This document discusses corporate identity and brand management. It provides definitions of corporate identity as articulating an organization's ethos, aims, and values to differentiate it. Well-managed corporate identity can integrate activities, provide visual cohesion, and build understanding among stakeholders. The document also discusses how altura helps clients develop strategic brand identities using its "Brand Foundations" model to ensure the right strategy and save time and money. Clients praise how altura creates identities reflecting their visions and helps internal alignment.

1. www.altura.uk.com
altura corporate and brand identity The International Corporate Identity Group’s (ICIG) statement on corporate identity: The Strathclyde Statement
Every organization has an identity. It articulates the corporate ethos, aims and
values and presents a sense of individuality that can help to differentiate the
organization within its competitive environment. When well managed, corporate
identity can be a powerful means of integrating the many disciplines and
activities essential to an organization’s success. It can also provide the visual
cohesion necessary to ensure that all corporate communications are coherent
with each other and result in an image consistent with the organization’s
defining ethos and character.
By effectively managing its corporate identity an organization can build
understanding and commitment among its diverse stakeholders. This can be
manifested in an ability to attract and retain customers and employees, achieve
strategic alliances, gain the support of financial markets and generate a sense
of direction and purpose. Corporate identity is a strategic issue. Corporate
identity differs from traditional brand marketing since it is concerned with all of
an organization’s stakeholders and the multi-faceted way in which an
organization communicates.
Published by the European Journal of Marketing: From the article Corporate identity: the concept, its measurement and
t +44 (0)7768 927427 management by Cees B.M. van Riel, Graduate School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and
e chris@altura.uk.com John M.T. Balmer Department of Marketing, University of Strathclyde Business School.

2. www@altura.uk.com t +44 (0)7768 927427 e chris@altura.uk.com
altura corporate and brand identity Control your corporate identity: add value to the business and reduce costs
BPB plc to Many executives worry about introducing a new corporate identity for a range of
Saint-Gobain to
Gyproc reasons such as:
Gareth Kaminski-Cook • it costs too much!
Former Marketing Director
Saint-Gobain Gyproc • the timing is not right!
now European Sales and
Marketing Director GVR • subsidiaries have strong brands and we let them get on with it!
What’s the ‘big idea’?
The strategic objective of BPB plc was to
• still to this day the companies we acquired have the same people in charge when as
become a global corporate brand and they
were heading that way until they were
we bought them!
acquired by Saint-Gobain in a hostile takeover. • divisions are at different stages in their business strategy!
The BPB plc company identity had moved
from a group with disparate brands
But if these questions were asked what would the answers be: You need to build the right strategy for
to a unified global corporate brand identity LIT
Y • SUBST
A
whilst maintaining the integrity of the local brands. • what is your current company identity?
A
the company brand identity to ensure
N
ON
TI
• what don’t you do today to deliver your company promise? you create value. altura, with the help
ATO
PERS
Disparate brands BRAND
• what is stopping you from getting you there? of clients, has developed a model
RS
• CORE
ESSENCE
•
• how do you get everyone in the company to pull together? called “Brand Foundations©” to ensure
IO N
you develop the right strategy for the
S IT
VA
UE
PO
However, the challenge remains in communicating:
L
S•
VALUE PRO
company brand identity.
• who you are,
Unified global corporate brand identity • where you’re going, Using the “Brand Foundations©” model within the overall
pre-acquisition
• what makes you different. company brand identity process has many benefits such as:
• you save valuable time and money in the pre-design phase
By taking control of the company identity you will see the
• the design phase is given more focus and guarantees
following key benefits:
appropriate outcomes saving time and money in getting to the
• increased awareness and understanding by customers,
end solution
• internal alignment and buy-in from all employees,
• you develop a communications strategy to ensure all
• people feeling and behaving in the same way.
stakeholders are communicated to using the most appropriate
How do you take control? communication channels.
Company identity is not just about the design of the logo! Start • better understanding by employees across cultures
with a review of the existing identity and establish where you • guidelines creates consistency and efficiency in the
continued overleaf are. This can be achieved by running a series of workshops. implementation phase and saves money in the long term.

3. www.altura.uk.com t +44 (0)7768 927427 e chris@altura.uk.com
continued Some altura clients who have taken control of their corporate identity
Following the acquisition by Saint-Gobain it Our clients are predominantly B2B companies in industry, engineering, manufacturing and the service
was imperative to maintain that focus albeit
under new ownership and within a new brand
sectors. Some are young specialists like Umeco plc which provides services to the aerospace & defence
architecture. What we needed was to bring industries. Others are global names like Sodexo and Saint-Gobain. Our clients are a mix of national, global,
clarity to the brand portfolio. This was achieved world leaders or start-ups.
by developing the regional brand strategy
which will ultimately lead to one global brand
for the Gyproc business within Saint-Gobain.
performance driven
Did it work?
The first insight you can gain into a brand
change effectiveness project is by monitor-
ing the level of employees performance and
understanding. The market, your customers,
are generally very accepting of change as Clive Snowdon, Chief Executive Jason Crabtree, Chief Executive Gareth Kaminski-Cook, Former Marketing
long as your staff convey a feeling of comfort Umeco plc now Executive Chairman Apollo Aerospace Components Director Saint-Gobain Gyproc now
with the change. If your staff say ‘’this is crazy, Shimtech Industries European Sales and Marketing Director GVR
everything has changed, I don’t know who
we are anymore’’ then customers will lose ‘We were determined to add shareholder value ‘altura evolved our global corporate brand
“altura built the right foundations for the corporate
confidence. through the Umeco corporate identity. identity using their “Brand Foundations” model. This Identity to reflect the new regional brand
enabled us to get to a design solution very quickly. strategy.
We found a team that lived up to that same
standard. They understood our strategy, gave us We are extremely pleased with the way altura Their proposed new designs and online guidelines,
In Gyproc we monitored our staff good advice and helped our senior management created a brand identity that reflected the new vision produced to a tight timescale, were approved first
satisfaction levels and conduct structured team to work through the issues that arise in and strategy of the company. time by the Executive Board and all Country MDs.
customer satisfaction/brand surveys on an defining core values across an international group.
It has also enabled our people to pull together The achievement is a tribute to altura’s experience
18 month frequency. 3 years into this change
They demonstrated strong creativity in the design as a stronger team.” and its understanding of the company’s history, its
we have maintained levels of loyalty through people and the new strategic direction.’
process and implemented the whole programme
strong communication and focusing on with care. We have a brand identity and values of
delivering our promise – our Gyproc brand. which we are proud as a result.’
altura • 36 sebright road • high barnet • herts en5 4hl • e: chris@altura.uk.com • t: +44 (0)7768 927 427