How can corporate identity theory help you build a strong brand?

Corporate identity theory is a framework that helps you understand and manage how your organization presents itself to the world. It involves aligning your vision, values, culture, communication, and behavior with your desired image and reputation. A strong corporate identity can help you build a distinctive and consistent brand that attracts and retains customers, employees, partners, and investors. In this article, you will learn how to apply corporate identity theory to create a powerful brand identity that reflects your core purpose and personality.

1 What is corporate identity?

Corporate identity is the sum of all the elements that make up your organization's identity, such as your name, logo, slogan, design, color, tone, symbols, and stories. It also includes your organizational culture, values, and norms that shape your internal and external behavior. Corporate identity is not static, but evolves over time as your organization grows and adapts to changing environments and expectations. Corporate identity is not the same as corporate image or corporate reputation, which are the perceptions and evaluations of your organization by various stakeholders.

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Mary Cate Colapietro

| Senior Communications Specialist | Media Relations | ISO Minute Video Producer |
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A corporate identity is the building blocks for crafting consistent and cohesive imaging for a company both internally and externally. When it comes to creating content of any medium consistency is key in all visual elements from logos and colors to typography. Corporate Identity also extends beyond those visuals to include the vision and the mission of an organization.

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2 Why is corporate identity important?

Corporate identity is important because it influences how your organization is perceived and valued by your target audiences. A strong corporate identity can help you create a positive and distinctive impression that sets you apart from your competitors and aligns with your customers' needs and preferences. A strong corporate identity can also help you foster a sense of belonging and loyalty among your employees, who are more likely to identify with and support your organization's vision and goals. A strong corporate identity can also enhance your credibility and trustworthiness among your partners and investors, who are more likely to invest in and collaborate with your organization.

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Victoria Morgan

Data-driven storyteller & Communications consultant
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A strong corporate identity is not just logo and typeface. It is your corporate purpose and vision. If it is strong (crafted across the company and every employee aware of it) then your identity becomes a tool for deciding even small, everyday matters. Do we take product x or y? All other things being equal, which gets us closer to our vision ? A strong identity empowers good employees, because they don’t just do their job, but they know what their company is striving toward, and play their role in making that happen.

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3 How to use corporate identity theory?

Corporate identity theory is a tool that can help you analyze and improve your corporate identity. It consists of three main components: projected identity, perceived identity, and ideal identity. Projected identity is how you want your organization to be seen and understood by your stakeholders. Perceived identity is how your stakeholders actually see and understand your organization. Ideal identity is how you want your organization to be seen and understood in the future. By comparing and contrasting these three components, you can identify the gaps and opportunities for enhancing your corporate identity.

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4 How to create a projected identity?

To create a projected identity, you need to define your organization's vision, mission, values, and personality. These are the core elements that express your organization's purpose, direction, principles, and character. You also need to design your visual identity, which includes your logo, color scheme, typography, imagery, and layout. These are the elements that convey your organization's identity through visual cues. You also need to develop your verbal identity, which includes your name, slogan, tone of voice, language, and stories. These are the elements that communicate your organization's identity through words.

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5 How to measure perceived identity?

To measure perceived identity, you need to collect feedback from your stakeholders, such as customers, employees, partners, and investors. You can use various methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, reviews, ratings, and social media monitoring. You can ask questions about how they perceive your organization's identity, such as its strengths, weaknesses, uniqueness, relevance, and attractiveness. You can also ask questions about how they feel about your organization, such as their satisfaction, loyalty, trust, and advocacy.

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6 How to achieve ideal identity?

To achieve ideal identity, you need to align your projected and perceived identity with your desired future identity. You can use various strategies, such as rebranding, refreshing, or reinforcing your corporate identity. Rebranding is when you change your corporate identity significantly to reflect a new vision, mission, or positioning. Refreshing is when you update your corporate identity moderately to adapt to changing markets, trends, or expectations. Reinforcing is when you maintain your corporate identity consistently to strengthen your existing image and reputation. You also need to monitor and evaluate your corporate identity performance regularly to ensure that it meets your objectives and expectations.

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Stella Nurina S.
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In my experience, the core of Branding, is not only the logo; but its vision and mission. For this reason, I am systematic in the approach of a rebrand or creating a new brand. I start from its vision and mission. Where there are already existent employees and vision/mission, a one-on-one interview on the perspective of the brand is a great start. Where there are none, we brainstorm with the relevant parties on the themes of the brand, to come up with a vision/mission. Next we start to build the brand with its vision and mission. The tactics will follow and sometime it is reiterative, according to a few variables.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can corporate identity theory help you build a strong brand?

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1 What is corporate identity?

2 Why is corporate identity important?

3 How to use corporate identity theory?

4 How to create a projected identity?

5 How to measure perceived identity?

6 How to achieve ideal identity?

7 Here’s what else to consider

Corporate Communications

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How can corporate identity theory help you build a strong brand?

1

2

3

4

5

6

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1 What is corporate identity?

2 Why is corporate identity important?

3 How to use corporate identity theory?

4 How to create a projected identity?

5 How to measure perceived identity?

6 How to achieve ideal identity?

7 Here’s what else to consider

Corporate Communications

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