Corporate identity

A corporate identity or corporate image is the manner which a corporation, firm or business presents themselves to the public, such as customers and investors as well as employees. It is a primary task of the corporate communications department to maintain and build this identity to accord with and facilitate business objectives. It is typically visually manifested by way of branding and the use of trademarks. But also includes things like product design, advertising, public relations and the like.

In general, this amounts to a corporate title, logo (logotype and/or logogram) and supporting devices commonly assembled within a set of guidelines. These guidelines govern how the identity is applied and would include approved colour palettes, typefaces, page layouts and other such.

Corporate identity is the set of multi-sensory elements that marketers employ to communicate a visual statement about the brand to consumers (Businessdictionary.com, n.d.). These multi-sensory elements include but are not limited to company name, logo, slogan, buildings, décor, uniforms, company colours and in some cases, even the physical appearance of customer facing employees (Businessdictionary.com, n.d.). Corporate Identity is either weak or strong; to understand this concept, it is beneficial to consider exactly what constitutes a strong corporate identity.

Consonance, in the context of marketing, is a unified message offered to consumers from all fronts of the organisation (Laurie & Mortimer, 2011). In the context of corporate identity, consonance is the alignment of all touch points (Bailey, 2015). For example, Apple has strong brand consonance because at every point at which the consumer interacts with the brand, a consistent message is conveyed. This is seen in Apple TV advertisements, the Apple Store design, the physical presentation of customer facing Apple employees and the actual products, such as the iPhone, iPad and MacBook laptops. Every Apple touch point is communicating a unified message: From the advertising of the brand to the product packaging, the message sent to consumers is 'we are simple, sophisticated, fun and user friendly' (Marketing Minds, 2014). Brand consonance solidifies corporate identity and encourages brand acceptance, on the grounds that when a consumer is exposed to a consistent message multiple times across the entirety of a brand, the message is easier to trust and the existence of the brand is easier to accept (Hoyer, MacInnis & Pieters, 2012). Strong brand consonance is imperative to achieving strong corporate identity.

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