Managing Corporate Identity Programmes

Managing Corporate Identity Programmes For Managers Commissioning Design Projects DBA Guide Two 2003 Copyright Design Business Association 2003

Contents Contents Managing Corporate Identity Programmes 01 Introduction 03 When do Corporate Identity Programmes Arise? 05 Assembling the Project Team 07 Appointing a Design Consultancy 09 The Corporate Identity Process 15 Setting and Maintaining Standards 17 Sources of Help and Advice This is one in a series of five guides prepared by the Design Business Association for managers involved in commissioning design projects. Managing Corporate Identity Programmes should be read in conjunction with the first guide in the series, Choosing and Appointing a Design Consultancy. It covers key issues including: managing the use of external design resources; preparing an outline brief; assessing proposals; how design consultancies charge; agreeing terms of business; and copyright and intellectual property rights issues. Other design management guides available in the series: Guide One Choosing and Appointing a Design Consultancy Guide Three Managing Interior Design Projects Guide Four Managing Packaging Design Projects Guide Five Managing Product Design Projects

Introduction Introduction Corporate identity is another name for an organisation s personality, culture and purpose. It defines what the organisation stands for. Corporate identity is made manifest in the many different ways the organisation comes into contact with the outside world, such as the quality of its products; the efficiency of its offices and factories; the attitudes of its employees; its PR profile; and the tone of its advertising. Every organisation has a strong interest in controlling and managing its corporate identity so that it can be developed as a corporate asset and a management tool. It goes without saying that the visual expression of an organisation s corporate identity must reflect its true identity. A dull and conservative organisation will not become lively and innovative just by taking on a new visual identity. On the other hand, if an organisation is committed to change, and its management have taken the necessary steps to achieve this, a change of visual identity can be used deliberately to stimulate and express the real changes that have taken place. 01

When do Corporate Identity Programmes Arise? When do Corporate Identity Programmes Arise? Because images communicate more powerfully than words, design is one of the most effective ways of expressing or changing an organisation s corporate identity. The need for a corporate identity programme arises at different times during an organisation s life, particularly at points of growth, development and change. Principle triggers are: Launch of a new organisation In order to establish itself quickly and effectively in the eyes of customers, competitors, employees and all other audiences, a new organisation needs to begin by developing a strong visual identity that can be readily recognised and will form the basis for all other communications activity. Merger and acquisition The coming together of two or more organisations into one business will usually be followed by the development of a single new identity to reflect and communicate the new organisation. Where a business has diversified by acquiring a series of well-known brands, it may require a corporate identity programme to clarify how these relate to the overall existing identity. Diversification Often, organisations begin life in one type of business then diversify as market opportunities change and develop. This may result in the corporate identity becoming inappropriate to the current business. Re-launch or repositioning A new visual identity can be a powerful launching pad for the re-positioning or re-launch of an organisation. In the case of smaller organisations, where the company is the brand, the new visual identity may play a key role in re-positioning or re-launching the entire product offering. 02

When do Corporate Identity Programmes Arise? Changing corporate culture Sometimes, often as a result of new management, a series of changes are introduced to improve corporate performance. Many of these will be concerned with management and organisational structures, staff training and development, investment in new products, etc. Alongside this activity, a corporate identity programme may be initiated with the objective to reflect the newly invigorated business accurately and to stimulate and reinforce the intended change. International development Organisations with international ambitions may find their corporate identity is inappropriate for expansion into foreign markets. This would be the case if the company s name had overly nationalistic associations, was accidentally very similar to a key overseas competitor or, in the case of UK-originating organisations, would be difficult for non-britons to recognise or understand. For companies operating internationally, a powerful visual identity can overcome some of the problems of cultural and linguistic differences. 03

