The 8 key elements of corporate identity are:
- Logo
- Adaptability
- Unique color palette
- Corporate Identity fonts
- Standard typographic processing
- Graphic library
- Consistency of the content
- Trust the professionals
In business, the first impression creates a lasting impression. Customer service, product positioning, and how you communicate with your customers through your branding and marketing campaigns create a unique corporate identity.
The elements of corporate identity are unique to each company. They are the differential elements that outline the difference between two competing brands. Many companies can serve people with the same products, but their names, logos, brochures, and flyers can never be the same.
A corporate identity is the physically expressed brand of the company.
Why do you need to create a corporate identity for your business?
In this fast-paced business world, the user has hundreds of options to search for a service or buy a specific product. Therefore, to survive in this competitive environment, a company must create a solid branding strategy to achieve its business goals, such as:
• Building a corporate persona
The first impression of a person stays with us for a long time. We collect signals from what we perceive, how we communicate with each other, and what we observe. This is also the case with brands and their products. To distinguish its brand, a company must maintain its right image and create a niche in the customer’s minds with an attractive and pleasant corporate identity. In this way, on an emotional level, the customer will feel connected to the brand.
• Creating customer loyalty
This is the sequence of corporate design elements along with business goals. The business upholds its future ambitions, culture, and company goals. Customers and employees who like the philosophy and feel connected to the business’s corporate image remain loyal to the brand. Loyal customers are those who spread the right name of your company. The more impressed they are, the more they will recommend it, confident in the high quality you offer.
• Improving the business
Positive personal experience with the corporate image arouses consumer interest and helps them make purchasing decisions. When we talk about creating a unique corporate identity, it is essential to mention two things. Firstly, it lies not only in its physical visualizations (such as business cards, logos, etc.), and secondly, in each employee’s unusual behavior in your company. By creating a unique environment for mutual assistance and trust between your employees and customers, you can be sure that they will remember just that. Besides, the relationship between employees and customers, the availability of loyalty programs, and other marketing techniques build your overall image of a serious company that can be trusted. By improving your business and every process involved, you are investing in a better future.
The corporate identity questions you need to ask yourself and be able to answer before moving on:
- Do your corporate identity elements suit your business in terms of geographical distribution, design, legal protection, investment, influence, and time?
- Are the elements of value, nature, individuality, and appearance clear so that your audience can understand them?
- Are identity elements flexible to adapt to changes in the market and consumer tastes?
- Do the elements of your corporate identity authentic and credible so that customers can be confident in making their decisions in your favor?
- Are your corporate identity systems applied consistently across all communication channels for all of your purposes?
- Do the elements of your corporate identity unique enough to secure a position among your competitors?
It is vital to mention that if you answer “No” to any of these questions, you may need to begin reviewing and restructuring your corporate identity program.
The 8 key elements of corporate identity that will turn all the answers into a big “Yes.”
1. Logo
In case you are questioning, the logo represents the name of the company, product, or service in a fixed way using letters. This is the purest form of logo, which is based exclusively on typography. Many companies choose to stop at the wordmark in front of an illustrative logo because it is easy to make and economical.
A well-formed wordmark express professionalism in the best possible way. The logos of many brands in technology, media, fashion, and food have become a visual landmark today. Examples: Coca-Cola, Calvin Klein, The New York Times, Google, and many others.
2. Adaptability
Currently, all businesses are on the Internet. The digital presence of a brand is already part of its success and sustainability, whether only on social networks or with its website. The qualities and properties of logos and signs must be adjusted based on the platforms they use. For each of the platforms they require identity elements in different variations of shapes and sizes. So adaptability is crucial in this case.
3. Unique color palette
The corporate identity color palette is always different. Depending on the company’s goals and values, a unique color palette is created to be used in combinations exclusively for elements that are part of your corporate identity. It is crucial to have the appropriate identifiers for each color in Pantone, RGB, and CMYK.
4. Corporate Identity fonts
Examine the fonts used in various professional printed materials. These fonts are different from those used for logo design. Therefore, if your logo turns out to be too decorative, you should choose something else for suggestions and letters. In case you are working with a professional agency, make sure that they are aware of your font preferences, and have access to a great variety. Alternatively, you can bet on creating a custom font designed specifically for your business. Therefore, you will stand out from the competition with originality and creativity.
5. Standard typographic processing
Your typographic identity must handle all text types, even product labels, or your web address (domain). Building a consistent way of designing and writing titles creates a unique sense of your brand in consumers’ minds.
6. Graphic library
The small details are what create the masterpiece, which can be an effective branding system. Corporate elements to choose from, with handmade texture, colored blocks, spatial blocks, or more. These elements constitute a recognizable and unified brand identity. Our advice is to invest finance in licensed software for stock images and other graphic elements for your daily posts on social networks or your website’s blog section. This brings us to the next vital moment of corporate identity elements: professional logo design and a branding agency’s selection.
7. Consistency of the content
It is not a good practice to frequently use the same image, but in any case, make sure that all your photos have the same color tone, feel, and look. This is like a theme that belongs to your company. Use illustrations, line drawings, graphs, or just simple diagrams. No matter what you choose, the consistency must be present, whether published online or printed. Bet on elements and photos of one type to reinforce the already created feeling. Always aim for the consistency of shared content on social media. In this way, your followers will recognize your posts and engage with them.
8. Trust the professionals
Professional graphic designers and corporate identity experts have the necessary training and experience that your business needs to be unique. Graphic agencies make your brand stand out. The support him with aspects of consistency, professionalism, reliability, and stability, using modern and advanced tools and an application for corporate identity strategy. If they are afraid that the cost will be high, especially at the beginning of your business, then we can guarantee you that a well-established corporate identity pays off many times over. Therefore, why risk your image with free templates when you can build a unique identity for your company with a one-time investment that can pay off regularly?
Conclusion
Maintaining a modern and up-to-date vision and a consistent corporate identity is part of the responsibilities of every entrepreneur or a personal business owner. Your brand is what speaks for you, your values , and the products or services you offer. In conclusion, do not waste time, but contact professionals and they will take care of each of the key elements of corporate identity described above. That way, you can count on your brand to speak for you.
Please don’t waste time, but contact the Marinext Consulting team today and let’s discuss your vision for your corporate identity.