What is Corporate Design?
Corporate identity is the whole work that is being done in order to represent the company’s stance both inside and outside of the firm and to ensure the customers to recognize the company at first glance. It also helps to establish a trustworthy image on the eye of customers since it ensures that the company seems professional. The core of these works is the “logo” image which consists of the company name and emblem. All the other visual communication materials are based on this logo.
Corporate identity is also important for improving recognition in both B2B marketing and B2C marketing. It is almost impossible for a company to grow and be recognized without a corporate identity since it’s the most basic advertisement effort. A well designed corporate identity will be always memorable and increase marketing activities because it establishes a reputation on the eye of the customers.
Corporate identity works determine the manner of use and the quantity of everything from logos to office design, from the clothes of workers to vehicle wrapping, from letterhead to signboard and from website to package design. The manual which includes all the identity system of a corporation is called “Corporate Identity Manual”.
Corporate identity can be expressed with many different words in the same concept, such as corporate guide, corporate identity guide. Corporate identity, which means a common image used by a company and all its organizations, is the public appearance of the company.
It summarizes the corporate identity process by visualizing the image designed in accordance with the vision and mission of the institution along with the underlying idea of branding and presenting it to the public through some materials. Identity is an extremely important element for the awareness of the brand (how you can build a brand) and the integrity of the organization.
Today, almost every commercial company has identity materials that are comprehensive or determined according to need. Although these are sometimes only logos, business cards, letterheads. Sometimes they include much more comprehensive and broad identity products such as vehicle and building dressing, uniforms, promotional items.
What Should Corporate Identity Be Like?
The primary thing to be done when constructing a corporate identity is to determine the corporation’s colors and creating a logotype by designing its logo. The logotype is the most essential part of the corporation’s identity. After it’s created, other printed materials which the corporation uses both inside and outside of the company must be also prepared in a way that is coherent with the structure of logotype. A uniquely designed corporate identity is crucial for the success and credibility of the firm. Using the already existing logos or imitating the logos of other companies means funding them. Therefore, the identity should be unique and prepared in a way that represents the firm itself.
In the process of creating a corporate identity, professionals who are experts in their fields must be hired as far as possible, for the corporate identity is not a work that can be changed over time. Any changes other than small details and last touches would be troublesome with a reversing effect. A rebuild corporate identity would introduce the firm as a new corporation and cause a loss of experience and prestige. For his reason, a detailed study should be constructed which represents the firm fully and includes its vision, mission, and experience. Corporate identity is the face and the sign of the corporation, therefore it should reflect its image in the best way possible.
The Stages of Designing Corporate Identity
At the design process, it usually takes three stages for the firm and the designers to achieve results. The first one is the process of determining which works are going to be done. The firm informs the designer about which products they want, which things will be brought to the forefront and the general qualities of the firm. The designer works on their designs by taking the firm’s requests into account and caring about being up to date.
On the second part, the designer presents their work to the firm and receives approval. Editing and other work in accordance with the firm’s suggestions can be done in this stage if needed. Lastly, the printing and distributing process would begin for the works that are agreed on.
What Does Corporate Identity Cover?
Corporate Identity Agency Design Processes
Excellent design allows a brand’s personality to shine. It gives it presence, uniqueness and distinction. A brand’s design quality, uniqueness and clarity derive directly from its strategy. But design also provides valuable clues much earlier in the brand development process. It plays an important role in elaborating the mission because it makes the hypothetical visible. Corporate design agency has lot of experiences to make the ideas real.
Analysis and Programming: By examining the internal functioning and sectoral position of the brand, a basic starting point is determined in accordance with the brand targets. The process is started by planning according to the needs created by considering the institutional materials that the brand will use.
Presentation and Approval: The first corporate identity design samples prepared for the brand are submitted for approval, and the design that best fits the brand’s vision is selected in the draft presentation with alternative options.
Revision and Change: The corporate identity is finalized by making necessary changes and revisions by the brand authorities or the designer.
Approval and Application: After the corporate identity has received the final approval, the printing or distribution process is started by applying to the required materials.
Corporate Identity Features
Provides awareness: Corporate identity helps brands to be known and remembered by other brands or the public. The awareness brought by the logo and corporate materials makes it easier for the brand to reach its marketing goals.
Provides Reputation: Emphasizing that the brand has an identity, corporate identity strengthens the brand’s reputation inside and outside the and increases the trust in the brand. As the perception of the brand is strengthened, the increasing awareness among the public ensures that the brand is trusted and preferred in every environment.
Provides integrity: Corporate identity materials, which create a unifying and integrative image for brands with many different products, increase brand awareness by providing continuity in terms of brand integrity. Creating a new product for brands with a correctly applied identity does not require starting from scratch. An easy and effortless strategy such as adding a new color under the existing corporate structure is enough.
Provides loyalty: Corporate identity, which is also prominent in internal communication, supports employee loyalty and collaboration by supporting employees to feel as a part of a whole. Feelings of trust and respect strengthen internal and external loyalty. Therefore, customers and employees play an important role in the marketing strategy by becoming the advocates of the brand.
Why is Corporate Identity Necessary?
The corporate identity owned by almost every company, small or large, contributes to the branding process of the companies and ensures that the brand created is rememberable and memorable. The identity, which includes materials used inside and outside the company, is a visual support that brands use in their marketing communications.
In the branding process, the perception of integrity brought by a good identity design is decisive for the success of marketing activities. A visual identity that is easy to understand, simple but far from cliché accelerates the process of both recognizing and remembering the brand. Strong identity designs enable the brand to gain prestige in the market and among the public and contribute to building trust.
The corporate identity design should be large enough to encompass all the internal and external image of the brand and be clear to everyone. A corporate identity that identifies with the brand represents the brand in every environment and creates a perception of identity in people. Therefore, identity components should be designed in a way consistent with the image, vision and mission of the brand. Corporate materials planned with a professional point of view constitute the most important marketing element of the brand.
The most important image for brands that are recognized and respected by people wherever they are seen is corporate integrity. Thanks to the correctly planned corporate roadmap, loyalty to the brand strengthens.
Corporate identity may vary in terms of adapting to developments over time. However, this change should not be large and fast in order to not make the brand unrecognizable. For this reason, when making important changes, all platforms with which the brand is connected should be examined and the change should be analyzed in all aspects and implemented correctly.
