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What happens when you put the most talented designers from different companies and different cultures on opposite sides of the globe together in one studio for two weeks?
You’re about to find out.
This April, Assemble’s own Mari Mora — an incredibly skilled designer and our Creative Lead — became the very first participant in an ICOM Internship program. Thanks to a bold idea from our founder, Scott Peters, Mari took off for Japan to become an interim member of the team at ADEX, a Tokyo-based creative agency and a fellow member of the ICOM network.
During her stay, there were language barriers, significant cultural contrasts, and even dissimilarities in the actual services the two companies provide — but that was kind of the whole point.
It led to one of the most prolific experiences of Mari’s career thus far. We’re also pretty sure the creative team at Adex enjoyed her visit just as much (in fact, we know they did!).
What started as a simple “what if” conversation turned into a life-changing opportunity. From navigating Tokyo's vibrant, ad-saturated cities to collaborating with a foreign creative department at a huge Japanese ad agency, Mari discovered a totally different way of working, living, and thinking.
Below, we caught up with Mari to hear more about the experience in her own words — from culture shocks and creative realizations to advice for the next ICOM member bold enough to do a cultural exchange for themselves!
Design in Translation: Mari Mora’s Perspective
How did the idea of this exchange program come about?
Scott and I had a couple of conversations about how we could take advantage of this incredible global network we have with ICOM. It was actually his idea to launch some sort of exchange program with other agencies around the world and have me be the first. And when he asked where I’d want to go, I said Japan! I knew it would not only be such a culturally unique experience, but I’ve also always admired Japanese art, music, and film. They have this way of owning all their distinct art forms — and marketing is art! It felt like a natural creative fit, and I wanted to personally learn from it.
We started the conversation with Adex, located in Tokyo, and they were all for it! I’m really hoping other ICOM agencies are just as interested and take advantage of similar programs with their own team members!
What was it like leading up to the trip?
Honestly, I was nervous! Especially about the language barrier. I don’t speak Japanese, and most of the agency didn’t speak English. But ADEX was incredible — they assigned someone who was fluent in English to help me communicate in meetings and brainstorming sessions with the creative team. He was actually part of a completely different department, but they literally moved his desk to be close to me so he could help. They even provided recommendations of places for me to stay that were safe areas close to the office, so that level of thoughtfulness made me feel welcome before I even got there.
What was your day-to-day like at the agency?
The creative department had about 25 people, and the agency overall was much bigger than ours — around 200. They all went into the office every day, which was definitely a culture shift from our remote style. But I really enjoyed all the face time.
Throughout my stay, I was just another member of their creative team! Week one was a little more focused on a full immersion into their projects and clients. They had a schedule prepared for me where I shadowed a different team member every 2-3 days. I was part of their team meetings, brainstorms, and participated in client work and events.
Week two, they asked me to create a presentation about my experience and the differences in design trends between Costa Rica, Japan, and the US. I prepared a presentation, as well as a PDF for the team to take with them. I spoke for 20min then opened it up to a Q&A, which was really cool to hear their questions. They were very fascinated by the design trends in CR — specifically how we incorporate our unique biodiversity into so much of our advertising.
Even the chocolates I brought to share with them had nature on the packaging. We’re really proud of it!
**Check out Mari’s presentation here!
Any memorable culture shocks?
Honestly, the design aesthetic! In Japan, they pack in as much information as possible — which is totally different from the minimalist, white-space-heavy approach we often use here. At first, I was overwhelmed by how much text and detail their billboards and posters had, but then I realized — it makes sense. In such a population-dense metro, people spend more time in public transportation and public spaces where they have more time to consume the content. Plus, Japan has a large older demographic, so they still prioritize print and physical media in ways we’ve moved away from.
What kinds of projects did you work on?
I got to contribute design work to two projects! One was redesigning a logo for ADEX’s website news portal, which they were super happy with. And I’m excited to see it go live! The other was creating campaign ideas for an umbrella brand. The team asked me to provide some proposals based on the creative brief. And it was fascinating to see how different my creative interpretations were from my Japanese counterparts from the exact same brief. That kind of creative contrast was one of my favorite parts.
What was your favorite moment from the trip?
Definitely the launch event for a client’s new hair oil product. Largely, because the team made me feel completely part of it in every way. The brand itself has been around for over 400 years — and the event did such a good job at reflecting that longevity and prestige.
The event was held next to one of the city’s prominent shrines, featuring one of the brand’s main models and the band that provided music for their commercial. Seeing how they honored tradition while launching something new was incredibly thoughtful — and honestly inspiring. It made me excited to explore how we can capture deeper cultural meaning into the work we do too. Anything you want to bring back to Assemble from your experience?
Of course! One thing I really liked was that Adex held weekly meetings where the whole team reviewed all active projects —regardless of who was working on them. I thought that was a great way to keep everyone in the loop of what others are working on and have an opportunity to share their thoughts and even spark new ideas. I think this could be even more valuable to us given our remote set up. We share our team wins regularly, but it’s even better to get more people excited and involved from the get go.
What advice would you give anyone considering a future exchange?
Go in with an open mind. Try not to assume how things will be. I had the impression that the Japanese are very career focused and would see my presence as a little intrusive. But I was completely wrong. Everyone was so warm, kind, curious, and went out of their way to make me feel welcome. They were just as excited to learn from me as I was from them. At the end of the day, it wasn't just about work; it was about human connection. And I loved seeing how many young, talented girls were not only in their creative department, but also running many of their projects. I fit right in!
And if you love design or creativity in any form — think of it as an opportunity to see how art and culture intersect on the other side of the world.
A Final Note
This program wasn’t just a cool perk — it was a bold first step toward deeper creative collaboration across the ICOM network. Huge credit to Scott Peters for imagining what was possible and making it real. And to Mari for taking initiative to embrace opportunity and immerse herself in a totally new culture and work style.
Her story is proof that great things happen when we step outside our bubbles. So if you’re in the ICOM network and thinking about an exchange, here’s your sign: go for it.
You never know where it might take you.
Feel free to reach out if you'd like to know more about the Assemble x Adex exchange and how you could implement a similar program with your agency!