The modern market is saturated with goods and services. To win the consumer, it is important to attract attention, be remembered and stand out among competitors. For this purpose, a corporate identity (also known as “corporate style” or “identity”) is a tool for forming a company’s image. It includes graphic images, fonts, colors, slogans, and sometimes even sounds and smells that make the brand unique – author Ягупов.
Corporate identity – why do companies need it?
The main tasks that a corporate identity for a business:
- Helps make your company stand out among hundreds of competitors, and gives it personality and character.
- Helps customers remember the brand and recognize it among others.
- Facilitates the choice for potential customers: Among thousands of identical and similar offers, a person will choose a product of a brand he is familiar with (perhaps he has seen the logo or heard the slogan somewhere).
- Develops corporate spirit: it is easier for employees to adapt and feel involved in the company’s mission.
- Helps to reduce the budget for promotion, because corporate identity is brand advertising.
- Helps to gain customer loyalty, and creates a positive reputation for the company (most potential customers think that if the company has its own corporate identity, then it values its reputation).
- Helps the company to attract customers and increase profits.
Elements of corporate identity
- trademark,
- logo,
- company name and slogan,
- corporate colors,
- soundtrack,
- fonts,
- corporate character.
Trademark
Many people think that a trademark and a logo are the same thing. But in fact, a trademark is the patented name of a company.
A trademark is divided into several types:
- Verbal (the company name itself).
- Visual accompaniment – this is a graphic representation of the company name, the product itself or the design of its packaging. Visual support includes the logo.
- Soundtrack – music or soundtrack (line, song, radio callsign, TV program soundtrack), which is associated with a certain brand. Other persons or companies may not use them for commercial purposes.
The logo
The graphic design of a brand and its symbol. Usually, a logo is considered a specific lettering of a company name or a name drawn by a designer. All of these work well in conjunction with other visual elements.
What do you need a logo for:
- It’s used to play up the name. For example, on the logo of the company PUMA – the name of the company and a puma cat in the jump.
- you can show clients about the purpose of the company and its characteristics: a guarantee of results, deadlines, creativity, etc. For example, the same PUMA logo suggests that this brand’s clothing and shoes will make you faster and stronger;
- can tell the story of the company. For example, the four “Audi” rings came from the merger of four manufacturers: August Horch Automobile Werke, Audi Werke, DKW and Wanderer.
Corporate color and fonts
Corporate color is the main element of corporate style.
The main task of corporate color is to evoke in people certain emotions and associations with the company. It also expresses the idea of the corporate style of the company as a whole. In this case, it is extremely important to understand the impact of each color on human psychology and emotions: what associations it evokes, how it acts on the consumer and other details.
For example, red means passion and admiration, blue means calmness and wisdom, green means nature and optimism, yellow means creativity and joy, black denotes sophistication and authority, and complements and emphasizes other colors.
Color contrast is also important. Soft colors are more suitable for children’s products and accessories for women, and bright and deep colors – for cars and sports goods. Read more
Specialists in design and top marketing recommend not using more than three colors, so as not to overload the corporate identity with an abundance of colors and not to cause dissonance in the mind of the consumer:
- Oversaturation causes difficulties in conveying colors on different mediums – computers, tablets and phones;
- The more colors and shades you use, the less harmonious they look and can be irritating to a potential customer;
- Also, the more colors you use, the more will be the cost of advertising, product packaging, printing and merchandise. And the colors should be transmitted without distortion.
Many companies are recognized precisely by the combination of colors and shades. Their advertising products are very different from their competitors and are quickly remembered by the consumer. Remember the coffee chain “Starbucks”? Their primary corporate colors are green, white and black.
Use your primary corporate colors in both advertising and product sales. It is not uncommon to register the corresponding color with a trademark: the trademark will be protected exclusively in that color. If the mark is black and white, it will also be protected by rights.
Now about fonts: the number and types of fonts should also reflect the essence of your brand. Fonts should be simple and easy to read – that’s the trend right now. Write simple, clear and large fonts for the most basic information – price, product name, manufacturer’s address, and so on. As with colors, it is not recommended to combine a large number of colors. Stop at two or three and use them everywhere: on any media and brand promotion channel.
Slogan
This is a summary of the company’s mission or the message that the brand carries to its customers.
A corporate slogan can be represented by a phrase (or several) that carries the company’s mission, purpose, and main idea. It is also its motto. Thus, the slogan becomes an important part of the corporate identity of the company and sometimes certified as a trademark.
Corporate slogan is an advertising formula, a constant advertising motto. It should reflect the direction of the company. The slogan makes the company more recognizable among competitors, supports its reputation and carries the main idea of the corporate identity of the company.
Both of these elements are in harmony with other parts of the style. They are rhythmic, memorable, short, pleasing to the ear and original.
Where is the corporate identity used?
- On the company’s website;
- On the company’s YouTube channel, publics and pages in social networks;
- On business cards, gift certificates, discount coupons and discount cards;
- On the company’s letterhead;
- On promotional materials, brochures, flyers and billboards;
- On presentations and any other documentation;
- On souvenir products: pens, mugs, notepads;
- On branded caps, T-shirts;
- In the design of the office and signage;
- In the design of transport companies.
And do not be afraid that you will be too much – the more visual reminders you make, the more likely you will be noticed and remembered.
In addition, the elements of the corporate style of the company can be some of the standards that are used in its life: the style of communication with customers, routines, corporate style, etc.
