Experienced reality: The development of corporate identity in the digital era

Abstract

Confusion surrounding “corporate identity” persists in business and design practice though a great deal has been written about the subject since the 1970s. “Corporate identity” and “corporate image” continue to be used interchangeably. When business executives and designers mention these terms, more often than not they mean the visual schemes devised to “portray” organisations – visual identities, visual identification systems, logotypes and symbols – each of which has a distinct meaning. Changes, over time, have seen corporate identity termed the “corporate brand”; currently, “brand identity” and “brand architecture” are receiving considerable attention. A British Standard defines most of these terms but is broadly ignored. When practitioners and their clients appear to be unconcerned about the core terms of their trade, it is not surprising that implemented solutions fail to deliver their promise. Suspicions are bound to arise about the relevance of corporate identity and its potential impact on performance over the long term. Nevertheless, statements heralding the demise of corporate identity are premature. Thinking on the way corporate identities are projected seems to be stuck in the “pre‐Internet” era. For example, corporate Web sites could be very powerful vehicles for such identities, yet many sites demonstrate little progress from promotional literature. This paper explores factors that are likely to shape the projection of identities in the next 20‐50 years, not least the “personalisation” of identity akin to the “mass customisation” that has been promoted in manufacturing.

Citation

Topalian, A. (2003), "Experienced reality: The development of corporate identity in the digital era", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 7/8, pp. 1119-1132. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560310477690