ABSTRACT

Corporate identity is often seen as a collection of visual elements, which are used in
various applications to promote the image of an organization. Originally, it was
synonymous with organizational nomenclature, logos, the house style and visual
elements, but in time visual identity and corporate strategy have become inextricably
linked. . It’s essential you develop a unique brand identity. There are a number of
ways to do this. Important corporate ID factors for startups include having the
right graphics in your logo and marketing materials. It’s also important you give some
thought to the right branding strategies. Failure to do this can leave even companies
with great products and services floundering. Many of the companies who do not pay
attention to these factors often disappear.

Marketing is crucial to the survival of any company. The days when building a better
mouse trap assured success are long gone. In the current corporate environment
making your products and services memorable is almost as important as the quality of
those products and services themselves. That is why one of the first steps any
company should take is to craft a good branding strategy. The graphic
design and content strategy you choose to associate with your company are a very
important part of this. Details like choosing the right colors and corporate logo can
help to ensure your company’s success.
CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 01
1. LITERATURE REVIEW 03
1.1 Corporate Identity 03
1.2 Different Definitions 03
1.3 Type of Corporate Identity 04
2. HISTORY OF CORPORATE IDENTITY 06
2.1 Corporate Identity 06
2.2 Origin of Logo 06
2.2.1 Brand Icon & Logo Type 07
2.2.2 Style of Modern Logo Type 08
3. CORPORATE IDENTITY ELEMENT 10
3.1 Brand 10
3.2 Corporate Color 12
3.3 Corporate Reputation Vs Corporate Image 12
3.4 Logo 12
3.5 Mission 13
3.6 Organization Cultural 13
3.7 Vission Statment 13
3.8 Visual Identity 13
4. MPORTANCE OF CORPORATE IDENTITY 16
4.1 Importance of Corporate Identity 16

CONCLUSION 17
REFERENCES 18
FIGURE

Figure 1 Type of Corporate Identity 05

Figure 2 Logo of Albrecht Darer 07
Figure 3 Logo of Campbell’s Tomato Soup 07
Figure 4 British Telecom Logo 08
Figure 5 Nike Logo 09
Figure 6 Apple Logo 09
INTRODUCTION

Corporate Identity is the combination of a company’s logo, including the logo visual
and typestyle, and the tagline or definition statement used with your logo that
communicates a three or four word message about what you do or how you do it.
Corporate Identity is a representation of how a corporation views itself and how it
wishes to portray itself to the public which includes customers, employees, investors
and collaborators. Usually a combination of branding activities and color schemes,
words, designs and trademarks are used to build the corporate identity. It is generally
done by the corporate communications department of an organization. If you are
starting a new company, creating a corporate identity which will make you stand out
in the marketplace is essential. Getting a foothold in the marketplace can be
challenging. Competition can be fierce

Many startup companies ignore this type of advice. They treat their logo and other
parts of their branding as an afterthought. Companies often try to cut corners on this
aspect of their planning and pay far less attention to it than they do product design and
staff. In the cut-throat world of modern business creating a brand identity which will
engender customer loyalty is just as important as making sure you clearly identify
your target market and create the right marketing plan to reach them.

The business world is rapidly changing. For most companies the competition for a
share of the market is fierce. Research has long shown it costs a lot less to retain
customers than to attract new ones. This has made branding one of the most
important corporate ID factors for startups that hope to find long-term business
success

[1]
CHAPTER 1

LITERATURE REVIEW

1.1 Corporate Identity

Corporate identity is often seen as a collection of visual elements, which are used in
various applications to promote the image of an organization. Originally, it was
synonymous with organizational nomenclature, logos, the house style and visual
elements, but in time visual identity and corporate strategy have become inextricably
linked.

Some marketing specialists regard corporate identity as the core of an origination’s

existence, made up of its history, beliefs, philosophy, technology, people, its ethical
and cultural values and strategies. Corporate identity also helps determine the
positioning of an organization in terms of its markets and competitors

1.2 Different Definitions

"Every organization has an identity. It articulates the corporate ethos, aims and values
and presents a sense of individuality that can help to differentiate the organization
within its competitive environment."

"When well-managed, corporate identity can be a powerful means of integrating the

many disciplines and activities essential to an organization’s success. It can also
provide the visual cohesion necessary to ensure that all corporate communications are
coherent with each other and result in an image consistent with the organization’s
ethos and character."

