Corporate Identity. What is that actually? Does a company need an identity or does it simply have one? The first question is quickly answered: Corporate Identity (CI) includes all the characteristics of a company that distinguish it from others - or not. And you can use this self-image to position yourself strategically through consistent action, uniform communication and a clear visual image. After all, the individuality of a company can create a recognition effect among customers that gives you an advantage in the market. In addition, corporate identity also has an internal effect and strengthens structures and employees through a clear set of rules.
THE ROAD TO CORPORATE IDENTITY
Companies usually develop their corporate identity when they are founded or when they later realise that they have never thought about it before, but that such an identity would be great for their internal and external presentation. For some companies, the idea of developing and actively communicating their CI does not even occur to them, but that does not mean that they do not have one. Lord Voldemort probably never sat down with his Death Eaters and worked out Corporate Design, Corporate Communication and Corporate Culture. They simply lived the hatred and contempt.
So is it enough for me, as a founder or employee of a company, to simply wear my values, look and style on the outside? That may work on a small scale if everyone ticks similarly. But in medium-sized companies or even corporations with several employees, cultural currents and many other variables, this is not possible. There, you can only build an effective corporate identity that pays off in terms of the company's goals if you develop it strategically.
The Bäumer, Afonso, Meissner GmbH v.01
Of course, we were also at this point when we founded our company. We developed a business plan and thought about corporate philosophy and corporate behaviour. This meant that on the one hand we defined values, mission and vision, and on the other hand we looked at how we wanted to deal with partners, customers and our employees. For us, this was the logical first step, because developing a CI is one of our core competences. It would have been a laugh if we had forgotten that. We already had two important points in the bag, which then served as the basis for the aforementioned trio of corporate design, corporate communication and corporate culture.
Then we got going. We designed logos, determined the typography and images, worked on the website, set up the office, wrote texts and further elaborated the corporate philosophy. We quickly achieved visible results. As an addition to Bäumer, Afonso, Meissner GmbH, we called ourselves BAM Digital Solutionists - this should make clear what we actually do in our daily work. In addition, there was this smart derivation of the first letters of our surnames, which together resulted in BAM. Quite clever. The website was simple but valuable, the wording serious and the colour scheme solid. That's how we wanted to go out into the world.
Dude, that's not it
But at some point, there was this day. The day when one of us sat in front of the website design and thought to himself, "Dude, that's not it!" That wasn't us. That wasn't BAM! Don't get us wrong, everything we had worked on was good. It would have been really top-notch, but probably more for the law firm Bäumer, Afonso, Meissner, not for BAM Digital Solutionists. But what had happened?
What had happened was something that often happens in the corporate identity process. We had allowed our concern about the external image to dilute our own identity. Subconsciously, we were worried that we might not look professional enough or inexperienced if we really showed who we were. And hand on heart - we are nerds. We are uber-fans of our craft. We know a lot and want to know everything. We work with attention to detail and are determined. When it comes to quality, we always strive for the next level and seek creative solutions to every problem. We are gamers, series junkies, Lego collectors, music lovers and ironing bead pros.
We are BAM!
Corporate Identity Take 2
After this realisation, we stepped on the gas once again. Fortunately, we didn't have to start from scratch, because we had worked out philosophy and behaviour completely correctly. We just hadn't found the right expression for our identity yet. But with the realisation that we could - no, even had to - turn our nerdy inner selves inside out, the ball kept rolling. We used all the things we loved for the creation process, strolling through video games, movies, books, songs and series. We created a pop-cultural BAM cosmos. And you can experience it right now on this website. We built it with heart and hope you have fun searching for references and Easter Eggs.
After all, it is an art to be who you are. Because you need the courage to work out your corporate identity, even if you might run into trouble or be ridiculed here and there. But that's when a strong CI is a real advantage. You stand out from the competition, create a clear recognition value that stays in the minds of your customers and create a culture and a mission statement that makes it easy for your employees to live by.
So, fasten your seatbelt and explore the final frontier of the digital world with us. Ludicrous speed - go!
