Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Corporate Branding or Brand Identity? Here’s How to Tell the Difference
Corporate Branding or Brand Identity? Here’s How to Tell the Difference
Corporate Branding or Brand Identity? Here’s How to Tell the Difference
Perception impacts consumers’ decisions, whether they realize it or not. Half of U.S. consumers admit they’re more likely to choose the company if they recognize its logo. In another survey, 46% of U.S. consumers reported they pay more for brand names they trust. Finally, over two-thirds of U.S. consumers (68%) state they tend to buy brands that reflect their values.
Should you invest in corporate branding or brand identity to capitalize on consumers’ affinity for brands? At the Fivecube digital design agency, we have experience with both. Here’s what sets them apart – and how to know which you should be focusing on.
What Is Corporate Branding?
Imagine yourself in your potential customer’s shoes. How do they view your company? Do they view it as one that cares about the environment? Do they see it as a fun place to work? Do they like the way you communicate with them, from the tone of voice to the messaging itself?
That’s corporate branding: the perception of your company as a whole. And yes, it includes much more than just the company’s logo or typography (although they are part of it).
If you focus on corporate branding, you’ll need to consider its components:
Corporate values and mission statement
External and internal communications (their contents, messaging, and tone of voice)
Workplace culture
Company’s actions, both internal and external
Corporate image and reputation
Corporate design: logo, colors, fonts, taglines, website design, social media visuals, etc.
N.B. The term “branding” can also refer to the process of shaping the perception of your company among your audience. In this case, corporate branding can involve creating corporate designs, writing press releases, and doing damage control during PR crises.
Imagine yourself in your potential customer’s shoes. How do they view your company? Do they view it as one that cares about the environment? Do they see it as a fun place to work? Do they like the way you communicate with them, from the tone of voice to the messaging itself?
That’s corporate branding: the perception of your company as a whole. And yes, it includes much more than just the company’s logo or typography (although they are part of it).
If you focus on corporate branding, you’ll need to consider its components:
Corporate values and mission statement
External and internal communications (their contents, messaging, and tone of voice)
Workplace culture
Company’s actions, both internal and external
Corporate image and reputation
Corporate design: logo, colors, fonts, taglines, website design, social media visuals, etc.
N.B. The term “branding” can also refer to the process of shaping the perception of your company among your audience. In this case, corporate branding can involve creating corporate designs, writing press releases, and doing damage control during PR crises.
Imagine yourself in your potential customer’s shoes. How do they view your company? Do they view it as one that cares about the environment? Do they see it as a fun place to work? Do they like the way you communicate with them, from the tone of voice to the messaging itself?
That’s corporate branding: the perception of your company as a whole. And yes, it includes much more than just the company’s logo or typography (although they are part of it).
If you focus on corporate branding, you’ll need to consider its components:
Corporate values and mission statement
External and internal communications (their contents, messaging, and tone of voice)
Workplace culture
Company’s actions, both internal and external
Corporate image and reputation
Corporate design: logo, colors, fonts, taglines, website design, social media visuals, etc.
N.B. The term “branding” can also refer to the process of shaping the perception of your company among your audience. In this case, corporate branding can involve creating corporate designs, writing press releases, and doing damage control during PR crises.
What Is Brand Identity?
Now, let’s move on to the brand identity meaning. Brand identity is how your brand is represented visually and tangibly. It includes:
Signature color(s)
Logo
Messaging
Product packaging
Imagery
Typography
The term’s precise meaning, however, depends on the context:
Corporate brand identity refers to the representation of the company’s corporate identity (website design, social media visuals, messaging, logo, colors, typography, etc.)
Product brand identity, in turn, concerns the visual representation of a specific product or product line
In either case, creating brand identity usually requires iterative design powered by comprehensive audience research and thorough A/B testing. The process itself involves:
Defining the colors and fonts
Creating the logo
Identifying and creating guidelines for the brand’s voice and tone
Designing the branded imagery and design elements
Creating brand templates and detailed guidelines
Now, let’s move on to the brand identity meaning. Brand identity is how your brand is represented visually and tangibly. It includes:
Signature color(s)
Logo
Messaging
Product packaging
Imagery
Typography
The term’s precise meaning, however, depends on the context:
Corporate brand identity refers to the representation of the company’s corporate identity (website design, social media visuals, messaging, logo, colors, typography, etc.)
