Branding is Essential, Especially for SMEs: CPY Inc. Reveals Its 33-Year Brand-Building Methodology on Its 33rd Anniversary

1. The Current State of Branding in SMEs

Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) produce websites, logos, corporate brochures, and product pamphlets. While each element may be carefully crafted, the absence of a clear, unifying axis often results in inconsistent brand images across different media. As a result, the company’s true value fails to be effectively communicated.

What kind of company are you?

When asked this question, can all employees give the same answer?

If responses vary, the brand is not yet functioning effectively.

Branding is not just for large corporations. SMEs, in particular, need branding as a vital business asset.

2. CPY Inc.'s Approach to Brand Building

Branding does not begin with designing a logo or website. The first step is understanding what the company values and the kind of value it aims to deliver to society. At CPY Inc., we start with in-depth interviews with management to carefully uncover the company’s philosophy and the intentions behind its products and services.

From this, we clarify the core values of the business and develop:

・ Brand Concept

・ Target Audience

・ Brand Message

Based on this foundation, we plan and develop key brand elements such as:

・ Naming

・ Tagline

・ Symbol Mark

・ Logo Type

All creative outputs—including websites, corporate brochures, and product pamphlets—are produced based on the brand concept, ensuring a consistent corporate image. Branding, at its core, is about connecting a company’s values through a single thread and expressing its essence through design. Below are examples of brand design projects created using this approach.

Branding is the work of designing a company’s value.

3. Brand Design Case Study | Iida Farm

BEFORE

A website existed, but its primary role was introducing products, failing to fully convey the farm’s values, personality, or philosophy. While the farm had clear value, there was no system in place to communicate it as a brand.

Previous Website

Concept Story Development

For Iida Farm’s branding, we began not by asking “What kind of rice do you grow?” but “What kind of farm is Iida Farm?” Through repeated interviews, we uncovered a deep commitment to organic farming, a sincere farming ethos passed down through three generations, and a strong belief in “nurturing life and passing it on to the next generation.” From this, we developed Iida Farm’s concept story.

Iida Farm Concept Story

Tagline Development

"Iida’s rice paddies: a place where life grows."

A tagline is the shortest expression of the brand concept. Growing organic rice means nurturing human life. Iida Farm condensed its mission into this single sentence.

Website Top Visual

Logo Mark Development

A logo mark is a brand symbol that instantly communicates a company’s spirit. For Iida Farm, we centered the design on the character “Ii” (飯), incorporating rice ears and a circular motif symbolizing the cycle of life. This visually aligns with the concept story and tagline.

Logo Mark

Translating Brand Concept into Design

At Iida Farm, we reflected the brand concept in copywriting that expresses seasonal farming activities—"planting, nurturing, harvesting, preparing"—and in accompanying text. As users navigate the site, Iida Farm’s worldview of “life in circulation” naturally unfolds.

AFTER

With the brand concept as the central axis, we consistently designed the tagline, logo mark, and website. The website was renewed to clearly and coherently communicate Iida Farm’s core value: "nurturing life and connecting to the future."

Post-Branding Website

4. Brand Design Case Study | Yasuda Farm

BEFORE

The previous website focused on product information, failing to convey Yasuda Farm’s warmth and charm. Despite offering high-quality products, their appeal wasn’t effectively communicated, and the site didn’t inspire visitors to return or make a purchase.

Previous Website

Concept Story Development

Yasuda Farm’s branding strategy began with the question: “Who are we trying to reach?” The answer: children. The farm wanted kids to develop a deeper affection for peanuts. Peanuts are nutritious, healthy, and delicious—ideal for daily meals. The goal was to create a brand that children would enjoy and continue eating into adulthood. This led to a concept story filled with the gentle warmth of picture books and the feeling of small, everyday joys.

Yasuda Farm Concept Story

Tagline Development

"Small pods bring delicious happiness."

The brand name "HAPPY PEANUTS" reflects the desire to create a brand that feels familiar and friendly to everyone, from children to adults. The tagline expresses Yasuda Farm’s wish to deliver not just great taste, but also joy and smiles.

Logo Mark Development

Yasuda Farm’s logo features a small sprout emerging from a peanut shell—an impossibility in nature. Yet, under the brand concept of "HAPPY PEANUTS," it symbolizes the hope that happiness will sprout from even the smallest peanut.

Logo Mark

Translating Brand Concept into Design

The brand concept was consistently applied across the entire website. Soft colors, illustrations, and copywriting were unified into a warm, picture-book-like world. The goal was not just to showcase products, but to create a brand experience that makes visitors want to return and buy again.

AFTER

By unifying the entire website with a picture-book aesthetic, Yasuda Farm built the "HAPPY PEANUTS" brand. Through this brand world, peanuts are no longer just tasty—they are beloved as "bearers of small happiness."

Post-Branding Website

At CPY Inc., we uncover the essence of businesses and products to build consistent, powerful brands. Companies considering branding are welcome to consult with us.

* The brand design works featured are conceptual pieces, reimagined from actual branding projects by CPY Inc., with company and product names altered.

Company Overview

Company Name: CPY Inc.

Location: Chuo City, Tokyo

Representative: Yuko Iijima, President & CEO

Business: Brand strategy planning, CI/BI development, naming, copywriting