In business, the first impression makes a lasting impression. An impactful corporate impression is created through client servicing, product positioning and also how you communicate with your customers through your branding and marketing campaigns. The impression here, is known as corporate identity and in this blog, you will come across eight of those crucial elements of corporate identity that build up the positive reputation of the brand.
Understanding Corporate Identity in depth
Elements of corporate identity are unique to each company. They are the differential elements that strike the line of difference between two brands. Multiple companies can serve people with the same products but their company names, logo, brochures & flyers can never be identical.
Corporate identity is the physically expressed brand name of the company; an extension of its ethos and values expressed communicatively for maintaining a positive image of the business.
Importance of Corporate Branding: Why you need it for your business
In this fast-paced business world, a consumer has got hundreds of options available to seek a single service or own a particular product. Therefore, to survive in this cut-throat competition, a company has to strike out a solid branding strategy to meet the business objectives, like:
- Constructing a corporate persona: First impression of a person stays with us for a long time. We gather the cues from what we perceive, how we communicate with them and what we observe. This is also the case with the brands and their products. To set their unique identity to stand apart, a company needs to maintain a good brand image, create a niche in the minds of the customer with appealing and pleasing identity.
- Creating consumer loyalty: It is the consistency of the corporate design elements along with business objectives; a business upholds its ethos, future ambitions, culture and the goals of the company. The customers who like the philosophy and feel connected to the corporate image of the business, they become loyal to the brand.
- Enhancement of business: A positive personal experience with the corporate image triggers interest in the consumers and assist them in making purchase decisions. A substantial impact of the identity creates a favorable idea about the business with the consumers. A well-planned identity strategy provides good ROIs to the brand inspiring it to push the limits of improvisation forward.
The corporate branding questions that you must ask and answer before planning ahead with it:
- Are your elements dedicated to the corporate identity of your business concerning geographic spread, design, legal protection, investment, influence and time?
- Are the elements of customer value proposition, essence, personality & outward look, clear enough to be understood by your audience?
- Are your identity elements flexible to adapt to the market and consumer taste changes?
- Are your branding elements authentic and credible so that the customers can be confident in making their decisions in favor of you?
- Are your corporate branding elements applied consistently across all communication channels for all your targets?
- Are your elements unique enough to secure a position amidst its other competitors?
It is important to mention that if you get ‘No’ to any of these answers, you might have to start reviewing and re-strategizing your corporate identity program.
So, here are the 8 crucial elements of corporate identity that will turn all the answers to the questions asked above into a big ‘yes.’
1. Wordmark
In case you are wondering, wordmark logos or logotype alphabetically represent the name of the company’s, product’s or service’s name in a fixed way. This is also considered to be the purest form of logo that is based on typography only. Many companies choose to go with wordmark instead of logos because they are simple to design and economical. A well-formed wordmark conveys professionalism in the best way possible. Wordmark logos for many brands of the tech, media, fashion and food have become the visual landmark of the companies today. Example: Coca-Cola, Calvin Klein, The New York Times, Google.
2. Different sizes for different platform
These days, businesses are not only the brick and mortar based. There are also the ones that are digital and even the ones who are present in both the worlds. Before, companies had to wonder about drafting the variations based on color only. Nowadays, things have changed. The quality and property of the logos and wordmarks are to be adjusted based on their platforms of usage. Today every brand has a social media presence. For each of the platforms, they require the identity elements in different variations of shapes and sizes. So you see, adaptability is crucial in this case.
3. Key colors
The Corporate color palette is different. Generally, they are made up of two colors of pale and unique shades. The fuss is not that much while using these colors for designing the logo or the wordmark. Just one thing you have to make sure and that is the designer has to hand you over details of Pantone colors, Web colors and CMYK colors.
4. Corporate Typefaces
Choose from the fonts that are used in a variety of professional printed materials. These typefaces hail from the logo design. But, if your logo happens to be too much decorative, then you have to choose another for proposals and letters. In case you work with a professional agency, just be sure that they are aware of your typeface preferences and also have access to them.
5. Standard typographic treatments
Your typographic identity must be able to handle all types of text, even the tagline or your web address. Building a consistent way of styling and writing headlines creates a unique property for your brand.
6. Get a library of graphic elements
Small details create a masterpiece, which can create an effective branding system. Corporate elements that you can choose are handmade texture, color blocks, space blocks, or even a line style treatment. These elements make up recognizable and unified brand identity. Here’s a thing, when you are relying on the pre-made templates along with free stock images, you may not be able to use those imageries across all the channels. Also, it can also put your creativity on the back seat with the process. This brings us to the next vital point of benefits of corporate branding with a professional logo design and branding agency.
7. Consistency in the images that you use
Nobody has to use the same image over and over again, but make sure that all of your pictures have the same tone, feel and look. It is like a theme that belongs to your company. Use illustrations, line art, graphs or just plain charts. No matter what you choose, the consistency must be there whether they are posted online or printed.
8. Seek a professional designing agency for identity building
Professional logo designers and brand identity experts have the required training and experience which make all the difference. The designing agencies employ not only the trained professionals, but they also make the brand stand out backed by aspects of perseverance, professionalism, reliability and stability with the use of modern and advanced tools and application for corporate branding strategy. If you are scared about the pocket pinch, then you will be amazed to know that the result that you will be getting for your corporate brand building assistance will be worth the investment. Why risk your goodwill and reputation with free templates when you can build a unique identity for your company with a one-time investment that might last for the lifetime?
A corporate identity design company also specializes in designing:
- Souvenirs
- Folders
- Flyers
- Booklet
- Poster
- Packaging
- Site in Interest
- Packs
- Outdoor advertisement
- Folder
- Envelopes
Wrapping it up…
Companies occasionally need to update their corporate identity, being at par with the changing trends of the market and consumer behavior. Professional designing experts can be of immense help by providing them appealing logos, creatively designed brochures, inviting enveloped, sophisticated letterheads and impressive business cards. So you see, hiring the professionals for building the the corporate identity for your brand comes with all the solutions that your business needs.
