Designing a Corporate Brand Identity

by Sonja Albrecht
sonja.albrecht@graphicdesigntrainingreview.com
Graphic Design Training Review Columnist

Corporate brand identity is the next wave in the corporate popularity contest. A high impact logo is no longer enough to carry a business' message forward. Branding today is a comprehensive image campaign that pervades every aspect of a company's presence, from its stationery to its answering service to the sign outside the boardroom.

The more crowded and chaotic the commercial marketplace gets, the more crucial corporate brand identity design becomes. Businesses can't expect their customers to follow their brand through mergers and acquisitions, new product development, and niche marketing. Simplicity and consistency is key--and this is where the brand identity designer comes in.

Corporate Brand Identity A-Z

Branding is a more sophisticated process than ever before. Some companies hire a full time brand identity designer, but most engage a professional corporate brand identity consultant or design firm to craft a signature image.

The brand identity designer's role extends beyond the drawing board. Identity design is a comprehensive process that includes the following phases:

Research & Analysis: First, the brand identity designer conducts research into the market, the company's customer base, and the competition. If the designer is an outside consultant, an internal audit will also be necessary; this involves reviewing mission statements, press releases, and employee surveys.
Strategy: In this stage, the brand identity designer focuses the information into a coherent corporate vision, identifying underlying principles and style. The designer presents a branding strategy to upper management, positioning the corporate brand identity with respect to the market.
Design: This is where the creative juices start flowing--the design team starts with a logo, then develops an appropriate color scheme and typeface.
Implementation: In this stage, the brand identity designer plans and executes the design elements across company communications--the stationery, business cards, website, email formatting, company signage, etc.

If you've got an eye for design and a head for business, corporate brand identity design might be the career for you. Find out more about this emerging field today.

About the Author
Sonja Albrecht works as a freelance writer and editor. She has also taught college writing and completed a Ph.D. in English.

Posted on: April 7, 2006

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