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| LIBRARY |
| Corporate Image |
A corporate image
refers to how a corporation is perceived. It is a
generally accepted image of what a company "stands
for". The creation of a corporate image is an
exercise in
perception
management. It is created primarily by marketing
experts who use public relations and other forms of
promotion
to suggest a mental picture to the public. Typically, a
corporate image is designed to be appealing to the public,
so that the company can spark an interest among consumers,
create share of mind, generate
brand equity,
and thus fascilitate product sales.
A corporation's image is not solely created by the
company: Other contributors to a companies image could
include news media, journalists, labour unions,
environmental organizations, and other NGOs.
Corporations are not the only form of organization that
create these types of images. Governments, charitable
organizations, criminal organizations, religious
organizations, political organizations, and educational
organizations all tend to have a unique image, an image
that is partially deliberate and partially accidental,
partially self-created and partially exogenous. |
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| Corporate image and product positioning |
A corporate image should be
consistent with the positioning
of the companies product, product line, or
brand.
Any inconguency between the overall corporate image and
the positions of individual product offerings will be
confusing to potential customers and will tend to reduce
sales revenue. For example, an oil company that has the
image of being environmentally unfriendly will not be
successful selling products that they try to position as
"green". A company in such a situation should
either: withraw from the "green market", invest
in promotional activities that will recast their corporate
image in a greener hue, and/or follow a more
environmentally friendly path. A good overall corporate
image can be seen as the sum of all the images associated
with the firm's individual product positions.
The corporate name and logo
must also be consistant with the overall corporate image.
If you wish to craft a scientific/technical/innovative
corporate image you would not call your company Mystic
Sunchild, nor would you use a logo like the NBC peacock.
Likewize with advertising themes and distribution
partners: They must also be consistent with your overall
corporate image. If, for example, you wish to create a
luxury/high-end corporate image, you do not distribute
your products through Walmart nor use slapstick
advertising themes.
A successful corporate image must also be believable. That
is, the image must be relatively close to your actual
behaviours to be credible. |
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| See also |
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