Corporate Identity: Why You Need It at All, and Why You Specifically Need It
What do you associate with Nike? The swoosh logo, “Just Do It”, the dynamism and drive of its advertising, Michael Jordan. A brand's unique image and recognisability are shaped precisely by its corporate identity.
What do you associate with Nike? The swoosh logo, “Just Do It”, the dynamism and drive of its advertising, Michael Jordan. A brand's unique image and recognisability are shaped precisely by its corporate identity.
Corporate identity in 2022 - is not just a logo, a pattern and a few Pantone colours. A set of diverse communication solutions makes it possible to convey the meanings that resonate with the consumer as effectively as possible. The elements of a corporate identity include a pattern, a signature jingle, a logo, a typeface, a photo style, a slogan, packaging and even an interior. In other words, everything that highlights individuality.
Why is it so important?
Besides increasing awareness of a company or product, a corporate identity creates additional value. Compare a bottle of Voss and one of “Svyatoy Istochnik” - which of them would you put on a reception buffet table? In fact, additional value is not only about brands. A long-standing study by Brian Wansink in cafeterias showed that an interesting dish name increases its sales, its perceived taste and the level of trust in the restaurant. “Chocolate cake” will not sell as well as “Willy Wonka's Mystery” cake.
Verbal and visual identity naturally extends and reflects the positioning; it communicates directly with the consumer. A company's visual appearance sometimes conveys far more information to the client than the description of values on its website. We all know Mc’Donalds' value proposition: quality standards that are the same in every branch. But, of course, we did not read about it on the website.
A high-quality identity differentiates a company's products in the competitive field: have you ever bought a product because its packaging was nicer than that of a similar one? Moreover, like a marketing strategy, a corporate identity is a guide to the brand's image. When launching promotion in a new channel, you can rely on the constants you already have. Thanks to a clear identity system, a company's communications become consistent: every channel carries messages that match the positioning, in a relevant visual language.
Do you need a corporate identity?
Firstly, a corporate identity is essential if you are launching a new brand on the market. Identity is the logical extension of the meanings embedded in the platform, which correspond to the specifics of the product being offered and the market.
Secondly, an identity refresh is needed when an existing brand has to be brought up to date. Suppose you have decided to launch an innovative product on the market and realised that the company's brand looks “tired” rather than in step with the times. At the same time, redesigning the existing identity system allows you to preserve the constants - and thus recognisability.
Thirdly, an update of the identity system is needed if the company is actively conquering new communication heights. The emergence of new communication channels is often accompanied by visual chaos: we see the same brand speaking to the consumer in different languages in different channels.
In general, a properly structured verbal and visual style is always needed when you have to design a consistent image of a company, person or product for different audiences. A well-crafted corporate identity matters most in highly concentrated markets - when many niches are already taken; in the early stages of a market's development; and when a product, technology or service has no unique functionality - here a strong brand can become the main competitive advantage.
How do we work?
Comprehensive brand development is based on our proprietary Brand Evolution technology - it makes it possible to assemble a unique pool of strategic tools suited to the client's specific situation.
Brand Evolution includes several stages of developing a brand from scratch:
- Brand audit. We analyse the market and competitors, talk to the company's experts and ideologists and to the target audience. We determine the company's current and future position on the market.
- Brand platform. We formulate the core meanings the brand will convey. The platform is the foundation of all further communications.
- Identity. We develop a corporate identity that will reflect the essence of the brand most effectively and convey it to the target audience.
- Implementation. We adapt the corporate identity to media and to various channels. We carry out additional work - from employer brand development to communication strategy.