Product brand identity, in turn, concerns the visual representation of a specific product or product line
In either case, creating brand identity usually requires iterative design powered by comprehensive audience research and thorough A/B testing. The process itself involves:
Defining the colors and fonts
Creating the logo
Identifying and creating guidelines for the brand’s voice and tone
Designing the branded imagery and design elements
Creating brand templates and detailed guidelines
Now, let’s move on to the brand identity meaning. Brand identity is how your brand is represented visually and tangibly. It includes:
Signature color(s)
Logo
Messaging
Product packaging
Imagery
Typography
The term’s precise meaning, however, depends on the context:
Corporate brand identity refers to the representation of the company’s corporate identity (website design, social media visuals, messaging, logo, colors, typography, etc.)
Product brand identity, in turn, concerns the visual representation of a specific product or product line
In either case, creating brand identity usually requires iterative design powered by comprehensive audience research and thorough A/B testing. The process itself involves:
Defining the colors and fonts
Creating the logo
Identifying and creating guidelines for the brand’s voice and tone
Designing the branded imagery and design elements
Creating brand templates and detailed guidelines
So, What’s the Difference?
Think of corporate branding as the overall perception of your company that goes beyond corporate design. Your company’s actions, values, reputation, communications, and even the corporate website’s user-centric design (or lack thereof) can all shape that perception.
Brand identity, in turn, is the visual and tangible representation of either your company as a whole or its specific product or product line.
In Layman’s terms, a company can have only one corporate identity but multiple brand identities under its umbrella. Think about the multinational companies like Procter & Gamble. P&G alone owns dozens of brands, from Ariel and Febreeze to Oral-B and Braun. When a consumer buys its Tide laundry detergent, they may never even realize they’re buying a P&G product!
Think of corporate branding as the overall perception of your company that goes beyond corporate design. Your company’s actions, values, reputation, communications, and even the corporate website’s user-centric design (or lack thereof) can all shape that perception.
Brand identity, in turn, is the visual and tangible representation of either your company as a whole or its specific product or product line.
In Layman’s terms, a company can have only one corporate identity but multiple brand identities under its umbrella. Think about the multinational companies like Procter & Gamble. P&G alone owns dozens of brands, from Ariel and Febreeze to Oral-B and Braun. When a consumer buys its Tide laundry detergent, they may never even realize they’re buying a P&G product!
Think of corporate branding as the overall perception of your company that goes beyond corporate design. Your company’s actions, values, reputation, communications, and even the corporate website’s user-centric design (or lack thereof) can all shape that perception.
Brand identity, in turn, is the visual and tangible representation of either your company as a whole or its specific product or product line.
In Layman’s terms, a company can have only one corporate identity but multiple brand identities under its umbrella. Think about the multinational companies like Procter & Gamble. P&G alone owns dozens of brands, from Ariel and Febreeze to Oral-B and Braun. When a consumer buys its Tide laundry detergent, they may never even realize they’re buying a P&G product!
Which One Matters More?
Both corporate branding and brand identity are crucial – but for different reasons. The former shapes the perception of your company and, by extension, all of your brands under its umbrella. That perception can then inform their buying decisions, impacting your company’s:
Customer retention and loyalty
Customer lifetime value
Net promoter score
Total sales and revenue
Brand identity, however, is usually the first thing that comes to your customers’ minds when they think about one of your products, just like in that example with Tide. So, it tends to have a more direct impact on purchasing decisions. The product’s brand identity also differentiates it from competitors’ products, nurturing brand recognition and trust.
That said, both have to be aligned with each other to ensure consistency. Your corporate branding – especially when it comes to your company’s values, mission, and culture – sets the framework for the product’s brand identity. For example, if your company’s mission statement focuses on sustainable development, your product’s brand identity can refer to it by using green colors or including sustainability in messaging.
