What is corporate identity? A slightly unusual combination. This is the name of the visual image of a particular company, a set of certain graphic elements, executed in the same style. They are a website, business cards, branded products, signs and even office design. The second name is corporate style. Why is it needed? The original design of the corporate style emphasizes the individuality of the company, defines its "face", distinguishes it from competitors. A presentable corporate style is the key to success and brand recognition, a high degree of customer and consumer confidence.
Why is it needed?
All companies, from global to start-ups, are concerned in one way or another with corporate identity design. But why?
In today's environment it is difficult to imagine an established company without a well-formed brand. It will cause distrust among customers and buyers. For the simple reason that perception is disturbed.
Let's give a simple example: you were given a business card, executed in the same style. But they gave the application form in a completely different way. going out onstreet, you noticed that the sign of the company is executed and even more so in the third style. Chances are good that you will doubt the seriousness of this firm.
Unfortunately, many companies still do not pay much attention to corporate identity design. And suffer the consequences: customers don't remember them. It is also difficult to attract new customers visually. Such firms are lost against the background of their competitors, who clearly express their own individuality.
Don't think that designing your own style is always a big expense. Today, both budget and professional options are available.
Where can it be used?
What transforms the design of the corporate identity of the company? All points of contact of the buyer or client with this company. From product packaging, a pen for filling out documents, an employee badge to an official website, logo, signage.
Corporate style, thus, is reflected in the whole variety of media. And the more of them (of course, in a reasonable amount), the better:
- Manufactured items.
- Packaging.
- Checks.
- Printed forms.
- Advertising.
- Branded clothing of employees.
- Accessories, stationery.
- Souvenirs.
- Exterior and interior of offices, etc.
Main Ingredients
The task of corporate identity is to form the image of the company. To achieve it, specialists are developing the following elements:
- Trademark.
- Slogan, slogan.
- Brand block.
- Brand color scheme.
- Custom company font.
- Other corporate style elements.
Let's analyze each of the components in more detail.
Trademark
Another name is a trademark. The development of corporate identity begins with it. The trademark is given great importance, because it is it that allows you to distinguish your products from competitors at a glance.
There are several common types of trademarks:
- Verbal. Expressed graphically, using a specially designed original font. In other words, the logo, emblem of the company. Today it is the most common trademark - 80 out of 100 companies choose it for registration.
- Fine - a kind of graphic image, photograph, drawing. The development of a corporate identity here can include both the creation of a qualitatively new object, and the author's processing of well-known and familiar images - people, animals, objects, etc.
- Volumetric. Performed in 3D. It can be the original packaging, bottle, vial, etc.
- Sonic. An original melody that will recognize your company when advertising on radio, television, and more.
- Combined. Combination of several types of trademarks mentioned. As a rule, graphic and verbal options are most often combined.
Slogan
After the trademark and logo, the next important element is the slogan. A bright, memorable phrase that characterizes the main idea of the company. Great importance is given to originality, the depth of reflection of the concept of the company's activities. Often, both the slogan and the motto of the company are the same text. It is also registered as a trademark.
The slogan must be easily remembered and perceived, imprinted in memory. Sonorous and short, it will unwittingly represent your company when mentioned. But it is equally important that it be in harmony with other elements of corporate style.
Brand block
This is the name of several interconnected corporate identity elements. Most often it is a logo and an emblem. Sometimes the corporate block includes the official name of the organization, its details. It can be complemented by various decorative elements for aesthetic purposes.
At the same time, the text in the corporate block must be readable and concise. Since the corporate block will be transferred from one media to another, it is important to make sure that this happens without loss of quality.
The design of the logo and corporate identity necessarily includes the development of this element. It is formed for business documentation. Letterheads, business cards, official letters, advertising paraphernalia begin with the corporate block. Depending on the size of the item, both mini and full versions of the corporate block are used (so as not to lose readability). But both should follow the same concept.
Colours
Design trends in corporate identity are constantly changing. Therefore, it is important not to miscalculate with the right combination of shades in the color scheme. It should be both bright, and harmonious, and pleasing to the eye.
The corporate color is associated with the consumer with your company. Here it would be appropriate to use the advice of psychologists: a particular color evokes certain sensations, emotions, memories, feelings in a person. For example, green has a calming effect on the nervous system. What was taken as a basis by the specialists who developed the design for Sberbank. In a financial institution, visitors are often nervous. The green solution for bank branches subconsciously calms them down.
Experts advise choosing a maximum of three colors for the corporate color scheme. You should definitely check how the shade looks on the computer screen when printed. Faded, dim colors are not remembered by the consumer.
Corporate font
Another important feature of corporate identity design is the development of a special company font. It is used in business documents, promotional printed matter, product instructions, and more.
Let's imagine the most common uses of the corporate font:
- To write your own logo.
- For website design. It uses web fonts that need to be optimized for the browser in order to adequately reflect on the site.
- Fonts for printed matter. Imiused in printing houses in the production of booklets, business cards, flyers, etc.
Other items
We have analyzed the concept of corporate identity and its main elements. In addition to them, companies pay attention to additional constants. For example, the development of a corporate anthem, some special souvenirs, a certain design of office space.
Often they resort to specific layout schemes so that the client, before reading the text, understands whose promotional products are in his hands. Modern firms pay attention to creating their own history, legends.
Another fashionable popular trend in the development of corporate identity is the creation of mascots, company heroes. This is any image of an animal, a person, a mythical creature, a cartoon character. Its presence makes massive corporate events recognizable, and allows you to effectively interact with an audience of different ages.
Development process
Development of corporate identity is, of course, not only the work of designers. The services of marketers, printers, psychologists are required.
The whole work process schematically looks like this:
- Creating a logo. It is this element that sets the style and color scheme for all the others. The fonts and shades used here are also used in other corporate identity components.
- Print business cards. Today it is difficult to imagine a successful company without its own business cards. They must be executed in a corporate style, and the submitted textBe informative yet concise. Two types of business cards are commonly used. Corporate - not personalized. Used at exhibition stands, sent to customers by e-mail. Here is information about the company, important contact details. Another type is business. They are issued for each employee. It contains his last name, first name and patronymic, contact details, position.
- Letterheads. This component of corporate style emphasizes the status of the company. Created for contracts, price lists, commercial offers. Both a single style and various modifications for a specific case can be used.
- Folders and envelopes. It is this familiar product that creates the first impression of the company. Designed for both business and advertising correspondence. As for the folder, this is the primary carrier of information about the company. Therefore, when developing its design, great attention is paid to the information content and functionality of products.
Help online services
Not every start-up company can allocate enough funds for the work of a team of specialists to create their own corporate style. The cost of quality services in this area is quite high.
In order not to engage in unnecessary amateur performances, you can turn to online services where creating your own style comes out more budgetary:
- "Logaster". It is possible to design your own logo, business card layout, letterhead, envelope, favicon for the site. The service offers several ready-made templates - there are quite a few of them on Logaster.
- Tailor. English version of "Logaster". On the service it is possible to purchase ready-made layouts for creating a corporate identity: a logo, a letterhead, a business card, pictures for banners, emblems for social networks, a company presentation in PowerPoint, as well as a brand book.
- Designmantic.
- Logomak.
Designing your own corporate style in modern conditions is required for every company that intends to develop successfully. This is the creation of a logo, your own font, the selection of your own colors, the development of a layout for business cards and letterheads. You can use the services of professionals, or you can turn to online services that offer ready-made templates.
