What is CXI?
CXI is an annual conference on Corporate and Brand Identity. It was founded in 2009 at Mainz University of Applied Sciences and has been hosted at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences since 2015. The conference presents real-world brand processes jointly explained by design agencies and client organisations. With around 1,400 attendees, CXI is the largest European conference of its kind.
How CXI works
At the core of CXI is the joint case presentation by company and agency. Both sides outline their perspectives, challenges, shared decisions and the development of the visual and strategic system. All projects are selected through a curated process. Only cases that demonstrate genuine transformation, clear challenges and observable impact in the market or within the organisation are presented.
Why CXI matters
Brand identity work is complex. It emerges at the intersection of strategy, organisation, design and technology. CXI offers a deep insight into these processes. It makes decision-making transparent, allows methodological approaches to be compared and clarifies the impact of brand-identity work. The combination of academic perspective, curated selection and professional practice positions CXI as a central reference point within the European brand-identity landscape.
CXI does not present brand identity as an aesthetic surface but as a collaborative process. The presentations reveal how decisions are made, how organisations are affected and how strategic thinking materialises within design systems. The combination of practical depth, independence and professional rigour distinguishes CXI from conventional industry conferences.