A corporation’s corporate identity can be used as a powerful visual symbol of communication, used to demonstrate a clear sense of direction, to build awareness and to strengthen their global brand; it represents how they view their self and how they want to be viewed by others.
It is incredibly important that the corporate identity and values of a corporation must be all embracing, encompassing all that it says and does (Olins 1989). The products it produces, the buildings and factories it trades from to their communication material must honestly represent their aims and values. An important non-visual element to a corporate identity is how the organization behaves towards their staff and customers, as this will have a huge impact on how they are viewed. (Olins 1989)
History
The roots of corporate identity can be traced as far back as thousands of years ago from the marks made on the bottom of earth ware pots by potters to distinguish their work from other potters, to religious organisations such as Christianity and Islam who have recognisable visual identities and symbols that have developed and grown over centauries. (Brown 1998)
During the Industrial revolution, identity in the form of trademarks and logos became popular with businesses and factories. The concept of corporate image as we recognise it today was not invented until the twentieth century however there are clear links with today’s corporate identity and the business practice conceived during the industrial revolution. Today the logo serves as one visual element that makes up a corporate identity. (Napoles 1988)
Identity plays a large roll in national symbolism, from the design of bank notes, the colours and imagery in flags to the uniforms of the armed forces all have to be created and designed to show the nation’s ‘persona’, distinguishing them from other nations and to clearly communicate with their people a sense of belonging. (Olins 1989)
During history there has been many examples of nations having their identity changed and their traditions reinvented especially through the use of symbolism and propaganda to help manipulate and sway people. (Olins 1989)
During Napoleon’s rain as French Empire from 1840, he understood extremely well how to use these techniques of manufacturing symbolism and using it to his advantage, creating new government positions, monuments, uniforms and badges, he even commissioned artists to paint propaganda. All of this was used to help sway people, making them aware and helping them to understand what his ‘organization’ was all about.
Many techniques used by Napoleon and other leaders throughout history to create their ‘corporate identity’ are mirrored in modern day corporations. The main issues are still the same, how to motivate people, how to clearly put across your objectives and aims, how to instil a sense of belonging and win people over while getting them to understand the spirit of the corporation. (Olins 1989)
However corporate identity as we know it today was first conceived around sixty years ago as a result of companies beginning to understand the importance of communicating their business values and aims in the growing global market. Globalization increased competition of market-share and as the need for recognition became progressively more intense the importance of a well-designed, efficient and successful corporate identity became essential. (Lubliner 1994)
Design and Corporate Identity
The roll of a designer is incredibly important when creating a corporate identity, in our worldwide market place the design of a corporate identity cannot be left to chance, it is not about simply creating a pretty logo and stationary, designers have to do extensive research and work closely with board members and executives to create an identity that encompasses all the corporation’s main objectives which should then be clearly demonstrated and applied throughout every aspect of it’s design.
The use of symbolism is incredibly important within an identity to successfully create an atmosphere where people feel like they belong, wither it be the colours and slogans used, the values imparted or monuments erected all must emphasise and constantly confirm what the corporation stands for.
Today, in the globalized world we live in identities must be designed to cut across cultures and languages, to be recognizable all over the world and essentially be highly distinguishable from their competitors. If an identity is not coherent and consistent then their key aims and strategies will not be met. (Lubliner 1994)
Things that a designer should constantly think about when designing an identity are ‘who is the company?|’ and ‘what does it do?’ (Lubliner 1994)
In the early 1980s Aston University in Birmingham was run down and was perceived as a second rate university. It lacked a coherent identity; it did not have a clear sense of values or aims, which was contributing to low staff moral and poor student grades. However a new Vice-Chancellor wanted to change the image of the university and hired corporate identity consultants who through research identified the main problems. They went on to design Aston University a corporate identity which included, a new logo which was applied to everything, landscaping the grounds, campus building work, signage and other graphic materials so that the university’s aims and values could be clearly expressed and it’s persona could become apparent.
Ultimately they created a new image and vision of the university, which has continued to expand and grow; now making Aston one of the leading universities in the country for information technology. (olins 1989)
This is a brilliant example of how good, well researched and considered design of a corporate identity can help an organization achieve it’s goals, strengthen it’s name and improve it’s credibility to the wider world. Proving that a well designed corporate identity is linked with business success, and demonstrates why corporations embrace the power and influence of symbolism that a corporate identity can provide.
Bibliography
Author Unknown . (2008). Graphic Design Dictionary. Available: http://newyorkgraphicdesign.info/graphic-design-dictionary.html. Last accessed 6th Oct 2010.
Author Unknown . (Unknown). Audio Branding Academy: Glossary.Available: http://audio-branding-academy.org/abaweb_en/abaweb/?page_id=24. Last accessed 6th Oct 2010.
Brown, Jared & A. Miller, (1998). What Logos Do and How They Do It. pp. 6-7.
Lubliner, M. J (1994) Global Corporate Identity, the Cross Border Marketing Challenge. Rockport Publishers, Inc. ISBN: 1-56496-110-9
Olins, W (1989). Corporate Identity, Making business Strategy Visible Through Design. Thames and Hudson. ISBN:0-500-01472-8
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