Frequent Questions

The strategic management of the identity and image of companies is seen as essential in current times. Yet throughout the world the way in which these companies are now publicly represented can be evaluated as uneven. This depends on the modality of local markets and international participation that each company achieves from its activity. For example, when a company that usually sells in a local, captive market, participates in an international fair, there it can see its image in comparison to the others and this is a motivation for change.

– What are the elements that make up the concept of visual identity of a company?

-The main thing is to define the identity, i.e. to be clear about what one is and wants to be. From there one constructs the politics of the image, which interprets that identity within the sphere of action where you want to act. The image materializes that identity, and if well done, attaches the ideal traits of the previous identity in the eyes of those who perceive the company. Note also that all eyes are not all equal, and the political interest of this image is to reach those targets, specifically the social sectors that the company wants to seduce.
Within this intervention of the image, the primary or central image is the brand. The brand must have the genetics of the company. It must have all the symbolic attributes that will be needed in the future for any act of communication to be properly capitalized on by the company. The brand is understood through the features that differentiate and define the company, which makes it unique. That includes what is popularly known as the logo and other resources that identify the company, such as colors, letters, textures, photographs and images to be used in a systematic way.
The second part is to apply the brand, through all the media that relate to the mentioned targets, such as stationery, brochures and books as well as the signals that position the company, whether in their buildings or on billboards and also from websites and other multimedia.
The last step is to make public the identity and image: the persuasive communication, which seeks to attract people to your identity. This means installing on the agenda that which best contributes to the value of your identity. That is, through all forms of advertising.
In brief, everything comes to mark the territory of the company, making it valuable and valued. The idea is that people understand who we are and hope to find something in us. That is, to get people to discuss topics that involve us and that our office and equipment be seen as our business and not mistaken for another. Therefore, a company not only needs a logo, but to intervene and implement an integrated and structured image.

- What about the company transport vehicles or employee clothing?

For some customers vehicle graphics is very important because a vehicle is potentially a branding and advertising opportunity which is also free. And when it comes to clothing, it can go from a badge to a uniform depending on the role of the person in the business.

- Does the state of the van, if it is dented or dirty, affect the corporate image?

It depends. The strategy of identity has to be realistic, it must convey something possible. For example, with a positioning strategy that aims to convey that your commitment is to the country by any means possible, a muddy truck can be a good image. What you need to build, and this is my job, is a story and the stories are endless. The idea is to construct one that is coherent and serves the business purpose.

- What is your opinion regarding the development of visual identity in business?

It is a fairly relative territory. On one hand, there are the large multinationals that come fully prepared, and on the other you have a development of local companies that have begun to systematize their image. In this regard, I also see a sudden change in local firms that are beginning to see themselves as products.
But perhaps what matters is based on novel ways of doing business and the opportunities to communicate them. For example, ranchers in South America looking to export to Asian markets where they are not known and sometimes have no references from their country of origin, need to portray a clear visual identity. Producing varieties of specialty, gourmet and organic products, they need to promote the virtues of its production or its source, among other things.

- What level of adoption do you see of rural-based companies’ visual identity?

In general, the agricultural sector is dynamic and is always looking at what is the latest, not to be left behind. This comes in waves. The visual identity is more or less the same. Now, we can see that organic trade is beginning to adopt. For example, in a small town I designed a brand for a company where no company had a strong brand. Now, when you go to that town, they all have elaborate and developed communication.

- What is your opinion on the identity design of organizations and institutions?

The survival of current NGOs depends on their ability to publicly sustain an issue and to be seen by those interested as the vehicle for processing and transforming the matter.

To achieve this, the NGO must reach out to their audience in search of two objectives: first, to propagate the values, ideas and beliefs that give meaning and entity to the organization. Second, it must ensure that its stakeholders feel involved and committed to the organization. Thus the NGO can attract stakeholders to contribute to their cause, through both direct and economic participation.

These objectives require that the image and communication of an NGO should look to draw attention publicly to the issue that the NGO itself embodies, or to interpret the problem, synthesizing the diagnostic of the situation, dangers and possible solutions of this issue. In addition, it must define and differentiate the NGO so that it is clearly understood to have a central role in the solution of the specific subject matter. This requires the image that conveys the identity of the organization to tell in some way a story that insinuates a cause and effect, a present and a possible future of the issue.

In this context, the brand of an NGO should operate not only as a symbol of identification, but also as a speech or visual slogan. This means that the brand must instantly convey and achieve an understanding of the agenda, place of action and social significance of the organization. The visual slogan will mark the field of work while at the same time will be sufficiently alluring to attract everyone connected to the issue.

In this regard, the first point to take into account about the identity and image of an institution is to acknowledge the role that it plays publicly. From there, it must act out a certain historic responsibility. This does not imply ruling out any changes, but that it be understood that the changes will affect children and adults in their parameters and imagination of the public issue, with the good or bad effects that this will have for the distinct collective identities associated with the institution.

- It also said that any logo, repeated endlessly by advertising ends up being accepted by the people.

In part you must agree with the argument that the trademark is like a cup or glass: it does not mean much if there is nothing inside. Thus, there are very nice brands that have failed because the communication strategy or the product itself failed. The brand should be a good help to the transmission of content. The issue is that if you make a good brand, the cost of installing, positioning, differentiation and identification will be much smaller and the company will have a higher value. I think in general terms, an effective trademark may increase the results of the business by as much as 30%.

In summary:

. Opening up to the world encourages the development of the visual identity of the company.
. Businesses can not rely on word of mouth to be known.
. A good brand positioning reduces costs.
. Good brands cannot save a bad product.
. The brand is like a glass, the product is the content.