YOUR COMPANY IDENTITY
That is, what a company means or represents to the consumer, this generally accepted image of what a company means. The creation of a business image is an exercise towards the direction of perception, created mostly by public relations experts, using mainly advertising campaigns and social networks. The image of a company is not only created by the company itself, there are other factors that contribute to the creation of the image, such as the media, journalists, unions, environmental organizations, etc.
This corporate image is created from communication campaigns, brand positioning and its history. There are many elements that contribute to this image, such as the logo, business name, brands, communication, slogan, social programs, advertising, etc.
It can be confused with corporate identity, which is actually much broader, but they are intrinsically linked. The image merely refers to the visual part of the company, that is, its brochures, presentations, logos, fonts and colorimetry.
Identity speaks of a much more global concept, which in fact includes the image, but it is not only that but also all the communication standards, values, mission and vision of the company.
Nowadays, the Internet has become a very important communication channel, in which you have access to multiple options, so as a company it is essential to stand out from your competition. An adequate image becomes an essential factor for your company to have the option to stand out and compete.
A corporate image built in the appropriate way, with its firm pillars, provides innumerable benefits to our brand, such as:
• Building the company’s differentiating personality.
• Attract the best specialists.
• Generate favorable public opinion.
• Reduce involuntary messages.
• Transmit and accumulate reputation and prestige.
• Attract customers and retain them.
• That our clients or potential clients feel identified with our brand.
• They quickly and easily identify our range of products since there is consistency between them.
• Creation of an emotional bond with your clients, engagement.
• Differentiators compared to your competition.
• A perception of a strong brand, which gives us trust and security.
All companies must create their own image, which in turn gives them their own identity, distinguished from the rest, and generates that feeling of professionalism for our collaborators, investors and clients; It is not enough to just have a logo and stationery, our business image must be built from what our brand wants to convey.
For this, before starting with our image, we need to make a brief of our brand, where we define our values, mission and vision, the corporate color, as well as the tone with which we will refer to our audience. A SWOT study must also be carried out, in which we identify strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and areas of opportunity. All this work internally is necessary to know our personality as a brand.
After this retrospective work, we begin with the generation of the basic elements that will help us convey to our audience who we are and what our brand is, to later create the corporate identity.
To create it, the following essential points must be covered:
• Name (naming)
The company must have its own name, which distinguishes it from other companies, regardless of their line of business. The company name is the first indicator of the existence of a company, which helps shape its identity; The name of the company or brand serves to name itself and also for the public and the competition to distinguish it from others.
BELOW WE SHARE SOME KEY POINTS TO DEFINE THE NAME OF YOUR BRAND:
1. The brand name must sound good out loud, it is recommended to avoid any cacophony, confusion or difficulties when pronouncing it.
2. The name must have meaning and offer a benefit. When saying the name of the brand you have to immediately know what the business is about, and the benefit it offers to its consumers.
3. Avoid the 3.0 syndrome. It is very common on social networks for names to skip letters or words. This doesn’t work in real life, as clients like to know how words are pronounced without having to research it.
4. Do not use initials. Although many brands such as IBM or HSBC have managed to position themselves in the market, if you are starting a small business it is recommended to rely on interesting names for the target audience.
5. Specific. It is not recommended to use generic names, since it is recommended to refer to the services that the brand or company provides.
6. Make sure that the name can be registered in the IMPI. It is recommended to investigate whether or not the name exists in the market, if it is similar to the name of other companies, even if they are not direct competitors of the brand.
Logo
The word “logotype” comes from logos, treaty and type, symbol-figure-letter. It is a kind of visual translation of what the name wants to tell us, that is, to illustrate some aspect of the brand or company; It can be just the name with some characteristic typography, or it can also be accompanied by an image or symbol that is related to the name or line of business of the company. It helps the public remember the brand better, as it reinforces the idea with an image so that it remains ingrained. This happens because visual memory is much more powerful in most people than virtual memory, and therefore the logo must create a positive first impression, becoming an invaluable marketing tool that, with adequate marketing work,
It is important to remember that graphic language is very powerful, and has the ability to transmit a message, that is why it is so important to create a good design, since it can transmit that message that we want to our consumers.
