1. Corporate Identity Mix:
Analyzing
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2. Assignment
• Analyze the Corporate Identity Mix 1) of your
organization. Conclude what starting points and
personality are expressed & find inconsistencies.
• Explain why you conclude this.
) The website is the most important tool in the Corporate Identity Mix;
1
analyze at least the website. Find ‘communication’ and ‘symbols’
by analyzing verbal and visual communication – that is: make a
semiotic analysis as learned in a previous block – and conclude
what starting points and personality are expressed. Also analyze
how the organization behaves as a whole: does it focus on
shareholders’ value, CSR, etc., what starting points and personality
does this behavior express?

3. Identity (Riel 2001 p67)
• “Identity” consists of the collection of
attributes that members use to describe an
organization.
• For these attributes to be accepted
internally and externally, an organization
must have in place an identity mix that is
appropriate to its target audiences.

4. Cor por ate Identity Mix (Riel
2007 p68)
All self-expressions of a company can be
classified into one of the following three
forms:
1. Communication:
• Verbal messaging
• Most tactical tool managers can use to
convey identity
1. Behavior:
• Initiatives organization supports &
behaviors it enacts.
• Being “innovative”/ “social responsible” is
more difficult than saying so.
1.Symbolism: Personality
• Visual & audible symbols The manifestation of the
• Logos, signs, sounds, taglines. company’s self-perception
(Birkigt & Stadler 1988, in Riel
2007 p68)

5. Birkigt & Stadler
Copy & Art
• Birkigt & Stadler were advertisement
consultants.
• Advertisement is mainly performed by Art &
Copy.

6. art
Copy or tagline:
It makes your house look
bigger.
Publication Year: 1964
Appr Ad Size 10 x 13.5 inch
copy

7. Birkigt & Stadler
Copy & Art
• Birkigt & Stadler were advertisement
consultants.
• Advertisement is mainly performed by Art &
Copy.
• On corporate level these are Symbolism &
Communication
• They found out that advertisement can’t make
right what management did wrong. Therefore
they introduced Behavior.

8. What people see of
Nike

9. Influence of Identity Mix on
Corporate Image
Similar to:
S –[x] R

10. Why is Birkigt & Stadler’s
Id  Im model deficient?
1. Model suggests that 3. Model does not
Image is just a reflection distinguish between static
of Identity; actually image (culture etc.) and dynamic
is also influenced by identity elements
contextual conditions. (communication &
2. Model ignores that image symbolism).
is not an end in itself, but 4. Model suggests that
a means to achieve communication &
improved legitimacy and symbolism have the same
effectiveness for the impact as behavior, but
organization. influence of static
elements is greater. (Riel
2007 p69)

11. Selecting identity = Finding the message.
elements (Riel 2007 p69)
• What senior executives want to project (Birkigt
‘86)
or
• What members of organization want and
do, and how they see the organization.
Conclude if outcomes match the following
criteria:
1. Centrality: What characteristics are widely shared among
members throughout the organization?
2. Continuity: What characteristics of the organization are most
used by members to link the past to its present and future?
3. Uniqueness: What characteristics appear most unique to
members to differentiate the organization from similar
organizations? (Albert & Whetten 1985)

12. Applied on your assignment
• Interview & observe senior executives or members of
organization.
• Analyze art & copy (with semiotic analysis).
• Conclude if outcomes match the following criteria:
1. Centrality: What characteristics are widely
shared among members throughout the
organization?
2. Continuity: What characteristics of the
organization are most used by members to link
the past to its present and future?
3. Uniqueness: What characteristics appear most
unique to members to differentiate the
organization from similar organizations?

13. Essence of simple
semiotic analysis
Three steps (Geursen 1997 p102-103)
1.Analyze verbal signs
What you see
2.Analyze visual signs
3.Analyze symbolic message Interpretation

14. Four types of Identity (1)
(Balmer & Wilson 2002 in Riel 2007 p70)
• Perceived Identity: collection of attributes
that are seen as typical for the “continuity,
centrality and uniqueness” of the organization
in the eyes of its members. = Internal image
• Projected Identity: self presentations of the
organization’s attributes manifested in the
implicit & explicit signals which the
organization broadcasts to internal & external
audiences through communications &
symbols. Projected Identity is what you will analyze for your
assignment!

15. Projected & Perceived
Identity
Perceived Identity
implicit
&
explicit
signals
communications & symbols.
Sent message Received message
S / encoded / decoded

16. Four types of Identity (2)
(Balmer & Wilson 2002 in Riel 2007 p70)
• Desired Identity: (a.k.a. “ideal” identity):
The idealized picture that top managers
hold of what the organization could evolve
into under their leadership.
• Applied Identity: The signals that an
organization broadcasts both consciously
and unconsciously through behaviors and
initiatives at all levels within the
organization.

17. Identity &
Identification
• Corporate identity
creates identification:
internally & externally.
• Signals should
consistently represent
attractive starting
points/ values/
personality.

18. Three things that
Heineken made a great
brand:
1. Consistency
2. Consistency
3. Consistency
- Freddy Heineken

19. Measuring Projected
Identity
• Projected Identity is relevant for your
assignment.
• Projected identity develops via
– print,
– visual,
– video,
– web communications (Fombrun 1996 in Riel
2007 p89)

20. Measuring Projected Identity
requires (Fombrun 1996 in Riel 2007 p89):
Informal communication:
grapevine, bathroom graffiti, email
1. A compilation of all the formal slurs, private blogs, tweets, etc.
communications and messaging used by an
organization, including
•Its online presentations, •corporate advertisements,
•its financial statements, •sponsorships,
•its social reports, •press releases, and
•newsletters, •executives speeches.
•brochures,
True, but for your assignment it
is enough to analyze the site.
2. A framework from which to induce the
meanings expressed in those communications.
Example: values, expressed in Mission
and/ or by management, etc..

21. Framework used for
Content Analysis
Examples of framework to which signals can be
referred:
• Values/ starting points expressed in Mission
Statement.
• Values/ starting points expressed by
management (during research: interview etc.).
• Fombrun & Van Riel’s Five Key Dimensions
(2004 in Riel 2007 p90):
1. Distinctiveness
2. Consistency Five Key Dimensions include
3. Visibility criteria for Identity Elements
(Albert & Whetten 1985)
4. Transparency 1. Centrality:
5. Authenticity 2. Continuity:
3. Uniqueness

22. 7 Core dimensions of Corporate
Personality Profile (Lux 1968 in Riel 2007 p84)
1. Needs: basic motivations for organization's actions. Examples: growth,
security, healthy working atmosphere.
2. Competencies: special skills & competitive advantages of the company.
3. Attitude: philosophical & political background of the company.
4. Constitution: physical, structural and legal space in which the company
operates. Encompassing: facilities, buildings, locations, structures, core
business.
5. Temperament: how company operate/ fails to operate. Describes
company’s strength, intensity, speed, emotional tone.
6. Origin: relationship between present personality & past personality. Which
attributes have company shaped in the past.
7. Interest: concrete objectives of the company; what the company wants to
do in the future.
Assignment: Define the Corporate Personality of your organization by
describing these 7 dimensions. Explain WHY you conclude that this are its
Needs, Competences, etc. Find one or two photo’s of people who express the

23. Further reading
• Riel, Cees van & Charles Fombrun (2007)
Essentials of Corporate Communication,
Routledge London – New York
• Riel Ch 3 Creating Identity and Identification
(28 p’s)
• Riel Ch 4 Measuring Corporate Identity (25
p’s)
• Riel Ch 5 Communicating with the Corporate
Brand (24 p’s)