Imagine walking down the streets of a foreign city and seeing a green sign with a red and white circle. To recognize the store, you do not have to come closer and look for the name. Will you be able to choose a Fanta carbonated drink on the supermarket shelf if the name is on the opposite side of the can? For sure! Will you be able to name the yellow-black mobile operator the first time? Without a doubt!
This is the merit of the corporate style. It makes brands and products recognizable, helps to distance themselves from competitors, makes it easier for customers to find and select goods in a supermarket. It is not surprising that every entrepreneur sooner or later thinks about developing a corporate identity. If you are also close to this decision, then today’s article is for you. In it, we will consider the elements of corporate identity and the main types of media. Go!
Components of corporate style
Corporate identity is a set of visual elements that remain unchanged in any situation and provide recognition of the company or its product. The exact list of components depends on the scope of the organization, as well as other features of the brand, so it is always selected individually. But if we talk about the main elements of the corporate identity, then first of all we should highlight:
1. Logo.
Almost every company has it and can be considered the face of the brand. A good logo combines such qualities as uniqueness, memorability, simplicity, attractive design. Excellent combines the ideology of the company and reflects the values, philosophy, character of the brand.
An example of a great logo is the symbolism of the Starbucks Logo. This is a truly legendary logo that has collected more than 40 awards in a quarter of a century!
2. Trademark.
In a non-professional environment, an equal sign is often put between a trademark and a logo. But this is wrong. First, the logo cannot be officially registered. It is protected only by copyright law. A trademark can be patented. After that, it is recognized as intellectual property and protected by property law. Secondly, a trademark can be not only visual. As such, a textual record, sound, three-dimensional form, etc. are registered.
For example, a Coca-Cola contour glass bottle is an officially registered trademark.
3. Slogan.
This is a short, capacious, catchy phrase that increases brand awareness and memorability. Like a logo, a slogan can be good or great (it can be bad too, but let’s not talk about the sad). At the heart of a great motto is always a bit of creativity. But most importantly, this is an idea that emphasizes the features and benefits of a product or company.
Here are some examples of great slogans without branding. We are sure you will be able to remember who they belong to without prompts. After all, that is what makes sense. So, “Tanks are not afraid of dirt”, “Think differently”, “Take everything from life”, “Drive the dream”, “We care about you”.
4. Color range.
If you stop ten people on a busy street and ask them the question “What is corporate identity?”, then nine will definitely remember corporate colors. A properly selected range of shades attracts the attention of customers, highlights products on the shelf, and contributes to brand memorability. Note! You can not choose two or three colors and call them branded. First, you first need to analyze the preferences of the target audience. Secondly, you need to at least superficially familiarize yourself with the psychology of color perception.
Example of the positive impact of colors can be considered the history of Pepsi. Initially, her branding was red. After changing the main color to blue, soda sales increased by 10%. The reason is effective distancing from the main competitor.
5. Fonts.
They don’t have to be unique. In most cases, typical ones are sufficient. At the same time, do not forget that with the help of a font you can emphasize certain features of the brand. In particular, italics hint at dynamism and movement, serifs emphasize stability, etc. At first glance, it may seem that the font is a trifle. But don’t underestimate him. Like other elements of corporate identity, it increases brand awareness.
A simple example. Imagine that Coca-Cola changed the familiar font to any other. This will lead to incredible confusion! And some people will refuse to buy at all, deciding that they have a fake in front of them.
In addition to the main components of corporate style, there are auxiliary ones. And their list is much longer. It includes a mascot (corporate character), an anthem, a banner, product display features, a sound phrase and other elements that work for brand recognition.
Bearers of corporate identity
However, back to the carriers. Most of them can be divided into four groups:
- Business documentation. This category includes any branded papers, including an invoice, contract, report, price list, acceptance certificate, etc. Documents with corporate symbols look more solid. They not only improve brand recall, but also form a positive image of the company.
- Advertising and presentation printing. This group includes leaflets, booklets, catalos, business cards, posters, etc. Such products are in demand both during advertising campaigns and promotions, and at exhibitions, conferences, and other specialized events.
- Interior and navigation. Colour and other elements of brand visualization are widely used in the design of spaces. For example, Serb’s offices are decorated in branded green colours, and VTB in blue. Thanks to this, visitors understand at a glance which bank they are in.
- Packaging and label. When choosing a product in a supermarket, the consumer comes into close contact with boxes, bottles, bags and other containers as closely as possible. That is why packaging is one of the most important carriers of corporate identity for product brands.
