A corporate identity is the manner which a corporation,
firm or business presents themselves to the public, such as customers and
investors as well as employees. It is a primary task of the corporate communications department to maintain and build this
identity to accord with and facilitate business objectives. It is typically
visually manifested by way of branding and the use of trademarks.[1] but also includes things like product design,
advertising, public relations and the like.
In
general, this amounts to a corporate title, logo (logotype and/or logogram) and
supporting devices commonly assembled within a set of guidelines. These
guidelines govern how the identity is applied and would include approved colour
palettes, typefaces, page layouts and other such.
Corporate Identity and
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)
Corporate
identity is the set of multi-sensory elements that marketers employ to
communicate a visual statement about the brand to consumers
(Businessdictionary.com, n.d.). These multi-sensory elements include but are
not limited to company name, logo, slogan, buildings, décor, uniforms, company
colours and in some cases, even the physical appearance of customer facing
employees (Businessdictionary.com, n.d.). Corporate Identity is either weak or
strong; to understand this concept, it is beneficial to consider exactly what
constitutes a strong corporate identity.
Consonance,
in the context of marketing, is a unified message offered to consumers from all
fronts of the organisation (Laurie & Mortimer, 2011). In the context of
corporate identity, consonance is the alignment of all touch points (Bailey,
2015). For example, Apple has strong brand consonance because at every point at
which the consumer interacts with the brand, a consistent message is conveyed.
This is seen in Apple TV advertisements, the Apple Store design, the physical
presentation of customer facing Apple employees and the actual products, such
as the iPhone, iPad and MacBook laptops. Every Apple touch point is
communicating a unified message: From the advertising of the brand to the
product packaging, the message sent to consumers is ‘we are simple,
sophisticated, fun and user friendly’ (Marketing Minds, 2014). Brand consonance
solidifies corporate identity and encourages brand acceptance, on the grounds
that when a consumer is exposed to a consistent message multiple times across
the entirety of a brand, the message is easier to trust and the existence of
the brand is easier to accept (Hoyer, MacInnis & Pieters, 2012). Strong
brand consonance is imperative to achieving strong corporate identity.
Strong
consonance, and in turn, strong corporate identity can be achieved through the
implementation and integration of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC).
IMC is a collective of concepts and communications processes that seek to
establish clarity and consistency in the positioning of a brand in the mind of
consumers (Ang, 2014). As espoused by Holm (cited in Laurie & Mortimer,
2011), at its ultimate stage, IMC is implemented at a corporate level and
consolidates all aspects of the organisation; this initiates brand consonance
which in turn inspires strong corporate identity. To appreciate this idea with
heavier mental weight it is important to regard the different levels of IMC
integration.
The
Communication Based Model, advanced by Duncan and Moriarty (as cited in Laurie
& Mortimer, 2011) contends that there are three levels of IMC integration;
Duncan and Moriarty affirm that the lowest level of IMC integration is level
one where IMC decisions are made by marketing communication level message sources.
These sources include personal sales, advertising, sales promotion, direct
marketing, public relations, packaging and events departments. The stake
holders concerned at this stage are consumers, local communities, media and
interest groups (Duncan and Moriarty, 1998 as cited in Laurie & Mortimer,
2011). At the second stage of IMC integration Duncan and Moriarty (as cited in
Laurie & Mortimer, 2011) establish that level one integration departments
still have decision making power but are now guided by marketing level message
sources. At stage two integration the message sources are those departments in
which product mix, price mix, marketing communication and distribution mix are
settled; appropriately, stakeholders at this stage of integration are distributors,
suppliers and competition (Duncan and Moriarty, 1998 as cited in Laurie &
Mortimer, 2011). It should also be noted that it is at this stage of
integration that consumers interact with the organisation (Duncan and Moriarty,
1998 as cited in Laurie & Mortimer, 2011). Moving forward, the last stage
Duncan and Moriarty’s Communication Based Model (as cited in Laurie and
Mortimer, 2011) is stage three where message sources are at the corporate level
of the organisation; these message sources include administration,
manufacturing operations, marketing, finance, human resources and legal
departments. The stake holders at this level of IMC integration are employees,
investors, financial community, government and regulators (Duncan and Moriarty,
1998 as cited in Laurie & Mortimer, 2011). At the final stages of IMC
integration, IMC decisions are made not only by corporate level departments but
also by departments classed in stages one and two. It is the inclusion of all
organisational departments by which a horizontal, non linear method of
communication with consumers is achieved. By unifying all fronts of the
marketing firm, communications are synchronised to achieve consistency,
consonance and ultimately strong corporate identity.
To be continued…..
References:
http://www.fusionplate.com/3014/free-brandingidentity-stationery-psd-mockups/
Ang, L. (2014). Principles of Integrated Marketing
Communications. New York City, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Bailey, P. (2015). Marketing to the senses: A
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2015 from WARC: www.warc.com
Belch, G. E., & Belch, M.
A. (2012). Advertising and promotion:
An integrated marketing communications perspective (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
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March 18, 2016, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/corporate-identity.html
Businessdictionary.com. (n.d.). Personal communication.
Retrieved March 17, 2016, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/personal-communication-services-PCS.html
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Smith, T. (2010). Marketing
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Retrieved December 8, 2015 from WARC: http://www.warc.com/
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& Pieters, R. (2012). Consumer
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OH: Cenage Learning.
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J.P. (2013). Essentials of
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(2011). ‘IMC is dead. Long
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Marcom Projects (2007). Persuasion in everyday life.
Retrieved from Kanopy: https://aut.kanopystreaming.com/video/persuasion-everyday-life/
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