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Identity, Business Identity, Branding: What
are these? How do they work?
Trade secret revealed?
What I do: I craft identities for organizations of many
types, and produce all materials and collaterals, starting with a logo,
and moving through implementation of all forms used by the organization,
from business cards to websites. A to Z. Print and electronics. And I
help to manage it for the long haul.
Business identity?
Organizational identity? Get a handle on this and you'll be so far ahead
of most other people that you'll look back and shake your head. The very
best people who craft the image of the major corporations of the world,
all the corporations and organization that you know well, they "get it." Trade secret?
So it would seem, but it's really not a secret. All you have to do is look,
study, and then truly see. Once you see it, once you "get it," it's obvious.
And once you see it, you can't live with a sloppy, ill-defined,
haphazard look any more.
Too late. No return.
The secret: To project identity effectively,
everything that projects identity must match perfectly, undeniably, the
essence of consistency: logo, colors, fonts, images, sizes,
proportions, backgrounds, feel, tone. 100% is ideal - 95% will suffice.
It must be applied consistently across the entire range of organization
materials, and not vary: letterhead, business cards, envelopes,
decals, brochures, newsletters, product or service sheets, signs,
website, all and sundry. Such consistency shouldn't be a problem, should
be easy, but it isn't. Why? People look and they don't see what is
really there. They get too close and can't see the forest for the trees.
Multiple people over a period of time start producing materials, and
they get all out of bounds. There's no style sheet, and nothing to
follow, and no one is following anyway, so identity turns into a hodge
podge, a mess, and identity stops working for the organization, and
starts to work against it.
The level these symbols operate on: Go for a moment to the highest level. All of us live and exist within a symbolic world. It's a symbolic
universe. Symbols, the symbols and what they represent, what is behind
them, can wield tremendous power, can call forth the deepest responses.
Witness the responses to the flag, the cross, the swastika. Read the
Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, On Civil
Disobedience, others. The power to move people, their minds and hearts.
Words and images, symbols, on paper that have changed the world. The power of
symbols is often misunderstood, but these operate on the many levels of
consciousness and awareness. Image, identity, representation to the
world. Power. Read Carl Jung. Symbols? All language is a set of symbols.
Part of the secret, if secret it be, is in the application. Emotion.
Read this, for example: "Well, if I can't move around freely, I don't think I
want to be here." Any emotional response? Probably not. Read this:
"Give me liberty or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry.
Pay attention: Those who
would win, whatever their particular pursuits, pay close attention to
those symbols (language, words, images, photos, graphic design,
illustration, logos, meaning). You craft these and manage these and
maintain these in line with your objectives with great care, and with
great investment. It's that important. In major corporations millions
are spent on this, and it's not taken for granted in the least. They
don't invest that kind of money without a complete understanding of the
value, the return, and the necessity of a well crafted and projected
identity. They ignore this at their peril, and so they don't.
Different: A logo
is not a corporate identity, as some seem to think. A logo is a
central part of corporate identity, but corporate identity goes way
beyond this. It is a totality of how a corporation, company, or
organization is viewed or seen.
(more - scroll
down past a company sign example)
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Organization
identity begins with a distinctive, unique, readily identifiable logo,
symbol if you will. Begins. Corporate identity is more than a logo, is
woven throughout an organization, through all that it does, all it
presents. Identity is projected through the graphic image
combined with font for the "name type" that remain absolutely
consistent, the "feel" from the weight and texture, the consistency of
colors and their representation, all of these create identity. Identity
then established, it is the business image combined with the business
identity that can be worked on together through the skillful and
creative use of advertising, collaterals, and the actions of the
business. The first order of business is to have a vision of the
enterprise, its placement among any competitors, and where it hopes to
navigate. It all begins with vision - vision, and then its
representation...
"The first
order of business is to have a vision of the enterprise,
its placement
among any competitors, and where it hopes to navigate.
It all begins
with vision - vision, and then its representation... "
 All of these combined, as well as being
consistently applied, translate into the creation and fulfillment of a
basic and major business objective: to create, establish, and
then maintain a Strong Business Identity. This paves the way and
leads to Increased Customer Flow, a second major objective, and
relates directly to share of market - all of these related to
profit, to position, to increased values. Identity and
image are central to purpose, and to fulfilling the purpose of the
business. To ignore these elements of identity and image, somewhat, to
not invest in these, to treat them lightly or without strict attention
and management and care, is literally a grave and costly business
mistake. Your identity and image directly contribute to either making
money or losing money - a loose, confused, conflicted identity and image
will do exactly that. Your business identity and your business image are
a reflection and projection of who you are (in a business or management
or, sometimes, personal sense) and what you stand for. Prospects will
get the message, whatever it is, pro or con. A strong identity and image
are the keys to turn to open the door to business objectives.
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Now, if this is all "old hat" to you and you
are looking for a highly qualified source to help you fulfill your
objectives and get all that flows your way from a carefully and
skillfully created organizational identity, then you should be calling
me - we're on the same wavelength and we talk the same language -
because I'll help you every step of the way. And if these ideas seem a
little foreign or somewhat new to you, then you should be calling me,
because I can help you navigate these waters and get you through.
That's what I do, and I'll put my know-how to work for you, from
creation to longer term management. If you have designers, writers, illustrators,
who know what they're doing in your corner and working for you, you have
this:
Advantage. In either case, please view our samples and
then call us. Investigate our talents and how you can use them - you
have nothing to lose. Call me.
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