Assembling the Project Team Assembling the Project Team Major corporate identity programmes require a design consultancy that specialises in this type of work. Choosing the right consultancy Even the smallest start-up-company should consider future implications when commissioning its first letterhead. A poor or ill-considered company name, symbol or logo is not only a lost opportunity, it could also create negative impact and be costly to undo. Great care should be taken when selecting a design consultancy. Look for a consultancy with a successful track record in corporate identity work for organisations similar to your own in size, complexity and culture. The role of other advisers A change in the corporate visual identity will affect all areas of your organisation s communications activity. This means that all your communications advisers, including your advertising agency and PR consultancy, need to know about the project as soon as it is conceived. Depending on how you use these outside advisers, they may be involved at key stages in the development of the new identity, to help plan its implementation and launch. The in-house team The size, nature and complexity of the corporate identity programme will determine how it is managed. While final decisions on design direction and budget authorisation will be taken at board level, day to day management of the project will normally be delegated elsewhere probably to a senior person in the public affairs or corporate communications department. This individual is likely to work on a formal (ie committee-based) or informal basis with a range of other managers whose functions will be affected by the corporate identity changes. These may include: Marketing, since changes to the visual identity will usually need to reflect marketing objectives and will be incorporated on packaging and promotional items Advertising, which may be preparing a new campaign to incorporate the new identity, and at the very least will need to ensure that the old advertisements work with the new identity PR, which is likely to be involved in the launch of the new identity Personnel, which may have a key role to play in the launch of the new identity to your employees Legal, which will need to run checks on new names, symbols or logotypes or other aspects of the new designs to ensure they do not breach anyone else s copyright or existing trade or service mark registrations. 04

Appointing and Briefing a Design Consultancy Appointing and Briefing a Design Consultancy Setting the budget Try to give the consultancy some indication of the budget available for the project. You may request the design consultancy s input on this as part of their recommendations following the investigation stage. The cost of a corporate identity programme breaks down into two main areas: design consultancy fees implementation costs. Implementation costs will vary according to the speed at which it is decided to replace the new identity. Costs can be minimised if the procedure is phased, with items being replaced as they become renewable. The companion guide, Choosing and appointing a design consultancy covers this procedure in some detail. It suggests that the client prepares an outline brief and asks shortlisted consultancies to respond with proposals incorporating a programme of work, from developing concepts through to implementation together with a statement of fees and costs. However, with corporate identity programmes the scope of the project is usually unknown until an investigation stage has been completed. This means that consultancies initial proposals are likely to include a programme of work and fees for the investigation stage only. Proposals for further stages of work, including implementation, will be produced once the investigation stage is complete and the full nature and extent of the programme is clear. The exception to this might be the development of an identity for a small or new organisation, where it may be possible to assess the scope of the project at the outset. This would enable the design consultancies to put forward proposals for the whole project before the investigation stage. 05

Appointing and Briefing a Design Consultancy Developing the brief Once a design consultancy has been appointed, you will need to spend time developing and refining the project brief. The sort of information the consultancy will need is as follows: Why is the corporate identity programme being initiated? (see section When do corporate identity programmes arise? page 03) Is your organisation s existing corporate mission (or mission statement) and/or its corporate strategy under review, and if so, have the new corporate strategy and objectives been achieved? What do you hope to achieve through the corporate identity programme? Is your organisation committed to changing the identity or will this depend on the outcome of the investigatory stage? Which elements of the corporate visual identity are to be included in the project? What is the timescale for the programme or is it open ended at this stage? What budget is available for research, design and implementation? In addition, the consultancy will need background information, such as: A description of your organisation s core business, now and in the future Information about the corporate structure, including details of divisions, subsidiaries, regional or overseas branches Details of brands owned, both active and dormant A description of the management structure and reporting hierarchy Details of your organisation s market position vis-à-vis main competitors Essential financial information market capitalisation, turnover, profits, etc Profiles of key audiences including customers, suppliers, shareholders, media and opinion formers, etc Details of employees. As both a key audience for the new identity, and the principle communicators of it, their commitment and support for the programme are essential to its success. 06