The logo should have a timeless design, so that too many changes do not have to be made over the years. If a logo is well-known enough, you can see the logo without its name and recognize it immediately. In a competitive world it is important to pay attention to small details, so as not to go unnoticed by potential clients, which is why it is completely worth investing time and money in a good logo.
• Graphic symbols
There are many brands that only put a symbol or image on their products, without words. Images have a much greater impact on people’s senses and memory than words, which is why graphic symbols are more effective in giving authority and identity to brands.
• Chromatic identity
Color acts as a signal, rather than as information (in the case of symbols and logos). It is through colors that a very defined identity can be created, for example the red cross or road signs.
• Typography
Design or find a typography (whether free or paid), that adapts to the personality of your brand for stationery, website, advertising, etc.
• Slogan
A slogan allows us to explain in a few, very few words, what we do.
• Cultural identity
The elements of the corporate culture that are distinctive, as well as the social culture of its environment, must be taken into account to find a way to represent them. This serves to give the company its own character or style, like Google, which is characterized by its liberal and creative style in the offices.
• Corporate architecture
The places of interaction of the company with the public, such as offices, must be identified and designed around the rest of the image so that everything is consistent and more trustworthy, for those who seek to get involved in one way or another with the company. company.
• Objective indicators
Quantifiable data and information about the company, whether in financial statements, inventories, balance sheets or annual reports. They can be included in an institutional brochure, so that clients know more about the company.
Corporate identity manual (essential element to be able to transmit the correct brand image of our business) Our corporate identity manual is a document in which the main lines of the image of our brand, company, product or service are designed.
This manual will describe the graphic signs, their variations, colors, sizes, what can and cannot be done with the elements that make up our identity, as well as the visual elements that make it up, in all types of media, both virtual and printed.
ELEMENTS THAT A CORPORATE IDENTITY MANUAL MUST INCLUDE:
• Logo
• Corporate colors (Pantone Range)
• Fonts
In order to determine if your corporate identity manual is correctly detailed, you need:
-Reproduction size: It is essential to detail in the corporate identity manual the minimum measurements that the logo must have so that it This continues to retain its correct legibility.
-Applications and uses of the logo: It is important to detail the most used color combinations according to the different background tones, as well as the tones or shapes that would not be considered corporate or institutional.
-Applications depending on the support: The corporate identity can be used in different media, both digital (banners, social networks, website, advertisements, etc.), and in print such as stationery, billboards, etc.
In conclusion: some current factors force companies to distinguish themselves from the rest so as not to be forgotten, such as:
• The saturation of products and services in the market: We have at our disposal a very wide range of products and services, which are similar to each other.
• The homogenization of products and services: The products and services of some companies are increasingly similar to others, due to the low cost of the technology available to us compared to the past.
• Acceleration of consumption: All products have an increasingly shorter life cycle, making many that used to be innovative in a short period of time become obsolete.
• Communicative saturation: Too many messages are transmitted through the media, so it is very easy for them to be confused with each other when there is nothing that distinguishes them from the rest.
• Qualitative changes in target audiences: As there is greater access to information, audiences are much more critical and demanding when analyzing everything that is presented to them, including alternatives to what is presented.
It is because of all these general features of today that it is difficult to identify, differentiate, and above all, remember the market offers when they are not planned to cause a lasting impact on people.
Having a well-defined business image helps make the company memorable, and therefore, consumers keep it in mind when a need arises that it can cover in some way.
In Online optimization we have a team of experts in corporate image , as well as corporate identity. Don’t let your company go unnoticed. It is of utmost importance that your audience knows where you are and when they find you, they choose you, not only for the quality of your services, but also for the trust generated by your business image, and its consistency in all your media.
If you need information about any of our services, do not hesitate to contact us, and remember, this is your company and if it does not communicate what you want it to communicate, it will not fulfill its purpose and will not matter.