Brand Identity = Corporate Identity

Lately, I’ve heard people talking about corporate identity as if it were something different than branding; OK, I’ll accept that a sound argument can be made that there is a distinction to be drawn between brand identity and corporate identity, but when it comes to the consumer (remember them? They’re why you’re in business), there is little if any distinction in their minds. Your brand, as far as they are concerned is your company. The customer cares little about who the CEO of your company is (with some notable exceptions like Apple, where the CEO is a celebrity in their own right); but they do care about the associations which they have made with your branding. Your customers make a genuine, emotional connection with your company through your brand.

These associations are a large part of your brand – while every company likes to think that their brand is strong, there is a reason why some companies, while certainly successful enough in their field, are not ones which come to mind when you think of memorable brand identity.  For example, Fedders – do you suppose that consumers tend to have a lot of strong positive associations with this brand? None are coming to mind, I can safely assume. In fact, among New York City residents, cheaply built housing is often derisively known as “Fedders houses” due their common use in new construction. Of course, this is no reflection on the company itself, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that if you were to ask the marketing department at Fedders, they would tell you that their brand is strong.

As you can see, a company can certainly do well without a strong brand identity; but a strong brand identity which captivates customers and appeals to core values and strong emotions will have a fiercely loyal customer base. Just look at Apple as a case in point. The challenge is to create a brand identity which can accomplish this kind of emotional bonding with consumers.

Now, a brand is more than just a logo or a color scheme; a slogan or even a corporate mascot. All of these are ingredients, but a strong brand identity is much more than the sum of these parts. A strong brand which engenders the kind of loyalty among consumers which any business covets relies on its ability to speak to people on a very primal level. The key is to use your brand identity to connect the core values of your company to those of the consumer and maintain consistency across the board when it comes to your branding. You need to take every opportunity to get your brand into the minds of consumers.

Your brand identity will obviously appear in your marketing materials, company literature and advertisements; but should not end there. You need to carry your brand identity into other areas – your website, any retail locations or offices which are open to the public; anywhere, in fact, that the consumer can be exposed to it. Even after you have come up with a strong brand identity, a relentless campaign must be engaged in to keep it in the public eye. This is what will allow you to forge a personal relationship with the consumer. 

Bruno

Tags: branding identity, brand, corporate identity, branding, website, logo, marketing