When the founders of Lippincott Mercer originated the concept of "corporate identity", the term denoted the most fundamental ways that a company projects its individuality. Over time, the firm has developed sophisticated new methodologies and tools for building and managing distinctive corporate, retail and brand identities. With it has grown a vocabulary of industry terms, honed and refined through client assignments, highlights of which are collected in this glossary for reference.
- Brand Equity
- — The power of a brand — through successful creation of a positive image — to shift demand and change customer behavior.
- Brand Identity
- — The visible elements that can be used to identify a brand (name, logotype, symbol, product configuration, service offering and packaging).
- Brand Image
- — The complete bundle of thoughts a customer has in his or her mind about a company, product or service developed through communications and experience, including the distinguishing "human" characteristics of a brand personality (e.g., warm and friendly, strong and reliable).
- Brand Promise
- — A statement of the enduring, relevant and distinctive benefits customers associate with a product, service or company.
- Brand Strategy
- — Long-term plan for the brand including a determination of key audiences and an understanding of what those audiences need to know about the brand and experience.
- Communications Audit
- — A formal examination of an organization's visual and verbal communications practices.
- Communications Plan
- — A company's communications goals and objectives, and the messages and vehicles that will be used to meet them.
- Corporate Identity
- — The visible elements (name, logotypes, symbols, signs, offices, factories, advertising, trucks, packaging, letterhead, business cards, etc.) which can be used to identify a company.
- Corporate Image
- — The perception that people have of a company, based on a combination of various communications and personal experience.
- Corporate Mission
- — Defines why the organization exists, its core values and intent, and serves to unite organizational behavior.
- Culture and Style
- — Distinctive attributes and competitive advantages relating to organizational beliefs, values and traits; how the organization behaves as it uniquely goes about its business.
- Image Attributes
- — Help define the tone, manner, personality and style of a brand, often the differentiating factor between similar products and services.
- Image Criteria
- — The desired "personality" attributes of a company, product or service that guide name and design development.
- Logotype
- — A unique group of letterforms that represent the corporate brand. IBM, Nuveen and GAP feature logotypes as their primary form of identity.
- Message
- — The information (facts, strengths, culture/style and future direction) that is most relevant to priority audiences and serve as major content points for all communications.
- Name Direction
- — Creative concepts and approaches that guide name generation.
- Name Generation
- — Creative development of a comprehensive yet focused list of names that address specific image and functional criteria.
- Naming
- — The strategic and creative discipline of developing the most appropriate word or words to identify an organization, product or service.
- Nomenclature System
- — Method for associating divisions, subsidiaries, brands, etc. with the parent company.
- Positioning Statement
- — Provides the underlying platform for communications, reflecting the company's/brand's value proposition. Address:
- definition — how the company defines its business or how the brand defines its competitive set; who we are and what we do;
- differentiation — what makes the company/brand special; how we do it; and
- deliverables — benefit delivered to its customers.
- Symbol
- — A non-typographic element of an abstract or representational nature. Texaco, Apple and Continental Airlines feature graphic symbols as an important form of their identity.
- Visual Communications System
- — A planned method of identification including the use of a company's name, logotype, color palette and secondary typography; a company's graphic "look and feel," applied to a wide cross-section of media to create a cohesive brand presence.