"By effectively managing its corporate identity an organization can build

understanding and commitment among its diverse stakeholders. This can be
manifested in an ability to attract and retain customers and employees, achieve
strategic alliances, gain the support of financial markets and generate a sense of
direction and purpose. Corporate identity is a strategic issue."

"Corporate identity differs from traditional brand marketing since it is concerned with
all of an organization’s stakeholders and the multi-faceted way in which an
organization communicates."

[2]
1.3 Type of Corporate Identity
1.3.1 Actual identity

Actual identity, or who or what the organization really is - this encompasses such
things as organizational behavior, activities, market scope, performance and
positioning, but also internal values. The most important stakeholders here are
employees.

1.3.2 Communicated Identity

Communicated identity, who or what the organization says it is , this includes various
organizational messages sent by the company, normally planned messages through
public relations or marketing communications. The stakeholders here are the
organizations communication functions.

1.3.3 Conceived Identity

Conceived identity, or how others view the organization - includes reputational profile
and image representation. Stakeholders here are normally external but can include
employees.

1.3.4 Ideal Identity

Ideal identity, or that which the organization might compare itself with - the optimum
positioning for the organization in a given time frame. Stakeholders here are other
organizations that are "best in class" that can possibly provide a benchmark.

1.3.5 Desired Identity

Desired identity, or what the organization would like to be - normally this is a

decision made by upper management. Stakeholders here are the board, top
management, etc.

[3]
Corporate Identity

Actual identity

Communicated Identity

Conceived Identity

Ideal Identity

Desired Identity

Types of Corporate Identity

[4]
CHAPTER 2

History of Corporate Identity

2.1 Corporate Identity

Uniqueness of the corporate identity is a very important factor, which makes the
identity effective, it is possible that with more companies in the global market it
would be more difficult to create a completely unique symbol which poses more
difficulty for designer and researchers. One effect of this challenge would lead to
increased complexity of the less known designs, which then once they become more
known, they can drop complex elements. A designer could employ the use of
technology to create a set of rules how the logo of a company should be presented and
leave the rest to the users who can freely redesign the logo themselves dynamically.
This certainly is possible today with online technologies like Adobe Flash. An
identity doesn’t have to be completely unique if no other identity is similar in the
same industry, otherwise there could be an issue when consumers would confuse the
two entities and that would lead to lost revenue for both companies and negative
association to completely different business.

The origin of logos and corporate identity could be traced to early examples of
pictograms. Pictogram or pictograph is a symbol representing a concept, object,
activity, place or event by illustration.

2.2 Origin of logo

The word logogram or logo originated in the early 19th century. In Greek language
logo means word (Oxford Dictionary2). The early example of logos consisted of a
single letters and later 2 letters interweaving together, as seen on old Greek and
Roman coins. In the thirteenth century, logo design evolved from simple ciphers to
trademarks for traders and merchants. These early examples of logo design include
masons marks, goldsmith’s marks, paper maker’s watermarks and watermarks for the
nobility.

[5]
2.2.1 Brand Icon and Logo type

The brand icons and logotypes were often appearing in Medieval paintings and
Renaissance period and played an important role in the largely illiterate society. The
logos were used extensively to distinguish products and manufacturers. Artists
especially used their logo in the work as a means of building reputation and getting
employed. Logo of Albrecht Darer is a good example. He was an artist, printmaker
and theorist from 16th century Germany. Modern contemporary art has been much
more influenced by popular culture, which is depicted in art movement of the 1950s
Pop Art. Andy Warhol painted popular brand names like Coca-Cola, Campbell’s
Tomato Soup and other day to day products. He favored American culture and
consumerism in which brands play a key role. The symbolism elements were widely
used in heraldry, which encompassed designing, displaying, describing, and recording
coats of arms and badges.

Logo of Albrecht Darer

Logo of Campbell’s Tomato Soup

[6]
2.2.2 Style of modern logo type

Big corporations often refresh their logos when necessary. One company who used a
number of logos in the past is British Telecom (BT). In the 1980 when the company
was privatized, and the British Telecom brand was introduced, the logo consisted of
stylistic capital letter T in blue placed in the yellow circle. This symbol stayed for 11
years after which the famous piper logo was introduced. The color scheme this style
was chosen which established the national colors prominently.