When to Focus on Corporate Branding
If you’re an established company with products already in the market, you’ll probably need to spend more time and effort on corporate branding. In this case, it can help you:
Unify messaging and perception across product lines under a single strategy
Ensure consistency in branding across markets
Build customer loyalty around corporate values and mission statement
Manage PR crises more effectively
Unify branding after a merger or acquisition
When to Focus on Brand Identity
Brand identity, in turn, is usually the area of focus for startups and companies launching new products. For example, creating a brand identity is a routine part of the process for us when we provide MVP development services to startups and established companies alike.
Both corporate branding and brand identity are crucial – but for different reasons. The former shapes the perception of your company and, by extension, all of your brands under its umbrella. That perception can then inform their buying decisions, impacting your company’s:
Customer retention and loyalty
Customer lifetime value
Net promoter score
Total sales and revenue
Brand identity, however, is usually the first thing that comes to your customers’ minds when they think about one of your products, just like in that example with Tide. So, it tends to have a more direct impact on purchasing decisions. The product’s brand identity also differentiates it from competitors’ products, nurturing brand recognition and trust.
That said, both have to be aligned with each other to ensure consistency. Your corporate branding – especially when it comes to your company’s values, mission, and culture – sets the framework for the product’s brand identity. For example, if your company’s mission statement focuses on sustainable development, your product’s brand identity can refer to it by using green colors or including sustainability in messaging.
When to Focus on Corporate Branding
If you’re an established company with products already in the market, you’ll probably need to spend more time and effort on corporate branding. In this case, it can help you:
Unify messaging and perception across product lines under a single strategy
Ensure consistency in branding across markets
Build customer loyalty around corporate values and mission statement
Manage PR crises more effectively
Unify branding after a merger or acquisition
When to Focus on Brand Identity
Brand identity, in turn, is usually the area of focus for startups and companies launching new products. For example, creating a brand identity is a routine part of the process for us when we provide MVP development services to startups and established companies alike.
Both corporate branding and brand identity are crucial – but for different reasons. The former shapes the perception of your company and, by extension, all of your brands under its umbrella. That perception can then inform their buying decisions, impacting your company’s:
Customer retention and loyalty
Customer lifetime value
Net promoter score
Total sales and revenue
Brand identity, however, is usually the first thing that comes to your customers’ minds when they think about one of your products, just like in that example with Tide. So, it tends to have a more direct impact on purchasing decisions. The product’s brand identity also differentiates it from competitors’ products, nurturing brand recognition and trust.
That said, both have to be aligned with each other to ensure consistency. Your corporate branding – especially when it comes to your company’s values, mission, and culture – sets the framework for the product’s brand identity. For example, if your company’s mission statement focuses on sustainable development, your product’s brand identity can refer to it by using green colors or including sustainability in messaging.
When to Focus on Corporate Branding
If you’re an established company with products already in the market, you’ll probably need to spend more time and effort on corporate branding. In this case, it can help you:
Unify messaging and perception across product lines under a single strategy
Ensure consistency in branding across markets
Build customer loyalty around corporate values and mission statement
Manage PR crises more effectively
Unify branding after a merger or acquisition
When to Focus on Brand Identity
Brand identity, in turn, is usually the area of focus for startups and companies launching new products. For example, creating a brand identity is a routine part of the process for us when we provide MVP development services to startups and established companies alike.
In Closing: Different, But Intertwined
Corporate branding and brand identity may seem like two terms for the same thing, but that’s far from reality. That said, they’re not completely disconnected, either. Corporate branding sets the stage for the brand identity, and the brand identity helps shape corporate branding.
Only in synergy, the two can foster customer loyalty and trust. So, give enough thought to both of them.
Corporate branding and brand identity may seem like two terms for the same thing, but that’s far from reality. That said, they’re not completely disconnected, either. Corporate branding sets the stage for the brand identity, and the brand identity helps shape corporate branding.
Only in synergy, the two can foster customer loyalty and trust. So, give enough thought to both of them.
Corporate branding and brand identity may seem like two terms for the same thing, but that’s far from reality. That said, they’re not completely disconnected, either. Corporate branding sets the stage for the brand identity, and the brand identity helps shape corporate branding.
Only in synergy, the two can foster customer loyalty and trust. So, give enough thought to both of them.
Apr 16, 2025
By
Yurii Verkalets
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