Volume 3, Issue 2 – May 2004
- DIY brain surgery
- Brand memorability in our time
- New & noteworthy clients
- Quote of the month
- Upcoming happenings
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DIY Brain Surgery
(or, Don’t take a chance with your Corporate Identity.)
by George Middlebrooks / Designer
Every company, from the smallest one-person operation to the largest multi-billion-dollar multi-national, has a corporate identity. Simply put, the corporate ID puts a “face” on the company — mainly through the use of a logo. But it’s more than just a surface element — a consistent corporate identity adds credibility, visibility and professionalism to your organization and brand.
The components of the corporate identity package can range from a plethora of materials to a simple home-printed business card — the latter usually being a result of a startup business owner feeling the need to act as his own marketing director and graphic designer. Which may be just fine — if that business owner happens to actually be a designer or marketing expert.
Otherwise, the company can suffer from being misrepresented as “cheap” or unprofessional, when the reality may be that they just didn’t consider the relatively low investment (vs. high effectiveness) of implementing a professionally-developed corporate identity program from the start. The overall perception of your brand by your target audience is essential to the survival and success of your company — the more memorable or “top of mind” the brand, the more likely customers are to return repeatedly. And the better the brand is developed in the beginning, the more memorable it will be throughout its lifetime.
You wouldn’t perform brain surgery on yourself… why take a chance with your Corporate Identity?
I remember a TV commercial for a law firm in which the attorney asked, “You wouldn’t perform brain surgery on yourself, why would you defend yourself in court?” It’s helpful to look at the handling of your corporate identity in the same terms.
Marketing and branding may seem simple on the surface, but in fact they involve extensive research of your company and your market, as well as experience in the techniques and tools of communication. Additionally, it’s helpful to utilize someone who can provide an outsider’s perspective on your business, yet one who also has an understanding of your goals for the brand.
In other words, you may already know who you’re trying to reach – why not partner with someone who knows how to reach them?
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Brand Memorability in our time
Some brands are so strong that a single color, object or symbol can immediately remind us of that company – so much so that a color name and organization name can become synonymous. Consider the list below and how quickly your mind connects the word with the brand.
- Brown
- Big Blue
- Peacock
- Big Orange
- Butterfly
- Swoosh
- Clydesdale horses
- Golden arches
- Pink Bunny
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New & noteworthy clients
NouveauUrbanWear.com is an independent company whose goal is to offer clothing that incorporates elements of style, sophistication & individuality. MCG recently reworked the site we designed for NUW in 2003 — the new design allows for further inventory growth (after an already fruitful year), more expanded product photography, and allows NUW employees to easily update inventory on the site.
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Dewhirst Properties is a development firm whose focus is repurposing historical buildings in Knoxville as residences, while retaining their essential historical aspects. MCG has worked with Dewhirst on various marketing materials for their properties, including the Emporium Lofts website, advertising and signage, and promotional materials and advertising for the soon-to-open Brownlow School Lofts.
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Quote of the month
“There is just no way any management with any intelligence and
foresight cannot recognize the value of a corporate image. It is the
best, single marketable investment that a company can make.”
— Malcolm Forbes
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Upcoming happenings
Sundown in the City
Knoxville’s Summer concert series continues at Market Square:
6/3: Arrested Development w/ The Spades Band
6/10: Yonder Mountain String Band
6/17: Los Lonely Boys
6/24: TBA
Knoxville AIGA events
This Summer, Knoxville’s chapter of the American
Institute of Graphic Arts will be hosting several events, including
“First Friday” Happy Hour events and other chapter socials. The events
are open to members
and nonmembers, and are a great way to get to know the local design
community.
For more information, and to sign up for the Knoxville AIGA mailing list, vist the Chapter website.