula or line of code for embedding a brand message in a way that’s guaranteed to resonate. The key to success, Matsui explains, lies in both carefully fine-tuning elements of design and fostering a sense of collaboration. “We spend a lot of time putting our brand values into words and examining how to express them in our creations,” says Matsui. “When designing, I always keep in mind what kind of emotions the viewers, or those who experience it, will feel.”

Despite the responsibility sitting heavily on his shoulders as one of Mazda’s brand styling experts, Matsui thinks there is still a long way to go. “Ultimately, we want everyone to love not just design, but also Mazda’s worldview as a whole,” he says. “Thanks to social media, we can see what our customers want from us, and, of course, we take their feedback seriously. At the same time, we strive to go beyond those expectations and to create an uplifting brand world that everyone wants to be part of.”

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