Avex Inc.

Background

Avex Inc. (Japanese: エイベックス株式会社, commonly known as Avex and stylized as avex, an acronym of Audio Visual Expert), is a Japanese entertainment conglomerate led by founder Max Matsuura and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Avex, which was established in 1988, promotes J-pop artists like PikoTaro and Ayumi Hamasaki. Along with working with Ultra Music Festival and organizing the yearly A-nation, it has expanded into other commercial sectors like anime, video games, and live music events. Avex belongs to the keiretsu of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG).

1st Logo (1992-1996, 1998)

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Logo: On a dark blue background, consisting of a faint blue orb in the center and a slowed-down, heavily edited video of lights flying about in the corner, various symbols and gear-like objects appear, disappear, rotate, and spin about as they also periodically change. A red diagonal line is also faintly seen, as the entire thing is covered in a dark blue filter. In the foreground, a silver string wildly bounces all over the screen, spanning across the entire screen, right before suddenly turning into a liquid-like mass of silver waving about. The waving thing then condenses into the center of the screen, revealing itself to be the 3D silver text "avex trax" in a font that resembles Triplex Serif and a oval containing another "a" as a cote-out. The background objects then fade out as the text "90'S DANCE MUSICをクリエイトする" ("CREATING 90'S DANCE MUSIC" rarely) appears above it and the logo shines with a dark grey light.

Variants:

• An "avex globe" variant has been discovered, where the logo is hastily plastered over the original (the waving text still reads "avex trax"), has a much flatter appearance, and doesn't shine.
• In 1998, the logo was brought back briefly to use as the logo for Avex Group. The text now reads the aforementioned name, and also shines like the regular version. Also, below the logo, a 10th anniversary logo appears below (described in the 2nd logo) and the tagline's in English.
• Later on, the company's URL at the time fades in below. This exists for both variants.
• For their events, the logo is still and have slightly different variants to them.
  • Avex Rave '94: The text now reads "avex rave '94", has a stylized Japanese slogan on top, and the information "AUG. 29th TOKYO DOME" below it.
  • Avex Dance Net '96: The text now reads "avex dance net '96" in the corporate font, with the logo on top and the info "in VELFARRE AUG. 19th~27th" below. Uniquely, the logo is actually stacked and is in 2D, the Avex portion of the text is in white, and the "VELFARRE" text is the location's logo.
• Certain brands would use different logos from the company, so to not waste space, they'll be described here.
  • Motorod Records (early version): On a black background, the Motorod logo at the time, being "motorod" in white and the 1st "o" being a simple red ring, fades and zooms in. Below it, "BY" in white, and a blue Avex Group logo fades in below.
  • Motorod Records (later version): The camera rotates around a batch of rotating gears, covered in a dark green color along with a white sparks of electricity forming on them. Then, the Motorod logo from before, along with an enlarged red ring with a white "m" in it above the logo, appears by a "static" effect. The same credit from before appears below as well, but in white. THis logo would continued to be used well into the 2nd and 3rd logos as well, albeit with an added URL starting with the 2nd, and an updated blue logo for the 3rd.
  • Cutting Edge: Contained within a blurry frame, a dim version of the Earth rotates as 2 glass letter of "c" and "e" rotate around as well, and a blue light pings on the right side. The entire thing settles back as the Cutting Edge logo, which has the "ce" letters and "cutting edge" shown in red, and a Avex Group credit in blue below it, fades in and the Earth and light fade out, leaving the rotating letters. This, like the Motorod logo, would continue to see usage for a while, adding a URL underneath it.
  • Jive Records: On a black background, a white line is seen quickly forming an audiograph, followed by the Jive Records logo, a diamond with lines segmenting it and the tall text "JIVE" in it, forming from it. The entire screen then warps like deteriorated film before finishing on a scratchy white background with the logo in blue and a Avex Group credit below.
  • Prime Direction: Just the Prime Direction logo, which is the conjoined letters "pd" in a outlined form, along with "prime direction" to the right of it, on a black background. The first "i" in "direction" has a flipped dot placement.

FX/SFX: Warping effects, done using 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A warp-speed descending synth tune which is accompanied by a 4-note synth chime. A male announcer says the company's name at the end.

Music/Sounds Variants:

• The announcer is different whenever the text says something else.
• Label music:
  • Motorod (early): Just the end of the commercial along with a male person saying "Motorod!"
  • Motorod (later): A record scratch, followed by a pair of voices (one male and one female) saying "Motorod!"
  • Cutting Edge: A ascending chime tune with 3 voices saying "Cutting Edge!" and then a male voice saying "By Avex Group."
  • JIVE: The sound of a film reel as a gruff-sounding man says "JIVE!"

Availability: Extinct.

2nd Logo (1996-2000)

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Logo: On a gas room, we can see a rusted Avex Trax icon on a stand with some multiple deadly machines behind them. The logo sends smoke and starts to volt. After a while it changes to the same static blue background without any circles, and the icon forms the wordmark, creating the Avex Trax logo, but stacked. A defunct website URL appears below.

Variants:

• "Trax" can be renamed into many words such as "Globe", "Tune", "Group" and "Ideak".
• For Avex Trax's 10th anniversary, a card-like shape is added below with the Avex logo on the top and "10th Anniversary" on the bottom.
• Sometimes, "A Song For XX" can be seen below. XX is the XX logo.
• The Motorod variant has the same as the 2nd variation of the first logo.

FX/SFX: Live-action mixed with computer effects.

Music/Sounds: A 2-note pad synth tune with a different male announcer saying "Avex Trax."

Music/Sounds Variants:

• For the A Song For XX variant, another different male announcer says "A Song For" instead of "Avex Trax".
• Such as the top variant, "Trax" can be renamed into many words such as "Globe", "Tune", "Group" and "Ideak".