CORPORATE IDENTITY AND LOGOS : your company's first impression

What is the difference between "corporate identity" and "logos"? Or "brand Image" for that matter? They are all related and avenues to the same common goal: brand identity.

Corporate identity
Corporate id is often used synonymously with logo creation, but this is not wholely correct. The logo supplies the initial look and image. The design of the business cards, letterhead and envelopes suppliesmost of the rest (colors, fonts and so forth). But if a company really wants to establish a very well-defined image to carry them forward, the next communication (magazine ad, brochure, web site...) should be included in this as well to establish photo treatments and other formats. The first few samples demonstrate this.

This promotional brochure depicts the end result of an evolving identity campaign. It started with the company logo (JP Horizons) that I developed fifteeen years ago, more recently, I was asked to develop a new logo for a growing division – Working Smarter. From there I developed several Working Smarter web sites that were targeted at the national landscaping industry. Today though, JP Horizons' Working Smarter programs have infiltrated the more corporate environment, so we developed a brochure, web site and email campaign based on this more sophisticated image.

While the top image depicts corporate identity on the large, corporate and national scale, this project (above) demonstrates this on a local and annual scale. This is Lake Metroparks' 2008 Quilt show logo, rack card and 8 page brochure. Its logo and entire look get overhauled each year by Edwards Communications. The final product is promoted in various media.

This is an entire campaign leading through a trade show (also designed and produced by Edwards Communications)

It consists of an international magazine ad, promotional CDs, t-shirt give-aways at the trade show and the trade show art itself.

Brand Image versus Brand Identity
To try to clarify these often misused terms, I'll simply state that a company's brand image is how a particular company's products and services are actually commonly perceived by its audience. Its brand identity refers to the marketing attempts (such as the corporate identity campaign) at establishing the desired brand iimage.

This particular corporate identity package for Spiegel & Son Jewelers consisted of just the letter head and business cards. But the identity was created primarily with the business card.

We took great care to convey Spiegel & Son as a caring, family-owned business - differentiating it from its glitzy internet and mall stores. We chose a very earthy and timeless look and made the vision statement on the back of the card a huge focal point in our advertising efforts.

On a smaller scale, this is an identity campaign consisting of logo, letterhead, business card and advertisment. But the imagery, colors and typography were chosen very carefully to create an identity that is synonymous with clean, natural and healthy.

Logos
Your logo is the first impression of your company. You either spend a lot of time, effort and money trying to overcome an unprofessional first impression or you have a leg up with a professional, well-conceived logo that helps create the desired image and impression (brand image) that you intend.

A professional logo should be a self-contained piece of art. It should have a "substance" to it that allows it to stand on its own while being aesthetically pleasing. It needs to be simple enough to be legible at very small sizes and have a uniqueness that promotes a recognition factor.

I divide logos into two basic groups: Corporate and Consumer

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Consumer logoS

Logos primarily targeted to consumers are usually flashier and less conceptual than their corporate counterparts. This makes them a bit easier to design as there's less research to do... and usually less committee involved.

The top two logos are for local events. They're fun and professional, yet don't require the justification that corporate logos do.

The rest of these logos need to look great on signage and again don't require the concepts of corporate logos- just the aesthetics.

Corporate logoS

Corporate logos require much more research and evolution than consumer logos. I consider them the hardest work that I do as a great logo needs to be stripped down to its fewest lines, communicating a solid concept as cleanly as possible. The logo should have a stamp-like weight to it so that it stands alone amidst a sea of information (such as a newspaper ad).

The top two logos are two of my favorites. I typically like my corporate logos to have a illusory feel – meaning that I intend a viewer to see this logo many times before finally seeing it for what it is. For instance, did you see the "d", the "b" and the "S" in the DBS logo?

Obviously, these logos require many evolutions of refinement, usually a bit of research to understand the company and vision, so they are also much more expensive than consumer logos.