The Corporate Identity Process The Corporate Identity Process Corporate identity programmes break down into the following stages: Investigation Development of the design brief Generation of design concepts Design development Launch Design implementation Monitoring and development In practice some of these stages will be combined. Investigation The investigation stage enables the design consultancy to appreciate your organisation s strengths and weaknesses, to identify mismatches between the way your organisation is and the way it is perceived and to understand how the chosen corporate strategy is being helped or hindered by the current corporate identity. The consultancy must research and understand these issues before it can recommend the way forward for the corporate identity. The length and scope of the investigation stage will depend on: a) The size and complexity of the project Are you a multi-national, multi-brand organisation, in the process of fundamental change, or a small one-product company looking for a brighter image? b) The amount of investigatory work already undertaken. Design consultants will sometimes be called in after a period of intense investigation by in-house staff and/or external management consultants. In these cases a lot of data will already be available and the design consultants work can begin further into the investigation than would normally be the case. Taking these factors into account, the design consultancy s investigation would normally include: A series of interviews with key people within your organisation. These will include senior management whose views on the strengths and weaknesses of the company, and its ability to achieve its objectives might contrast with those of middle management and staff Interviews with your organisation s key external audiences, including suppliers, customers, the media and opinion formers A review of existing data about your organisation, its markets, and its competitors. This will come from internal sources and published information, ie trade & business press, market reports, stockbroker reports, etc A visual audit*, which is an investigation of the way your organisation s visual identity is currently being applied (see page 08). 07

The Corporate Identity Process *The visual audit will review the way the corporate visual identity is used for: Stationary and forms Corporate vehicles Signs Advertising Packaging Products Point of sale material Annual reports Printed publicity material Showrooms Exhibitions Factories Office buildings (interior and exterior) Corporate clothing In some cases the investigation stage will include a tracking study which looks at audience attitudes over time. As well as informing the project, this activity provides a benchmark against which the success of the project can be measured at a later date. At the end of the investigation stage, the consultants will prepare a report suggesting the way forward. The design brief If you accept the findings of the investigation and the design consultancy s recommendations, the next step is for the consultancy to prepare a design brief which will: (a) Outline what needs to be done in terms of your organisation s name or names, including corporate, subsidiary and brand names (b) Suggest how existing visual identity and design schemes should be changed. Sometimes a complete change is needed, in other cases very minor adaptations will be appropriate, while others require something that relates to the old identity but updates it for current circumstances. Best practice tip Research which aims to test whether design concepts are likely to achieve the required responses is problematic, and results are hard to interpret and apply. If you want to do this kind of research, do it with care and make sure your design consultancy is involved in framing the design and interpreting the results. 08

The Corporate Identity Process Design concepts Once the design brief is agreed, the design consultancy can begin creating concepts. Design consultancies vary in the way they work. Some prefer to develop a series of approaches for informal discussion with the client team, then focus on one approach only to present to the ultimate decision-makers. Others like to present more than one approach, each of which meets the brief but has a different set of merits. You should discuss with the design consultancy the approach that best suits your organisation s needs. The presentation of concepts is usually the first time the decision-makers will have seen any design work. In order for the concept presentation to go smoothly it is important to prepare for the meeting: Make sure those attending understand the project objectives, the outcome of the investigation stage, and the design brief. This will help prevent purely subjective reactions to the design work clouding judgement as to the relevance or appropriateness of the design concepts offered. Discuss with the design consultancy the standard of presentation appropriate for the meeting. Sketches will be acceptable to some managers, but not sufficient for others. However, bear in mind that highly finished presentations normally cost more to produce. Always allow the design consultants to present their own work to the decisionmakers. This gives them the opportunity to explain the thinking behind their approach, and to experience the response to it first hand. Don t rush the concept presentation. Allow plenty of time for those being exposed to the design process for the first time to ask questions, and understand the designer s logic before taking a decision. By the end of a concept presentation you should have a good grasp of the designer s thinking and a broad-brush picture of how each concept would work in practice (assuming there is more than one concept). At this point the design process can go one of three ways. First, approval may be given to take a single concept forward to design development. Second, the consultancy may be asked to take more than one concept forward to development, so that both approaches can be further assessed (or possibly researched) before a final decision is taken. Clearly, this will be more costly than fixing on one route at this stage. 09

