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Brand

Corporate brand is the way a company presents itself to the world and how it wants to be perceived by its stakeholders. It is a declaration of principles, a promise of commitment, that not only represents the company and makes it recognizable but also differentiates it from others in the market. It defines and guides its future expression in two key areas: brand positioning and visual and verbal identity.

The corporate brand is one of the most important strategic intangibles for any organization. It serves as the cornerstone of any business project. Indeed, a brand is a platform that generates lasting and non-replicable differentiation, influencing how consumers and other stakeholders perceive the company and its products or services. Ultimately, a strong, positive brand can help foster customer loyalty, enhance the company’s reputation and image, and increase its value and attractiveness to investors. Since the organization controls all these elements, the brand is considered an intangible asset that is owned, controllable, and separable by the company.

A corporate brand comprises a set of elements, both visual and verbal, designed to effectively convey the organization’s image and identity. It originates from the company’s intentional effort to motivate its stakeholders based on three elements: awareness and mental presence, relevance, and differentiation or emotional connection. To achieve these goals, the main elements to define in crafting a corporate brand include: name, logo, slogan, colors, typography, visual image, verbal identity, brand values, and personality.

These elements ensure that corporate purpose and culture are the intangibles that guide the corporate brand platform. It is crucial to develop a strategy focused not only on building a positive image but also on one that aligns with the company’s essence. While purpose and culture form the core of the brand, communication and trust are undoubtedly the levers that activate and nurture brand perception. Ultimately, effective corporate brand management requires a deep understanding and efficient articulation of all levers that position the brand as a key intangible asset within organizations.

KFC’s case demonstrates how brand definition and positioning can help an organization enter a particular market or gain the trust and affection of audiences and society at large, as we see with Zappos. Engaging with current trends and taking advantage of viral topics, like Shakira’s song, has helped brands like Casio achieve unprecedented success.

Explore these and many more cases in our Practices in Action.