Almost every designer encounters the issue »corporate identity« sooner or later. What it is about, however, is not only mysterious to many clients but also to many designers: a lot of energy is invested in aesthetics, but it is not recognized how strongly the development of a corporate identity affects all parts of a company.
Every day, and almost constantly, we are confronted with a gigantic amount of information. We are permanently perceiving stimuli with our senses; we have to recognize them, order and react to them. Our brain is only able to handle this overflow by strongly selecting the most important stimuli. Most criteria according to which our brain filters the incoming information, however, are not fixed but flexible.
This situation causes problems for companies and organizations. While there was only one relevant telecommunications company in Germany a few years ago, dozens of such companies populate the market today. And while there were only a handful of women’s magazines in the past, a woman can choose among lots of magazines today. Consumers thus have to process more and more information before deciding which product to buy.
In this context, the company »behind« a product is becoming more and more important, for its identity is strongly affecting our purchase decisions. Products come and go, but the company remains as a constant. Its position in our value system therefore is an important consumer criterion. Corporate communication has to build and develop such a position.
An important goal of effective corporate communication is the establishment of trust: trust in the product, trust in the future orientation and the abilities of the company, trust in everybody who is part of it, shortly: trust in the brand. This establishment of trust doesn’t happen automatically. One has to work hard for it and measure up for it again and again. In a market full of information, a company’s profile must be distinguished and consistent. Only then will it be perceived and positively identified in the long run.
The basis of this strategy is corporate identity. It allows sustainable and understandable corporate communication. The corporate-identity process makes sense regardless of the size or situation of the company or organization. It is a scalable strategic approach tailored towards specific goals of the corporation and its customers.
