A CI is not just another marketing acronym. It’s the first (and arguably most important) step that any company must take on its branding journey.
CI stands for “corporate identity”: the way you visually – and conceptually – represent your company in the public arena through your logo, website design, email signature, business cards and the general look and feel of your other marketing assets.
The purpose of a professionally-designed CI is to ensure that all the visual aspects of your online and offline communications are recognisable, consistent and true to your brand.
Do you really need a CI?
If you think that brand look and feel is not such a big deal, these discussion points may change your perspective:
1. Research shows that a signature colour can increase brand recognition by a staggering 80%
The colours you choose to represent your brand play a critical role in creating your unique brand aesthetic and positioning your company within a competitive market. This is because colours can convey feelings or concepts instantly, much faster than words can. For example, an ice blue immediately feels fresh, while a light red can create a sense of passion and joy.
2. Some fonts are more trustworthy than others
A famous study once found that research subjects were more likely to believe content in the Baskerville font compared to text in Georgia, Computer Modern, Helvetica, Comic Sans or Trebuchet. This does not mean that every brand should use Baskerville as part of their CI. But, it does go to show that you need to make careful choices when it comes to choosing your typeface. This is because your typography style helps to convey your tone of voice.
3. The human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than we process words
Your logo, the central element within your CI, acts as a succinct and memorable image that sums up your brand identity in an impactful, memorable and positive way. This graphic element could contain an icon or emblem, your company name in a distinct typographic style, or a combination of both. The route you choose will depend on your unique brand personality, your industry and most importantly – your audience.
How to super charge your CI
Before developing your CI, you need to establish who you are as a company. What does your organisation stand for? Where do you fit in your industry landscape? How are your products or services unique? What value can you offer your customers that no other company can?
These questions, among others, lead to answers that will help you to define your identity.
At this stage, it’s also important to think about your target market and how you want this audience to perceive your company. How can you define your brand personality in a way that will resonate with these individuals and remain relevant to them? Will they share your values and be inspired by your vision?
Your design team or agency will then use these insights to craft your colour scheme, logo and other CI elements.
We can help
At Kri8it, we believe that “good design is good business” (as Thomas J. Watson Jr once put it).
Your corporate identity is not just a façade, but also a reflection of your beliefs, values and worldview. We can work closely with you to develop an effective brand identity based on your company’s values, vision, competitive advantage and, of course, customers.