Corporate Identity: What is it and how do I apply it to my company?

If you are reading this, it is because you have heard the words hundreds of times. corporate identity, corporate identity manual, branding, brand image, brand design... and you can't see the difference between so many terms and how you can apply them. The first thing I can tell you is that if you have a business, no matter what size, this article is all you need.

Corporate identity: definition. What is corporate identity?

The corporate identity of a business is nothing more than a great self definition. They are all the aspects, values, beliefs and characteristics with which the company identifies and differentiates itself from its competition.

To summarize, we could say that the corporate identity of a company is your DNA, like that of a person. People are different from each other and not only because of their physical appearance, but also. They are different because of the way they behave, how they think and relate, because of their history and the circumstances that surround them. But they are also because of how they dress, because of their style and their way of walking through life. All this defines a person in the same way that it defines a brand, and when we talk about a company we call all this corporate identity.

Corporate identity and corporate image: Differences

We have already talked about the definition of corporate identity And then the first question arises: what is the difference between corporate identity and corporate image? Easy!

We have said that corporate identity is what we are, what we want to be. Returning to the example of people we see it clearly. We all have a personality based on what we think about ourselves and we call this corporate identity, but that identity does not have to coincide with what others think of ourselves. What others think of us is corporate image or brand image, which is the sum of the opinions and impressions that the public has of my brand or company.

Bearing this in mind, we can say that the corporate image and corporate identity are closely related, But they are not the same. The corporate image depends on the corporate identity, but they influence each other.

What is important to understand is that corporate identity is an internal and controllable factor, that we can design and mold and that we try to project in the corporate image, although this is external and not very controllable.

How do we get the corporate image and corporate identity to match? For this it is important to create a solid and coherent image to generate trust. If we act based on what we are, the public will perceive us as we are. That is why it is so important to consciously define all aspects of corporate identity and design a strategy and communication plan consistent with the identity, because everything the company does or says will influence its image.

Differences between corporate identity and logo

It is a very common mistake to reduce the concept of corporate identity or a manual corporate identity to a simple logo or visual identity. Nope, If our company has a logo, it does not have a well-defined corporate identity. and consistent, we need more.

For us to understand each other, the logo is one of the key elements of a good corporate identity, but there are many more that we will see a little later.

Why do I need a corporate identity

We could talk about dozens of reasons why you can't wait any longer to design your company's corporate identity, but we are going to summarize it in five aspects.

• Create a sense of belonging by the workforce and customers.
• Differentiate ourselves of the competition.
• Be recognized and rememberor more easily.
• Quick identification of new products, communications and actions by the company.
• Control the corporate image, what is said and thought about our company.

How to create a corporate identity of a company?

To carry out the corporate identity design of our brand we have to take into account that it has to grant us differentiation, coherence, relevance and reputation. But where to start?

• Define a corporate philosophy

The principle of all identity. It will be the basis for everything else. It is very easy to define a corporate philosophy by answering the following questions:

• Mission: What is the company and what does it do?
• Vision: Where does the company want to go in the long term?
• Purpose:: What is your brand's reason for being? What was he born for?
• Values:: How does the company carry out its activity? What's behind?
• Culture: How he thinks? How does she act? Is this culture shared by the majority of its members?

• Create a corporate visual identity

Starting from this corporate philosophy we will design a visual identity that graphically reflects the identity of the company and include all the elements that I will explain to you later (name, logo, typography, colors, images, voice and tone, website, stationery, signage and packaging).

Today we no longer buy products, but brands and experiences. What is built around the product is worth the same or even more than the product itself. A little further down we show you how to design each of these elements one by one and some corporate identity examples for you to see visually.

• Design a Corporate Identity Manual

Starting from the corporate identity that we have previously defined, we will create a brand identity manual. A corporate identity manual is a document that brings together all the rules of use to correctly apply the visual identity of the business.

It's a user manuala guide to which we welcome to do things well. It tells us how to use a logo, a font, a color... and how these are related to each other and how they adapt to different supports.

The objective of a corporate identity manual is to be useful, efficient and ensure consistency of a brand.

• Develop a corporate communication strategy

To transmit the corporate identity correctly in the communication actions, these must be previously designed and collected in a good andcorporate communication strategy.

For this we must set general and specific objectives and define how, what and where we are going to act to achieve them.

• Take care of the online reputation of my company

Social networks, blogs and websites and magazines specific to the sector in which we work will talk about us. It is in our hands to take care of our online reputation and to know the perceptions that our clients have about us.

Being aware of this information will allow us to correct communication problems or image problems even before they consolidate and become a real inconvenience. to react in a way proactive and anticipate situations we must have all the information in our hands.

How to know if they talk about us? The easiest and fastest way to be aware of our online reputation is to activate alerts in the different social networks and in google alerts, in order to receive a notice every time we are talked about on the network.

Key elements of corporate visual identity

These are all the elements that you have to take into account for your corporate identity design:

• Name that defines the identity well

Choose a name or naming suitable for your brand is essential. It may be the most important decision you will face when making your brand design. Name It is the first thing that potential clients will see of us. and it must be a careful and well thought out choice.

Often the company name is accompanied by a slogan, which can be almost as recognizable as the naming itself. We can see the example of Coca-Cola, a practical slogan and that defines well the value or feeling that they want to sell with each bottle.

• Company logo

Pay attention because this is important: a logo is not the name of your business in a PowerPoint with a cool font. The logo is almost more important than the name itself. Think that the human mind remembers visual elements better than words or texts, so do not resolve this point lightly.