The Corporate Identity Process Third, none of the concepts presented may be approved. If this happens, you need to be clear as to whether the designers met the brief functionally, but in a way which was found aesthetically unappealing. If this is the case, you can ask them to do further work but they may require additional fees since they have delivered a workable solution which has been rejected on purely subjective grounds. If you are presented with concepts that you believe do not meet the brief you should explain where the design failed. If the consultancy accepts that you are right, you are entitled to ask for new and workable concepts within the original fee. Design development During the design development stage, work will begin on the preparation of the new corporate identity manual or guidelines, which will later be used to set and maintain company-wide standards for the implementation of the new identity. This is the stage at which the chosen concept is worked up and applied to a wide range of items like stationary, brochures, vehicles, signs and other items as highly finished mock-ups. This enables all concerned to see the new identity (or identities, if there is still more than one contender) in action, prior to final choices being made and final approvals being given. This is also the stage at which accurate implementation costs can be identified for the different media to which the corporate identity will be applied. Implementation planning Implementing a new identity is an excellent opportunity to review purchasing procedures for those items to which the identity is applied. Such a review often reveals substantial scope for rationalisation and cost saving. Because a new corporate identity will be everywhere, its implementation needs careful planning a process that needs to begin as early as possible in the programme. For the purposes of the visual audit that the design consultants will have carried out in the investigation stage, the client project manager should have collated all the different elements to which the corporate identity needs to be applied. He or she should now work out the order of priority for the application of the new identity to these items. The introduction of a new identity can be either a total overnight changeover, or a phased introduction over a period of time a number of years in some cases. A phased introduction may allow items carrying the old identity to be phased out when they need replacing anyway which will clearly be less expensive than scrapping them before the end of their normal life. On the other hand, the new identity may be a dramatic departure from the old, introduced to stimulate and communicate change. In this case, an overnight changeover may be an essential part of the strategy. 10

The Corporate Identity Process A time and work schedule must be put in place so that all the relevant elements of the project are completed at the required times. Normally a range of priority applications of the new identity is completed before its launch. The new identity is then applied to all other items in a planned programme. The client project manager responsible for planning and seeing through the implementation programme must have full support from the highest level in the company. This implementation planning stage is a point at which there needs to be close consultation with all internal departments affected by the changes, as well as all outside communications advisers. Launch The launch of the new corporate identity should be in two phases internal and external. The internal launch - to staff - should be done before the external, to gain employee commitment. This must be done with care and sensitivity so that staff understand the reasons why the old identity has been changed, and appreciate and accept the thinking behind the new scheme. Failure to do this could have a powerful negative impact on the achievement of the programme s objectives. Depending on the size of the organisation, the staff launch may involve live presentations, group discussions, audio-visual and printed material, articles in the staff newsletter, and so on. The external launch will target customers, suppliers, agents and dealers, the media, the general public and, for quoted companies, the City. A range of activities appropriate to each of these audiences may be undertaken, including advertising, PR, dealer meetings, presentations, etc. The design consultancy will be able to advise on the content and organisation of the launch programme (alongside in-house or external advisers on employee communications and corporate communications), and can produce or commission the materials needed for the various activities. Implementation Once the launches have taken place, implementation can begin in earnest. The design consultancy will prepare artwork and production drawings to enable the identity to be reproduced in the various forms required. The consultancy can also, if required, source and commission suppliers to print or manufacture the new stationary, corporate literature, signage, staff uniforms, etc. If you have existing suppliers for these items, the consultancy must work closely with them to ensure that the identity appears in the finished items exactly as intended. If the design consultancy is not able to supervise the production of its work in this way, there is a risk that the integrity of the original design will not be carried through to the finished terms. 11

The Corporate Identity Process Evaluation Corporate identity programmes are a major investment and to measure their effectiveness, evaluation should be an integral part of the process. However, evaluation is only meaningful if specific objectives for the new identity are set at the pre-programme stage. Depending on the nature of the organisation and the objectives, post-programme research may include: Employee attitude surveys Customer attitude surveys Analysis of press coverage (amount and content) pre and post change Surveys of city opinion and comparison of pre and post stockbroker assessments Surveys of supplier and dealer network attitudes pre and post change Quantitative research into recognition or recall of the company name or identity Analysis of cost saving achieved through rationalisation of items to which the identity is applied This type of research will cost a fraction of the overall programme budget, and the information gained will provide valuable lessons for the maintenance of the organisation s identity as a key corporate asset. 12

