Understanding Corporate Identity

By Sabah Karimi

A business’s corporate identity comprises several elements that determine the overall perception of the business in the eyes of the consumer. A company’s logo, language, culture and marketing style represent a company’s values and business culture, and these are conveyed to the clients and customers in several ways as part of a business’s branding efforts. The corporate identity has both a sociological and organizational impact; here’s how to understand the basics about corporate identity.

Instructions

Step 1
Determine the fundamentals of corporate design. A company’s logos, color themes, and slogan are all elements of design and branding. These help create a mental image or idea of what the company is about, and account for a significant portion of the corporate identity.

Step 2
Learn about the company’s communication style. Corporate identity also takes the form of communications in the consumer space. This includes advertising outlets, public relations and marketing, and how they engage with their customers online and offline. Companies that have a strong presence among their target market are establishing their corporate identity in an effort to increase brand awareness.

Step 3
Determine the company’s brand experience method. The brand experience is typically designed by the marketing and public relations department and involves creating a positive mental model in the consumer’s mind. Consumers who align themselves with a particular brand or show preference for a brand over another may be subconsciously ‘accepting’ the corporate identity at a micro level.

Step 4
Understand the corporation’s internal values and culture. A corporation’s mission statement and vision can serve as the driving force behind the culture and norms of the organization. This is another extension of the corporate identity, and most companies share this information with consumers and investors.

step 5
Learn about and evaluate the company’s social and community efforts. Corporations that actively seek out ways to support community efforts by sponsoring events or volunteering are forming their social identity. This is another element of the corporate identity, and helps the organization gain more public visibility.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_4537072_understanding-corporate-identity.html

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Tips & Warnings

• A well-established corporate identity can help create a positive brand image in the consumer’s eyes
• A logo is one of the key elements of the corporate identity
• A well-designed corporate identity can help a company attract its target customer
• The corporate identity needs to be implemented across all literature, advertising and web pages in order to deliver the most impact
• In-depth brand and target customer research can help create the strongest corporate identity that eventually has a positive impact with customers and clients
• Reinventing a brand can be difficult for companies that have already established a corporate identity
• Slogans and tag lines can be trademarked; making sure a new slogan or tagline hasn’t been taken by another company can prevent legal problem