Logo was a successful design that stayed until 2002. But as the new decade began, the
focus of the company changed dramatically, they started to innovate more, in fear of
fierce competition which started offering high speed internet and telephone deals. The
final logo that BT has adopted is an abstract globe symbol, which has none of the
national symbolism, but has a global theme attributed to it. .

British Telecom Logo

[7]
Another example is Apple computer logo, which has been known since 1970s, which
at that time incorporated a rainbow of colours, shaped in the apple symbol with a bite
taken out of it. Today the logo is a solid grey or black colour sometimes displayed
without any text, like for example on parts of product packaging. The reason that
those corporations can alter their logo in that way is because i believe that the symbol
is so known at that point that there is no more concern for being unique, the symbol
therefore in itself becomes the most unique in the world, and every other symbol
becomes less original, and thus not able so stand on its on as well. This means there is
a constant correlation between the uniqueness, popularity and strength of the symbol.
When an identity becomes more popular its uniqueness becomes less relevant while
the strength grows making it more recognizable.

Nike Logo

Apple Logo

[8]
CHAPTER 3

CORPORATE IDENTITY ELEMENTS

3.1 Brand

Brand strategies are a collection of techniques that create a differentiated identity for
products, services and organizations. Its core techniques center around reputation and
identity. Reputation includes factors such as a brand’s character, quality and
interactions with customers and communities. Identity includes visual items such as
logos and non-visual items such as an idea associated with your products or services.
The following are common brand strategies.

3.1.1 Architecture

The structure of relationships between the brands of an organization.

3.1.2 Concept

The general idea or abstract meaning behind a brand. Used to provide a consistent
direction to your brand strategy.

3.1.3 Culture

The idea that a brand can have a rich identity such as a set of shared experiences and
meanings amongst customers.

3.1.4 Equality

A term for the value of a brand. Brands are often considered an asset that have a
monetary value that's typically difficult to calculate.

3.1.5 Family

Using a single brand name for two or more products and services.

3.1.6 Legacy

Legacy is a strong association between a brand and a type of product. Some brands
work hard to build a particular legacy, in other cases a legacy is unwanted. For

[9]
example, a brand may be associated with a type of product that's obsolete or out of
fashion.

3.1.7 Mission

A short statement about what you represent that's used to inspire customers and
motivate your employees. Many brands have found success taking their mission
statement seriously as a foundation of their strategy while others view it as a
marketing copy.

3.1.8 Positioning

A brand's position relative to other offerings in the same market. This usually means
niche aspects of your brand that are unique.

3.1.9 Quality

Quality is a relative term that's usually defined as meeting the expectations of your
customers. Many highly successful brands primarily think of their brands as a symbol
of quality.

3.1.10 Recognition

Recognition is simply a measure of how many people can identify your brandby its
visual symbols such as logo. In many cases, customers feel more comfortable
purchasing brands they recognize even if they don't know much about it.

3.1.11 Values

The character, ethics and integrity behind your brand. In many cases, companies that
are strongly driven by a set of principles are able to make these an important part of
their brand identity.

3.1.12 Vision

A statement about the future of your brand that creates a sense of excitement or
purpose. In many cases, a vision is a far out goal that isn't reachable in practice but
nonetheless says something about you as a brand.

[10]
3.2 Corporate Color

Corporate colors are a color scheme that an organization adopts as a key visual
element of its corporate identity. Once established, a firm may mandate that corporate
colors be used in logos, promotional items, advertising, products, services, user
interfaces, communications, documents, uniforms, office decor and locations. In some
cases, a firm with many brands uses unique color schemes for each brand.

3.2.1 Color Theory

Color theory is the study of color mixing and visual effects of color. Colors and color
combinations are perceived to have meanings that are influenced by human such as
culture. For example, red and green tends to invoke images of Christmas. Corporate
colors are typically designed to invoke a cognitive image alongside visual symbols
such as logos

3.3 Corporate Reputation Vs Corporate Image

Corporate reputation is about ideas and covers how customers, employees, partners,
communities and regulators view your business. This goes far beyond how likely
customers are to choose your brand from a shelf. For example, your reputation for
corporate governance and financial stability may impact your cost of capital and
ability to attract partners.

