A corporate identity package is a comprehensive package that a company puts together when introducing its company to the public. This package includes logo design, color palette, website design, and more. It’s often seen as a sign of credibility in any industry. But the question is: which elements make up a corporate identity package?
In this article, we break down what elements are included in corporate identity packages and what points of these elements are essential. Elements of corporate identity packages are equally important, but some variations in how important they are to a company.
What does a corporate identity include?
The primary benefit of a strong corporate identity is its ability to help you make an effective first impression with your customers and clients. A cohesive design helps give people something simple and memorable to remember you by and gives them something recognizable to go back to when they are looking for your services or products in the future.
1. Design Style and Language.
This corporate identity, corporate design style and language is your brand’s overall aesthetic style and language. The design style includes the logo design (or mark) used to represent your company, the typeface, and font used in your logo design; the color palette (also known as color scheme) used to create this look, and the overall visual identity used by your company’s designs. The language (sometimes called communication style) is how your company communicates with its customers. This includes the tone and typeface used to relay this message, the vocabulary used to explain your product or service; and how your company operates/communicates.
2. Logo Design.
The logo design is the primary visual component of your corporate identity. This shape will be portrayed at a scale, color, and style that helps represent your company’s appearance or overall visual appearance. This graphic will often be the foundation for other elements such as collateral materials, letterhead, business cards, brochures, etc. This corporate branding and identity is often an easily identifiable mark representing your company and its products or services.
READ MORE: What is Branding or Brand Marketing?
3. Typeface.
The typeface is the actual font used in your logo design. This font provides an identifying character to your company and should reflect the image that you are trying to portray. Often, a professional designer will choose a font commonly used by respected companies within your industry to help promote credibility with customers.
READ MORE: How to choose the right Font for your Brand in Thailand?
4. Logo Colors.
The logo colors are the shade, tints, and tones used in your logo design. There should be one to three colors used in a logo design; however, sometimes, you will see a logo with more than three colors. The additional colors are often used to create visual interest and variety within the design.
Many companies use a combination of two or three of the same color shades (known as a primary/secondary palette) to create a solid and easily identifiable look for their brand.
5. Hosting Services.
Most corporate identity packages use hosting services to help manage your corporate website. This service provides a hosting service for the client’s website, which allows the client to update their site with content from their office. The hosting will also include server space so that the company can host images, videos, and other media on its site.
6. Website Design.
A website is often the first impression customers will get when visiting your company’s brand. Of all the corporate identity elements list, this is arguably the most important, as it allows customers to view all the other elements of your corporate identity. A corporate website is essential for any business nowadays and provides the ability to showcase your updated products, services, and more. These websites are often built using a Content Management System (CMS), which allows editing and updating the website without hiring a web programmer.
7. Typography.
Any typography used by your company should support your corporate identity package’s overall look and feel. This means that the typeface should be easily readable and look good in just about any display or medium, from the logo to the website to marketing materials. This can be anything from handwritten fonts to professional-looking serif or sans-serif fonts.
Typography can have a big impact on how a company represents itself. New and exciting typography can give your company a unique identity. It’s important to choose a font with enough visual weight (difference in size, weight, and style) so that it looks professional but still can be easily read in small print. Typography can be used in many ways besides printing, such as creating logos or other graphics for print.
Typography is an important part of any CI corporate identity and plays an integral role in helping customers understand your company. Many customers use typography to determine whether a company can produce quality products and services.
8. Rendering Services.
A rendering service allows a customer to create their unique typeface. They can then use this font on their website or any other design project. With this option, customers can choose the typeface they prefer and have it rendered in various formats.
9. Business cards.
Business cards help promote your company’s identity and brand while helping customers to initially contact your company if they would like more information on your products or services. This contact information (name, title, phone number, or website address) helps customers learn more about you. You can add multiple lines of text to the back of your business card to further explain what your company can do and how they can contact you.
10. Business Card Holder.
A business card holder keeps your business cards organized and easy to find. Many businesses will use a cardholder on their desktop or nightstand, but you can also carry business cards in your briefcase or purse. Just be sure not to leave your business cards out in the open, as they are valuable items that can be stolen easily.
Business card holders help promote your company’s identity by holding all the key elements of your corporate identity design, including the logo and typeface. It is a great way to keep your business cards organized and easily accessible.
11. Letterhead.
Letterhead is used to create paper documents such as invoices and letters. Letterhead helps promote your company’s identity by containing all the key elements of your corporate identity, such as the logo and typeface.
12. Brochures.
Brochures help provide more information to customers about your products and services. These are often used when trying to introduce a new product or service to an existing customer base. Brochures help promote your company’s identity by containing all the key elements of your CI corporate identity, such as the logo and typeface. The brochure will also include full-color images and graphics, highlighting key features of your product or service.
13. Handheld Promotional Items.
Companies use handheld promotional items (mainly pens) during events and trade shows to grab attention and help customers remember the company’s name. This promotional item helps promote your company’s identity by adding a personal touch to the item, which may be more easily remembered if it has your logo or slogan.
14. Store Signs.
A store sign displays your corporate logo and name in large letters on LED lights. The sign is often located in the front window of a store or next to the cash register. It can be used to promote your company’s identity by adding a personal touch to the store’s appearance and offering some more visibility for your business.
15. Figureheads.
Companies use figureheads to promote a person or an employee as a leading representative of their company, whether in an advertisement, graphic design, or on company letterhead. Figureheads help promote your company’s identity by using the employee’s face and name to represent the company.
16. Aerosol Paint.
Aerosol paint is used to create large-scale murals that can be seen from a distance. This helps the public identify your company as a leader in its field by displaying your logo and name all over town. The paint also functions to promote your brand in high-visibility areas, such as on a highway overpass or at the entrance to an office building.
17. Printed Media.
Printed media is an easy way to promote your company’s identity by using your logo and name in advertisements, brochures, and other materials, including brand packaging. This is a great way to help people remember your company and remember your products and services more easily.
18. Mobile App.
A mobile app can be created for your company to give access to people on the go, anywhere in the world. Since this is a digital product, it can be updated by the company almost instantly. The app helps promote your company’s identity by helping people learn more about what you do and how they can contact you with questions or comments.
Last Words
Recently, with the advent of ever-advancing technology and the ubiquity of smartphones, there has been a shift to mobile marketing. Companies that can effectively navigate these new waters will have the greatest chance of success.
Mobile marketing helps promote your company’s identity by giving people an easy way to learn more about your products and services. It also allows customers to contact you with any issues or questions.
Social media is another very popular method of marketing. For example, Instagram allows users to share pictures and videos that show off the products and services a company has to offer. Facebook is another popular platform where companies can easily reach their target audience through their pages.
Finally, what is included in a corporate identity package can change with trends in business. As technology has developed, so has the branding of products. For example, if you have ever owned a computer, you probably have used a mouse to navigate the internet. While this may have been the norm many years ago, it is easily shown that there are now different types of mice with differing features and designs to make them more user-friendly. This is just one example of the effect that trends have on a corporate identity.
If you would like to create, renew or further enhance your brand identity, we are the right people who can help you.
