The New Guide to Identity How to Create and Sustain Change Through Managing Identity

It is, of course, commonplace for corporations to operate sophisticated identity programmes. But identity has now moved way beyond the commercial area. We live in a world in which cities, charities, universities, clubs - in fact any activity that involves more than two or three people - all seem to have identities too. However, very few of these organizations have released the full potential that effective management of identity can achieve. In this book, the world’s leading authority on corporate identity shows how managing identity can create and sustain behavioural change in an organization as well as achieving the more traditional outcome of influencing its external audiences. The New Guide to Identity provides a simple clear guide to identity, including what it is and how it can be used to full effect. If a change of identity is required, the whole process is described from start-up (including investigation and analysis of the current identity), through developing the new identity structure, to implementation and launch. For anyone responsible for the identity of an organization, or for designing it for someone else, or attempting to achieve change in their organization, or studying the subject, this straightforward guide is essential reading.

Contents: Introduction: Identity takes off; Identity and the corporation; Identity consultancies; Identity and the management of change; Updating the Guide; Definitions and guidelines; A few rules. Section One: What It Is: What is identity?; Products/services; Environments; Communications; Behaviour; The dominant factor; The central idea/vision; The symbol. Section Two: Who It’s Aimed At: The internal/external focus; The externally focused identity - corporate branding; The internally focused identity - vision programme; Target audiences. Section Three: Identity Structures: Structures; Monolithic - The single business identity; Endorsed - The multi-business identity; Branded - The brand-based identity; An identity for a subsidiary or a holding. Section Four: Why and When to Introduce It: A climate of change; Globalization; Competition; Mergers, takeovers, alliances and privatizations; The trigger for change; The brief. Section Five: Identity as a Corporate Resource: A corporate resource; The role models. Section Six: Consultants: The need for professional help; Partnerships. Section Seven: Starting Up and Managing the Programme: Preliminaries; Stage One: Investigation, analysis and strategic recommendations; Stage Two: Developing the identity; Stage Three: Launch and introduction; Stage Four: Implementation: making it happen. ection Eight: Control, Cost and Timing: Methods of control and costing. Section Nine: Research: Researching name and visual style; Researching impact - tracking studies. Section Ten: Risks; Bibliography; Appendices; Index.

The Wolff Olins Business Ltd, is an acknowledged leader in corporate identity and has been responsible for such corporate identity programmes as Prudential and British Telecom.