Setting and Maintaining Standards Setting and Maintaining Standards Once a programme is underway, there is no point at which identity management can relax. During the design development phase, an outline of the corporate identity manual will have been created. This sets out the elements of the identity and codifies how they should be used for all likely applications given the nature of your organisation s business. A strong corporate identity has the potential to create difference and add value. Distinctiveness is a key characteristic of successful organisations and good corporate identity management can help to achieve this. The manual needs to be distributed and used within your organisation and by any other suppliers or other third parties (e.g. agents or dealer networks) that will apply the identity. A manager within your organisation should be given the responsibility for maintaining and monitoring corporate identity standards. Depending on the size of your company, this may or may not be a full time job. In smaller companies it will certainly have to be combined with another role. It often makes sense for this manager to be the same individual who has already been involved as project manager for the identity programme and who has overseen its implementation. The manager will need to develop systems and methods for monitoring the output of visual material from the organisation s various departments, and will need the authority to prevent substandard material from being issued. As stressed earlier, this manager needs to have access to and ongoing support from the highest level in your organisation in order to do the job effectively. There will be occasions when priorities for the consistent application of the new identity will clash with the priorities of other departments within your organisation, and there will need to be a procedure for resolving these problems. It is useful for this manager and any staff working with him/her to have some training in the application of the new identity, and how the corporate identity manual should be used to achieve consistency and maintain standards. This sort of training can best be organised by the design consultancy. The corporate identity manual is not the complete answer to the problem of maintaining consistency and standards. It cannot anticipate and provide for every situation in which the identity will be applied. What is therefore important is that the manager in charge of the identity develops a feel for what is or is not appropriate for the organisation in any particular circumstance, and is available to advise colleagues in situations where there is any doubt. 13

Setting and Maintaining Standards Another possibility is to involve the design consultancy that developed the original identity in the process of maintaining standards. This is becoming a more necessary requirement as the speed of business development and corporate change accelerates. A static corporate identity manual can be quickly outdated as subsidiaries are acquired and disposed of, new business areas are entered and old ones abandoned. Ongoing advice from the design consultancy, perhaps with formalised audits taking place regularly, may be the optimum solution. Computer technology is making an impact here. Most design consultancies now have computer systems available for design and production, and can generate and maintain corporate identity guidelines on computer for easy access and updating. They can also work directly with different managers within your organisation to produce specific items highly efficiently within the corporate identity system. Best practice tip The acquisition of desktop publishing capability within an organisation can lead to a huge deterioration in corporate presentation standards. This can be overcome by involving a design consultancy in preparing templates and guidelines for desktop publishers, allowing high quality results to be achieved at competitive costs. 14

Sources of Help and Advice Sources of Help and Advice The organisations listed below are invaluable sources of information and advice in the design sector: Design Business Association (DBA) The DBA is the trade association for the UK design consultancy sector with around 300 members, providing design services across all disciplines. The DBA exists to promote effective design; to encourage high standards of professional practice within the design consultancy sector; and to provide useful services to members. designselect is the new on-line design referral service from the DBA. The service Is free to members and provides design buyers with an expertly honed shortlist of appropriate consultancies within minutes. Visit designselect at www.dba.org.uk. The DBA International Design Effectiveness Awards is the only awards scheme to recognise and reward design projects that have achieved outstanding commercial results. For more information contact the DBA. The Design Business Association 35-39 Old Street London EC1V 9HX T/ 020 7251 9229 E/ enquiries@dba.org.uk www.dba.org.uk Design Council The Design Council works to help British industry understand the nature of good design and the positive effect it has on market performance. Design Council 34 Bow Street London WC2E 7DL T/ 020 7420 5200 15

Sources of Help and Advice Chartered Society of Designers (CSD) The CSD is the UK s principal professional body for designers. In addition to its services for members it can provide information for design buyers. The Chartered Society of Designers Unit 5 Bermondsey Exchange Bermondsey Street London SE1 3UW T/ 020 7357 8088 DTI The single market DTI provides an authoritative and comprehensive range of information on the single market. Contact Giles Holford Manager of Single Market Policy and Coordination on T/ 020 7215 4483. Innovation Future and Innovation Unit T/ 020 7215 6642 for information Patent Office Patents, copyright and trademarks The Patent Office (an executive agency of DTI) can advise you on intellectual property rights, which protect design work created for products, packaging, interiors and trade or service marks T/ 0845 950 0505 for information. Useful Publications Interbrand produce a range of publications covering Branding and Corporate Identity, for information call 020 7554 1000 The Wolff Olins Guide to Corporate Identity, London 1984 Corporate Identity: W Olins, London, Thames & Hudson, 1989 How to Buy Design: M Hancock, Design Council, 1992 16