Corporate image is mostly focused on marketing and includes factors such as

brand and the feeling associated with your customer experience. It is less about ideas
and more about visual and emotional appeal. In some cases, customers may be less
influenced by reputation factors such as financial stability than image factors such as
a stylish design.

3.4 Logo

A logo is a visual symbol of an organization or brand that is designed to trigger

recognition, ideas and feelings. In many cases, an organization will put a great deal of
effort into designing an appropriate logo and may run contests or closed competitions
to find the right design. A logo is simple enough to generate widespread recognition
but meaningful enough to communicate information and emotion relevant to an
organization's culture, mission, vision and overall corporate image.

[11]
The following are techniques and elements of logo design.

 Balance
 Brand Recognition
 Color Theory
 Corporate Color
 Corporate Identify
 Dominance
 Negative Space
 Stability
 Style
 Texture
 Trade Dress
 Unity

3.5 Mission

A mission statement defines the purpose of an organization in terms of goals,

principles and values. It is a short statement designed to motivate employees towards
a common purpose and send a clear message to customers about what you represent.
A mission statement is meant to be timeless, catchy and inspiring.

A catchy statement communicates the purpose of an organization. Value used to

define strategy, which id component of corporate culture that may improve
motivation.

3.6 Organization Cultural

Organizational culture is a set of principles, values, language, history, symbols, norms

and habits of an organization that collectively represent a competitive advantage or
disadvantage. The following are common techniques and considerations that can be
used to develop or change an organizational culture.

[12]
Organization culture may contain:

 Leadership
 Structure
 Strategy & Identity
 Change
 Knowledge
 Creativity & Innovation
 Motivation
 Norms & Expectations
 Happiness & Fulfillment

3.7 Vision Statement

A vision statement is an all-encompassing goal for an organization's future that is

designed to clearly define its ambitions. It's typically short and designed to be
compelling above all else. In many cases, a vision statement represents the spirit of an
organization as opposed to a reachable goal. They tend to be audacious. A vision is a
brief statement of an organization's future goals. It Motivating employees and
inspiring customers by painting a compelling vision of an organization's future

3.8 Visual Identity

Visual identity is the use of visual communication to establish a unique and

recognizable identity for an organization or brand in a crowded market. The following
are common types of visual identity.

3.8.1 Logos & Name

Logos and brand names are a primary type of visual identity that typically appear on
all of a firm's products and communications.

3.8.2 Color

A set of corporate or brand colors. Commonly incorporated into everything that a firm
does including seemingly obscure things such as the interiors of offices and templates
for internal documents.

[13]
3.8.3 Slogans

Textual elements of a firm's visual identity usually in the form of brief slogans such as
a mission statement.

3.8.4 Personalities & Character

Personalities and characters such as a company founder, mascot or celebrity

representative in advertising.

3.8.5 Trade Dress

The characteristic look and feel of products, services and packaging.

3.8.6 User Interface

User interfaces such as web sites.

3.8.7 Environments

Environments include physical and non-physical locations where people spend time
such as a office, retail shop, showroom, restaurant, green space, interior of an aircraft
or virtual environment in a game. For example, a restaurant may establish a unique
decor as part of its visual identity.

3.8.8 Uniforms

The uniforms worn by employees.

3.8.9 Experience

Looking at visual identity as an experience such as a film as opposed to static

elements such as an image.

[14]
CHAPTER 4

IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE IDENTITY

Most of the business owners believe that a corporate identity is simply having
recognizable logo that only represents the quality & values of their business
organization whereas a strong Corporate Identity helps every organization in
conveying its personality & values. The Corporate Identity of your business is most
important & powerful tool for your business to grow in this competitive market &
drop a good & positive impact of your company on your customer’s mind. It helps in
the recognition of the organization’s identity without your presence; it helps in
describing your business services & your quality work as well. It may include your
logo, brochure, website & the business cards etc. The Corporate Identity of your
business is the key tool which represents your business in the market among various
different competitors.

Basically, corporate & brand identities are an expression & reflection of an

organization’s culture, character, personality & its products & services. A strong &
effective Corporate Identity helps your business to survive in the market for a long
run.

