A corporate identity or corporate brand is how a business, company or organization presents itself to the general public. The corporate identity generally is visualized with the use of logos and branding, however it can also comprise things such as product design, marketing, public relations and so forth. In today’s ever-growing global marketplace, it is of vital importance that businesses demonstrate they are globally competitive. This is where a corporate brand comes into play. A corporate brand gives customers and employees a common understanding of what the business represents.
For example, a US company could use a red bull logo to represent its strong and prestigious connection to Bull Markets. However, this strong connection could be questioned by some consumers who may question whether the red color is actually suitable for usage in a company emblem. A company can not just grab any random symbol from anywhere and simply put it on their products and labeling. There must be an underlying meaning and corporate identity to be understood for any corporate communication to be considered effective and legitimate.
To understand the meaning of a company identity, it is essential to recognize that logos have both symbolic and non-symbolic value. Symbolic value refers to how an entity or symbol stands for itself i.e. a company logo representing the company, its values and its commitment to quality. Non-symbolic value refers to how a logo portrays an idea or concept that can be understood by a person with little or no knowledge of what the logo signifies.
A corporate identity must be carefully designed, though this is easier said than done. It will usually entail the combination of visual design elements including color, typography, images, artwork, and logos. Corporate Identity experts will work closely with all departments in an organization to ensure that a strong corporate identity style is established. Once established, this style should be continually refined until it reaches a point where complete visual compatibility between different departments can be achieved. This is what is known as consistency. Corporate identity experts often work closely with accountants and trademark attorneys in order to achieve this ideal consistency.
Consumer loyalty is a powerful marketing tool and Corporate Identity helps promote customer loyalty. The success of any marketing campaign relies heavily on the ability of the stakeholders to develop and execute strategies that make consumers feel like they are part of a successful organization. Corporate Identity helps to create this feeling of connection for these important stakeholders. Corporate Identity also offers the opportunity to reach out to new consumers by offering them the opportunity to adopt the corporate identity for a limited period of time. When consumer loyalty is a success a company can actually see a marked increase in profits as a result.
Consumers are very loyal to brands that they feel are relevant to their lives. People develop lasting relationships with businesses they regularly use and patronize. With the introduction of new products and services, consumers become excited about the possibility of using the new product or service. They often look to these businesses for advice regarding the product or service they are interested in. Using corporate identity to create this connection with potential and current customers creates a strong base for future marketing campaigns.