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What is a corporate identity?
By RWM Experts
According to Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia
( www.wikipedia.org ),
in marketing, a corporate identity is the “persona” of a corporation which
is designed to accord with and facilitate the attainment of business
objectives. It is usually visibly manifested by way of branding and the use
of trademarks.
In general, this amounts to a logo (logotype and/or logogram) and supporting
devices commonly assembled within a set of guidelines. These guidelines
govern how the identity is applied and confirm approved colour palettes,
typefaces, page layouts and other such methods of maintaining visual
continuity and brand recognition across all physical manifestations of the
brand.
A great example of a corporate identity is McDonald’s. The trademark “M”
logo and the yellow and red appears consistently throughout the McDonald’s
packaging and advertisements. Many companies pay large amounts of money for
an identity that is extremely distinguishable like the McDonald’s “M”
because this brand recognition is a key player in marketing to the consumer.
With the right image, no explanation is needed to motivate the consumer to
buy. When you see the big “M”, your physical and emotional state is altered
and as we all know, consumers buy mostly on emotion. Can’t you just taste
that Big Mac now! Wa la, the big “M” created a craving, and cravings mean a
sale.
A corporate identity is generally composed of three parts: 1) corporate
design; 2) corporate communication; and 3) corporate behaviour. When a
corporate identity is used successfully, such as being consistent on all
business materials (business cards, brochures, website) , marketing
materials (print ads, staff uniforms) and any other means of visual
communication, the consumer becomes familiar with it and easily identifies
this visual with what your company is all about.
To create a successful corporate identity start with having a professional
logo created. Your logo should display a visual that sets the “theme” of
your company. For instance, if you cater to high-end fashion, your logo
could reflect classic text and an image that says “Haute Couture”. The
colors should also reflect quality. The idea here is to create an image that
spells out the environment of your business without explanation. Once your
logo is created, it sets the theme for the look of all your other marketing
material. The key here is to be consistent throughout all visuals that are
created by your company to build a familiar brand.
To have your marketing questions answered by our panel of Experts,
email experts@risingwomen.com
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