A brand logo has to be different, lasting over time and recognizable. It must convey everything that the company is and wants to be. Think that most of the time your company logo will replace the name, so give it more importance than the naming itself.

But where do I start? You can start by answering a few questions about your business:

• Is my brand serious or is it fun? Depending on the answer, we will choose a sans-serif typeface or a more striking one, and we will do the same with the colors.
• Who is my target audience or potential customer? We are going to design the logo based on our target. It will not be the same whether it is a child, an adult, an elderly person, or even male or female.
• Is it a close or exclusive product? Do you have to convey power, elegance and call purchasing power? Or, on the contrary, does it have to be related, friendly and accessible?

Another aspect to take into account is the new applications and uses that will be given to the logo in the XNUMXst century. Keep in mind that you will have to be able adapt it to the photos of profiles on social networks and that the user will almost always see it from a mobile, so it can't be too complex. Check out this example of how the Pepsi logo has evolved over the years:

• Typography that represents personality

It is the most effective feature of a good corporate identity. Some companies like Apple or Disney can immediately recognizable by its distinctive typography. It is important that it is easy to read and that it does not break with the values ​​and brand personality that you have previously defined.

• Color palette, which defines the brand

corporate colors should reinforce the personality of the brand and can never be left to chance. the colors have associated values ​​and feelings and we can take advantage of this relationship established in the collective imagination in our favor. In the following image you can see some examples of brands that have chosen a specific corporate color and what are the characteristics associated with said color palette.

• Images that accompany the corporate identity

The images that we use on the website, social networks, on posters or even in presentations to clients must correspond to the corporate identity that we have previously chosen.

For example, if we are an active and vital brand, we will choose images with movement and perhaps with a more saturated photographic retouch. If, on the other hand, we are a family brand or designed for new parents, we will choose calmer images with a softer, more pastel aesthetic.

• voice and tone

How are you going to express what you have to say? The way we tell a message and how we address our audience says a lot about ourselves. Do we talk to our clients about you or do we use your tute? Do we want to seem friendly and close or to mark a distance? There is no correct option. It depends on our corporate identity and how we have approached it.

• Website that reflects the brand identity

The website has become the branch that opens 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A showcase that we can control and in which we must give a unique and careful brand experience.

Must take care of its design, its usability and its content. Oh, and of course keep in mind that practically all the visits we will receive will be from a mobile phone, so it is important that our website is responsive.

• Corporate stationery according to the new image

Think about everything your company has and what you can include in your corporate identity: business cards, flyers, discs, brochures, access passes, mugs, letters, paper, bags, pens, flash drives... Stationery is a good strategy for consolidating a corporate image, as the customer picks up a bag or an envelope and carries it with him. If this happens suddenly we are in the consumer's home and there is something that will remind them of our corporate identity all the time. It's a good start for the Loyalty.

• Signage and decoration.

If your business has store or physical location you can not put aside the design of it. The facade, the shop window, the signs... everything speaks of us.

• Packaging

Es the presentation we give to our product. A store shelf is possibly one of the most competitive places out there. It is then that the difference between a customer choosing our product and not that of the competition becomes a priority and depends largely on its packaging. Has to promote, demonstrate the personality of the brand and its corporate identity and in turn be functional.

How to apply corporate identity to my company?

Well, we already have a good corporate identity and we know who we are, what we offer and where we are going. But, how do I make my workers apply it? Will customers recognize me with so many changes?

Corporate identity in Internal Communication

You introduce your workers to the new concept and corporate identity of the brand. It is important that in addition to showing it, it is explained, so that they have a more global understanding of the business and what it entails. It would also be good to know what they think, since they are part of the company and surely they have a very broad vision of the business from within.

Also, you must give clear indications of the aspects that will have to be modified to adopt this new corporate identity. New seals, templates, ways of communicating, uniforms, protocol, etc.

Corporate identity in External Communication

In the same way that we presented the new corporate identity to the workers, to the customers, media and suppliers we will also inform you of our changes. We can send you a email or letter that synthesizes the change of image, but without being as specific as with the workers.

Corporate identity in corporate and organization culture

We have previously defined some corporate values which we must now apply. If we are a young, flexible and renewed company, we must reflect these values ​​not only in dealing with customers, but also with the workers themselves. It is important to be consistent with our discursive strategy in order to maintain a uniform corporate image.

Corporate identity: benefits

A clear and consistent brand identity, recognizable and long-lasting, has many benefits for the company:

• What makes us different with respect to the competition: visual differences.
• Increase the value of our company.
• Greater confidence and professionalism.
• Grants coherence and security.
• Easily recognizable and remembered by our clients.
• Increase the positioning of the brand in the consumer's mind.

Corporate Identity: Examples

• Firefox:

• Mailchimp

• Herotus Coffee

• Coca-Cola

Do you want an expert to design your corporate identity in Madrid?

If you have come this far and are still convinced that you need to create your Corporate Identity in Madrid Do not hesitate to contact us. We have a team of expert designers in Madrid Corporate Identity to take your brand to the next level.

En UZINK We are specialists in corporate design: creation of logos, user manuals for brands, selection and creation of fonts and iconography, catalog design, web design, SEO positioning and all the graphic elements necessary to offer the corporate image you are looking for. If you are looking for a brand design in Madrid we are what we are looking for. Contact us!