3 Elements of A Strong Corporate Identity

Learn everything you need to know about how to design a corporate identity, and build a brand to match the big leagues. 

One common misconception in marketing is that corporate identity is the same as brand design. But it is much more than custom letterheads and your selected color scheme. 

Corporate identity applies to both the outside and inside communications of the brand or corporation. It is the self-image of the company and it should reflect how we envision it and how we wish our target audience to see it.

In this article, we’ll focus on the creation and importance of a good corporate identity by answering these questions:

• How is corporate identity different from brand identity?
• What are the key elements of corporate identity?
• How to design a corporate identity?

Corporate identity vs brand identity 

Although the two terms are quite similar (in fact, you cannot have a corporate identity without a brand identity), there is a slight difference between corporate identity and brand identity. 

Brand identity is how you want your customers to perceive you: from your brand promise to your logo and the color palette you use in marketing. It’s a strategy you create to position your brand on the target market (including technical stuff like SEO keyword research). 

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Corporate identity relates to the activities inside your organization that shape the perception of both internal and external audiences. Simply put, corporate identity covers all the aspects of brand identity plus:

• The people you work with; 
• The impact you make outside of the company;
• The tone of voice in your messaging;
• The feeling you invoke in customers; 
• How successful you are in implementing your brand promise.

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The elements of corporate identity

The first thing we think of when talking about corporate identity is the way the brand visually presents itself to the public, but it’s reflected through all sorts of marketing materials: ads, stationery, logo, social media presence, and even public relations assets. 

However, in order to create a strong corporate identity, you must start from inside of your organization, in order to move outward. The three key elements of corporate identity are:

1. Corporate communication: the value proposition you offer your customer;
2. Corporate behavior: the actions inside the company that define its values and strategy.
3. Corporate design: the design of products and services that help the company deliver against their value proposition. 

Balancing these three elements takes more than a visually good representation of your business. It takes good employer branding, believing in your own value propositions and making decisions in line with your brand promise. 

Corporate communication

Google communicates through every aspect of its identity. They have a distinct visual identity and a strong company culture that evolves together with its employees. 

Their outward communication is based on a straight-to-the-point approach, with informative ads and educational materials about their brand and general knowledge. Google communicates in a way that builds customer loyalty and trust, which is very suitable for a corporation focused on bringing knowledge to its users and making their lives easier through technology. 

Google’s Doodles are a great example of this. Not only are they a way to learn about important historical figures or dates (e.g. election days, festivals, and celebrations). They’re also often interactive, which makes them more user friendly.

Finally, Google’s recognizable,cute and youthful design further strengthens the idea of direct and friendly corporate communication.

Corporate behavior

Corporate behaviour means how a company acts in and outside of its organization. Every big enterprise usually has a mission statement that outlines their values and the “big picture” related to their business. However, there aren’t many corporations that truly excel in bringing that vision to life. 

Remember all those memes about Starbucks baristas? There’s arguably no other corporations whose employees have such a claim to fame.

And this isn’t accidental. Starbucks is a corporation built on the idea of inclusivity and belonging. When you buy a cup of coffee, you also get a warm, quaint place to enjoy meet up with friends or even work, as many people do.

Their code of contact outlines the company’s commitment to partners, customers, shareholders, and suppliers. 

In more recent years, Starbucks has been providing employment opportunities for refugees, which is another initiative that supports their commitment to contributing positively in their communities.

Corporate design

There are lots of companies with strong brand identities that would certainly deserve a mention in this section. However, a brand that has stunning design at its core is definitely Apple.

Just think how different the design of Apple products (iPhones, MacBooks, etc.) is from similar products on the market. Their logo is also one of a kind compared to dozens of more or less successful typographic logos used by their biggest competitors (Samsung, Dell, HP, and many more).

However, corporate design for Apple goes far beyond this. Logo, products, even ads have usually have a unified look. However, Apple maintains a consistent corporate design across the board - from their trendy and minimalist shops, to major campaigns like #ShotonIphone, Apple always stays close to their brand guidelines. 

How to create corporate identity?

The starting point of your corporate identity strategy is to begin from within the organization. 

As a CEO you should have an idea of what your unique value proposition is and what the key values and brand promise are. But you should also make sure to look into how your own employees perceive you and see what stands out for them. You might not think much about tweaking a tagline, but if it comes from the right source, it could become an integral part of your corporate identity. Just think of  Nike’s “Just do it”!

Next, you need to learn how the target audiences perceive your brand. Whether by case studies, research, or opinion polls, try to see how people view your corporate and visual identity.

Finally, it’s important to align your corporate identity with the vision you have for your brand in the future. If you want to make big changes, your corporate identity should also reflect that. Make sure you keep your brand promise and stay true to your values.

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How to design a corporate identity?

Designing a corporate identity involves creating a cohesive visual and conceptual representation of a brand. Here are a few key steps that will help you create a memorable brand image. 

1. Research & strategy

As we outlined above, you should start from the inside and move outward. Identify your target audience and your brand’s mission, vision, values, and unique selling proposition (USP).

Conduct a thorough market research and decide how your company is different from its competitors. In order to create a corporate identity, you need to make sure these are fundamental differences (e.g. not something ordinary, like “we’re cheaper”). Instead think about solving your users problems in a more effective/easier way, or changing perceptions. 

2. Develop the corporate identity design

Learning how to design a corporate identity will take a lot of time and effort. So, it’s always best to employ the help of professional corporate branding and identity design services. 

Here are just a few elements of your corporate identity design that you’ll need to get started. 

• Logo Design: Create a simple, memorable, and versatile logo.
• Color Palette: Choose colors that align with the brand’s personality and industry.
• Typography: Select fonts that reflect the brand’s tone (e.g., modern, classic, playful).
• Imagery & Iconography: Define a style for photography, illustrations, and icons.
• Website: Your website should have a unified look and feel with the rest of your brand assets and create a memorable first impression with the first glance.

These assets should be included in your brand guidelines, so that any future design collaborators know how to represent your brand accurately. 

3. Create other branding assets

The creation of your corporate identity design doesn’t end with a logo. Here are some other assets that most companies/corporations need on a daily basis. 

Hiring professional branding and corporate design services will ensure all of these create a cohesive brand image with prospective clients, partners, shareholders, and more. 

• Business Cards
• Letterheads & Envelopes
• Email Signatures
• Presentation Templates
• Website Design
• Social Media Graphics

5. Application & consistency

Implement branding consistently across all channels (print, digital, packaging, etc.). You should also train employees and stakeholders on brand usage. For example, in a brick and mortar business you might advise them on how uniforms are worn (what’s permitted and what isn’t).

In digital marketing, you should define how your logo is used (e.g. most brand guidelines prohibit placing logos on very busy backgrounds). 

Top branding and corporate identity design services at you fingertips

We hope this sheds some light on what is corporate identity and how to create your own.

While there are many branding agencies that can help you with market research and devising your corporate identity, the best input will come from the inside. You understand your product, employees and values best, so make sure that you’re part of the ideation process.

If you already have something in mind - you’re in the right place! There’s no need to pay tens of thousands of dollars from corporate identity design. ManyPixels provides flat-rate design services starting at just $549!

We can design every part of your visual identity, from a logo and brand guide, to websites, ads, packaging, and much, much more.

Our flexible model allows you to scale up or down as you need. You can start with more designers, and scale down with simple monthly design services. Or, start small to save up, and get more work once your business takes off!

Get started today, or book a free consultation with us to learn how we’ve helped major businesses with their corporate design.