Form style – this is the message that the company broadcasts to the audience. How customers actually perceive a company is an image. You cannot control your image 100%, but the corporate identity may well affect the opinion of the audience.
Thoughtful logo, design and corporate colors create an image for the audience that will distinguish the company from competitors. And user experience (UX), customer experience (CX), and the associations associated with your business shape your audience’s opinion and brand image.
What functions does the corporate identity perform?
It is a marketing tool that helps you differentiate your company from the competition, and shapes the positioning and long-term audience impression of your company.
Visual positioning conveys the uniqueness of a business – its corporate identity and the values that it conveys.
Brand personalization
Each brand should reflect some personality traits and be human in order to facilitate communication with customers.
Different qualities can be applied to reflect the brand. The SUV brand, for example, will be “purposeful” and the sneaker brand will be “free”.
The way a company positions itself should create that identity – this is how customers perceive the company, comparing it to others. Positioning includes USP (unique selling proposition) and what principles the company is guided by when making decisions.
The brand’s unique set of associations allows it to develop an original and clear corporate identity. Some customers may place more emphasis on functional benefits, but emotional attachment helps a company create added value to its product.
Brand associations
Brands create their own characteristics that should be associated with their brand, but they are not always perceived in the same way by customers. Perception always depends on the education, values, psychological characteristics and profession of people.
Associations are how your business looks, feels and speaks to the audience, and with each contact, consumers have a new perception of the brand. If you post boring content on social media and only post about your products all the time, your audience will associate it with you. When customers have a bad user experience, they apply it to everything related to the company.
Why is corporate identity important?
Corporate identity is a client’s opportunity to notice a company among thousands on the market. When the audience recognizes the brand and begins to trust it, the company increases the value of its products and services and gains an advantage in the market. A strong corporate identity helps a business build strong emotional bonds with customers and build loyalty.
A strong brand inspires the trust of the target audience, and the corporate identity makes it memorable.
Traceable corporate identity helps launch new products – consumers already trust the brand, and potential buyers can immediately see what the company is. A corporate identity empowers clients to belong to a specific community and meets their symbolic needs.
For example, Apple has chosen a premium niche for itself and deliberately creates a hype during the launch of gadgets, which generates interest from buyers.
How to form a corporate identity for a brand
Creating a corporate identity is not only about choosing the right color scheme and developing a logo. It’s important to approach this strategically – you need to be unique, stand out from other companies, grab attention, and be flexible enough to respond to the changing needs of your audience.
Analyze your company, market and competitors
Only when a company understands what ideas it stands for, what it wants to communicate, who its customers and competitors are, can it develop an individual corporate identity.
Here are the basic methods to help you find your own identity:
- Write down the vision and goals of the company. What makes your brand unique?
- Find out how your target audience perceives your brand.
- Study your customers: who they are, where they work, how they spend their free time, why they like your product. Your personality should resonate with the needs of your audience.
- Analyze your competitors: their strengths and weaknesses, uniqueness and similarities to you.
The corporate identity of a brand is based on a deep understanding of its audience, competitors and the company’s business environment.
Be consistent
Consistency in communication channels and advertising channels will lead to the creation of a corporate identity.
The full-fledged image of the company is influenced by:
- Logo,
- Corporate colors and design elements,
- Typography,
- Images and graphics,
- Videos and animations,
- Web design,
- Packaging,
- Social media design,
- Service: communication of staff with clients.
Each of these elements must support the communication tone, message, and business goals.
Use visual effects
The personality, values and goals of the company can be displayed visually. The more you visually influence your audience, the easier and faster you will be remembered.
Logo – the face of the company. It should be synonymous with your brand. Like a bitten off apple from Apple or a green robot from Android.
Content. Communication on online platforms also defines the brand. If the content is interesting and useful, then the idea of the company will be the same. If you are a premium visitor, use the appropriate visual.
Color. It allows you to distinguish your business from others and generate positive emotions. The corporate style should have 1-3 primary colors and 2-3 accent colors.
Fonts. Limit the number of brand fonts to 2-3 and use them in all types of communication: in the logo, on the website, in advertising and official letters.
The corporate identity of the brand is the message that you broadcast to the audience. It should be formed on a deep knowledge of competitors, audience and its needs. Thanks to it, your brand will become noticeable, and with due attention to changes in the market, it will always be relevant.