4.1 Importance of corporate Identity

A strong Corporate Identity is essential for every business organization as it helps in

the interaction of the customers & the company. Customers usually get a great help in
understanding the business with the help of its Corporate Identity. It includes the
several supporting devices, such as the company letterhead, business cards, website
etc. It creates a single & clear visual identity for an organization. A number of Start-
Up companies ignore the advice of building or developing a strong & effective
Corporate Identity for their business as they think it just as the logo only.

A strong & effective Corporate Identity helps an organization in attaining its business
goals & in many other ways as well.

[15]
4.1.1 Differentiate and Visibility

Logo is the most visible aspect of the Corporate Identity of a business. Thus, a good
logo differentiates your organization from the competition & provides the highest
visibility. Logo is the bran promise to your customers from your side to provide the
best possible services with the highest quality. It leads to the differentiation of the
brand image in the marketplace which can increase the sales rate..

4.1.2 Ease of Identification

The newly formed companies usually focus on the long term establishment of their
business but they do not focus on the ease of identification of their organization. Any
company gets easily identified by developing a strong Corporate Identity. It can help
any of the organization to build a separate image of their business organization. The
company can now get separately identified by its Strong Corporate Identity which sets
the minds of the customers about your business organization.

4.1.3 Image and Reputation

Your company’s image & reputation is also an important component for the growth of
your company. You have to provide the quality services to your clients exactly as you
have shown under your Corporate Identity. The image & reputation of your company
depends on the quality of services your provided & the quality of the services is
depend on the way of your working activities, strategy & marketing plans.

4.1.4 Ownership & Control

Your company’s Corporate Identity helps you in increasing the ownership & control
as well. As the customers now aware about your business & its services, they can
understand your ownership criteria’s & control on your organization. You must be
updated regularly about the changing criteria’s, corporations should also be able to
integrate the new messages to accommodate the changing times & new messages.

[16]
CONCLUSION

Corporate Identity is a representation of how a corporation views itself and how it

wishes to portray itself to the public which includes customers, employees, investors
and collaborators. Usually a combination of branding activities and color schemes,
words, designs and trademarks are used to build the corporate identity. It is generally
done by the corporate communications department of an organization. Corporate
identity is often seen as a collection of visual elements, which are used in various
applications to promote the image of an organization. Originally, it was synonymous
with organizational nomenclature, logos, the house style and visual elements, but in
time visual identity and corporate strategy have become inextricably linked.

Some marketing specialists regard corporate identity as the core of an origination’s

existence, made up of its history, beliefs, philosophy, technology, people, its ethical
and cultural values and strategies. Corporate identity also helps determine the
positioning of an organization in terms of its markets and competitors.

A strong 'parent' identity or a strong reputation ensures that any new initiative
undertaken by the University and its core subsidiaries will have a head start. Faculties,
departments, sports clubs and student organizations may exploit the positive climate
generated by the University's corporate identity for their own ends.

A coordinated corporate identity saves money. With growing pressure on budgets,

economies of scale in communication can be achieved through a coordinated
corporate identity. That means faculties, departments and administrative divisions
would not need to expend time, energy and money on creating an image for
themselves. Creating and maintaining new and "own" designs such as separate logos
is costly, while adjusting or simply extending existing material is more cost effective.

[17]
REFERENCES

Census data revisited, Corporate Identity

http://www.sun.ac.za/english/corporate-identity/about/what-is-corporate-
identity

Broon P.S (2005) Types of Corporate Identity

https://www.magma.no/when-it-comes-to-corporate-image-its-identity-that-
counts

Census data revisited (2017) History of Corporate Identity

http://www.britishgraphics.co.uk/item/future-of-corporate-identity

Spacey J (2015), Brand

http://simplicable.com/new/brand-strategy

Spacey J (2015), What are Corporate Color

http://simplicable.com/new/corporate-colors

Spacey J (2015), Corporate Reputation Vs Corporate Image

http://simplicable.com/new/corporate-reputation-vs-corporate-image

Spacey J (2015), Logo Design

http://simplicable.com/new/logo-design

Spacey J (2015), Mission Statement

http://simplicable.com/new/mission-statements

Spacey J (2015), Organization Cultural

http://simplicable.com/new/organizational-culture

Spacey J (2015), Vision Statement

http://simplicable.com/new/vision-statement

Spacey J (2015), Visual Identity

http://simplicable.com/new/visual-identity

Eonian (2016), Why Corporate Identity is Important

http://simplicable.com/new/brand-strategy

[18]