When you hear the names of big brands such as Apple, Coca-cola, Nike, Yale, Adidas, and Target, what comes to mind? Most likely, you aren't sure why you love these brands, but you like the way you feel after you purchase an item from them, correct?
They have one thing in common: Corporate branding and identity, as we call it in marketing and advertising. Brands and corporations spend a huge amount of time and money researching which approach and direction to take for their brand identity. They definitely don't play around with this since the wrong decision may cost them millions of dollars in losses. Think of corporate branding and identity as their reputation.
But how they do it? Companies are able to communicate who they are in the most impactful and memorable way by guiding themselves with a clear purpose and mission. Corporate branding builds the foundation for the success, and, in result, helps them tap into new markets and stand out from the competition. But what exactly is corporate branding and why haven't you heard about this until today?
Unless you are an expert in branding or have spent a few years in the industry, you probably don't know what it actually is or what it does for a brand and its market. Now let's quickly understand what corporate branding is without getting too tired of it. There are a few reasons why big companies and entrepreneurs invest so much money in it.
So, What is Corporate Branding?
Corporate branding is simply promoting the brand name of a business across all marketing and communication activities. But it's how it's done that gives it the "branding" characteristic. If you want to pump up your corporate branding, instead of promoting a specific product or service in your next ad, you can start focusing on provoking a feeling and think how your brand makes other react and what factors or characteristics of the brand makes them unique and unforgettble.
But this isn't a short process; some companies and brands make big bucks with a name and a logo and then BOOM! their branding takes off, while others put in a lot of effort behind the scenes. The success of this strategy may be affected by whether or not you have a strong brand identity and name. Existing and new customers are more likely to create an emotional connection to your brand if it's triggered in an ad, logo, or company products, so having both will give you an advantage over the competition.
Why is it important? It's all about human connection!
Knowing what your brand or company stands for will make developing the business brand's identity easier for you or your marketing/creative team. You'll be able to increase brand awareness and recognition of your brand along the way if you have a strong brand direction.
The brand "Bounty" is a wonderful representation of brand identity and how crucial it is for a business to have one. Most of us say "Pass some bounty please" on a frequent basis since we've figured out and learnt that this particular brand of paper towels is the most related to our daily lives. With their ads and internet presence, they have achieved this "branding" by showing us everyday human mistakes in the home when bounty comes handy.
Spilled something? Quick! The Quicker Picker Upper! Each sheet of Bounty paper towels picks up spills quicker and is 2x more absorbent so you can use less*.
But, What else is corporate branding?
There is an important difference between your corporate brand and logo that you should be aware of when you work on your branding strategy. Every interaction your customers experience with your brand, from print ads and commercial spots to product packaging, online design, logos, and even celebrity endorsements, makes up your brand. This form of branding, however, has shown that it may reach well beyond the product or service.
Therefore, logos, online advertisements, celebrity and influencer endorsement (if applicable), commercials, websites, social media, print ads, merchandise, and even emotions are all part of corporate branding.
Target is a great example of this; they've managed to expand their branding and identity to the point where people enjoy walking through the aisles simply because it's been a long day at work. Why, you might ask? Do employees play a role in brading? YES! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes
Target has always been ahead of the competition because their brand connects with you and makes you feel "just right" as you buy.
How to build a corporate brand?
You must be consistent with your messaging, logo design, and everything else you do as a business in order to develop a successful brand. But how can you create a company brand that is supposed to last longer than a trend? We've described some key elements in the corporate branding process to assist you in turning your company into a great brand.
Analyze your brand.
Define your company's core values.
Increase the visibility of your company
Make a set of standards for establishing your company's brand.
Analyze your brand
You may already have a brand, but it isn't working for you. Either your brand isn't reaching the right people or it isn't getting enough attention. This is the moment to assess your present brand strategy's accomplishments and flaws, as well as to develop your plan so that it can lead you in the proper way.
Consider whether something in your brand's messaging, look, or identity needs to be added, modified, or changed entirely.
Core Values
Your organization should make an appropriate promise to its audience, just as a y club would not identify itself with boredom. The definition of who your brand is, what it does, and why it does it sets those expectations.
Start leading discussions that will bring everyone on board with your brand. You can use cognitive strategies or construct visualizations, such as graphs or charts, to assist break down the material into enjoyable and remember stuff. Suppose your company's values include honesty, accountability, and transparency. For strong potential, join the first letter of each word to form a new word, such as tap. This level of transparency ensures that everything done in the company's name follows a consistent concept.
Increase the visibility of your company
You've designed a logo that communicates your brand's who, what, and why, and it's intended to set you apart from the competition. Now that you have a great logo to go along with your brand, you can start using it on social media, your website, marketing materials, and more. More people will know your logo once it is out there, putting your brand in the spotlight.
Creating a social media strategy is one of the most common approaches to increase your presence. You must first determine who your target audience is. This will help you select where to focus your marketing efforts, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to mention a few. Keep in mind that each social networking platform has its own set of features for communicating, participating, and forming relationships.
After you've chosen the best platform for promoting your business, you'll need to create some broad guidelines to preserve your reputation and corporate image. Most businesses have a social media director whose responsibilities include acting as the "social media gatekeeper" and establishing rules to ensure that all aspects of your corporate identity are consistent. This will help ensure continuity throughout your brand's history and development.
Standards for establishing your company's brand
You should create a guide for your brand that considers a variety of conditions in which your brand may be represented - whether online or off.
You can allow for more accurate and conserve now and in the future by creating a brand style guide, or set of rules, for the application of your corporate brand identity. With the appropriate rules, everyone involved in marketing your brand will retain the consistency of your identity, from font sizes and typography to where and how to display your logo.
Zaida M. Velazco
Design Lead, UX/UI / Web Management