CommunicationKnowledgeCenter@Outlook.com

Corporate Identity Mix: Analyzing

Assignment• Analyze the Corporate Identity Mix 1) of your

organization. Conclude what starting points and personality are expressed & find inconsistencies.

• Explain why you conclude this.

1) The website is the most important tool in the Corporate Identity Mix; analyze at least the website. Find ‘communication’ and ‘symbols’ by analyzing verbal and visual communication – that is: make a semiotic analysis as learned in a previous block – and conclude what starting points and personality are expressed. Also analyze how the organization behaves as a whole: does it focus on shareholders’ value, CSR, etc., what starting points and personality does this behavior express?

Identity (Riel 2001 p67)

• “Identity” consists of the collection of attributes that members use to describe an organization.

• For these attributes to be accepted internally and externally, an organization must have in place an identity mix that is appropriate to its target audiences.

Corporate Identity Mix (Riel 2007 p68)All self-expressions of a company can be classified into one of the following three forms:

1. Communication: • Verbal messaging• Most tactical tool managers can use to

convey identity

2. Behavior:• Initiatives organization supports &

behaviors it enacts.• Being “innovative”/ “social responsible” is

more difficult than saying so.

3.Symbolism:• Visual & audible symbols• Logos, signs, sounds, taglines.

PersonalityThe manifestation of the company’s self-perception (Birkigt & Stadler 1988, in Riel 2007 p68)

Birkigt & StadlerCopy & Art

• Birkigt & Stadler were advertisement consultants.

• Advertisement is mainly performed by Art & Copy.

Copy or tagline: It makes your house look bigger. Publication Year: 1964 Appr Ad Size 10 x 13.5 inch

copy

art

Birkigt & StadlerCopy & Art

• Birkigt & Stadler were advertisement consultants.

• Advertisement is mainly performed by Art & Copy.

• On corporate level these are Symbolism & Communication

• They found out that advertisement can’t make right what management did wrong. Therefore they introduced Behavior.

What people see of Nike

Influence of Identity Mix on Corporate Image

Similar to: S –[x] R

Why is Birkigt & Stadler’s Id Im model deficient?1. Model suggests that

Image is just a reflection of Identity; actually image is also influenced by contextual conditions.

2. Model ignores that image is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve improved legitimacy and effectiveness for the organization.

3. Model does not distinguish between static (culture etc.) and dynamic identity elements (communication & symbolism).

4. Model suggests that communication & symbolism have the same impact as behavior, but influence of static elements is greater. (Riel 2007 p69)

Selecting identity elements (Riel 2007 p69)

• What senior executives want to project (Birkigt ‘86)

or• What members of organization want and

do, and how they see the organization. Conclude if outcomes match the following criteria:

1. Centrality: What characteristics are widely shared among members throughout the organization?

2. Continuity: What characteristics of the organization are most used by members to link the past to its present and future?

3. Uniqueness: What characteristics appear most unique to members to differentiate the organization from similar organizations? (Albert & Whetten 1985)

= Finding the message.

Applied on your assignment• Interview & observe senior executives or members of

organization.• Analyze art & copy (with semiotic analysis).• Conclude if outcomes match the following criteria:

1. Centrality: What characteristics are widely shared among members throughout the organization?

2. Continuity: What characteristics of the organization are most used by members to link the past to its present and future?

3. Uniqueness: What characteristics appear most unique to members to differentiate the organization from similar organizations?

Essence of simple semiotic analysis

Three steps (Geursen 1997 p102-103)

1.Analyze verbal signs

2.Analyze visual signs

3.Analyze symbolic message

What you see

Interpretation

Four types of Identity (1) (Balmer & Wilson 2002 in Riel 2007 p70)

• Perceived Identity: collection of attributes that are seen as typical for the “continuity, centrality and uniqueness” of the organization in the eyes of its members.

• Projected Identity: self presentations of the organization’s attributes manifested in the implicit & explicit signals which the organization broadcasts to internal & external audiences through communications & symbols.

= Internal image

Projected Identity is what you will analyze for your assignment!

Projected & Perceived Identity

communications & symbols.

implicit & explicit signals

Perceived Identity

Sent message/ encoded

Received message/ decodedS

Four types of Identity (2) (Balmer & Wilson 2002 in Riel 2007 p70)

• Desired Identity: (a.k.a. “ideal” identity): The idealized picture that top managers hold of what the organization could evolve into under their leadership.

• Applied Identity: The signals that an organization broadcasts both consciously and unconsciously through behaviors and initiatives at all levels within the organization.

Identity & Identification• Corporate identity creates identification: internally & externally.• Signals should consistently represent attractive starting points/ values/ personality.

Three things that Heineken made a great brand:1. Consistency2. Consistency3. Consistency

- Freddy Heineken

Measuring Projected Identity

• Projected Identity is relevant for your assignment.

• Projected identity develops via – print, – visual, – video, – web communications (Fombrun 1996 in Riel

2007 p89)

Measuring Projected Identity requires (Fombrun 1996 in Riel 2007 p89):

1. A compilation of all the formal communications and messaging used by an organization, including

2. A framework from which to induce the meanings expressed in those communications.

•Its online presentations, •its financial statements, •its social reports, •newsletters, •brochures,

•corporate advertisements, •sponsorships, •press releases, and •executives speeches.

True, but for your assignment it is enough to analyze the site.

Informal communication: grapevine, bathroom graffiti, email slurs, private blogs, tweets, etc.

Example: values, expressed in Mission and/ or by management, etc..

Framework used for Content AnalysisExamples of framework to which signals can be

referred:• Values/ starting points expressed in Mission

Statement.• Values/ starting points expressed by

management (during research: interview etc.).• Fombrun & Van Riel’s Five Key Dimensions

(2004 in Riel 2007 p90):1. Distinctiveness2. Consistency3. Visibility4. Transparency5. Authenticity

Five Key Dimensions include criteria for Identity Elements (Albert & Whetten 1985)

1. Centrality:2. Continuity:3. Uniqueness

7 Core dimensions of Corporate Personality Profile (Lux 1968 in Riel 2007 p84)

1. Needs: basic motivations for organization's actions. Examples: growth, security, healthy working atmosphere.

2. Competencies: special skills & competitive advantages of the company.

3. Attitude: philosophical & political background of the company.

4. Constitution: physical, structural and legal space in which the company operates. Encompassing: facilities, buildings, locations, structures, core business.

5. Temperament: how company operate/ fails to operate. Describes company’s strength, intensity, speed, emotional tone.

6. Origin: relationship between present personality & past personality. Which attributes have company shaped in the past.

7. Interest: concrete objectives of the company; what the company wants to do in the future.

Assignment: Define the Corporate Personality of your organization by describing these 7 dimensions. Explain WHY you conclude that this are its Needs, Competences, etc. Find one or two photo’s of people who express the Corporate Personality.

Further reading

Riel, Cees van & Charles Fombrun (2007) Essentials of Corporate Communication, Routledge London – New York

Riel Ch 3 Creating Identity and Identification (28 p’s)

Riel Ch 4 Measuring Corporate Identity (25 p’s)

Riel Ch 5 Communicating with the Corporate Brand (24 p’s)