The first issue of "Transform Your Thinking" on the subject of Corporate Identity and Values.

1. NSFOR
altura corporate and brand identity
RAyour
M
Most of the work undertaken is driven by change such as growth through
T
acquisition, de-merger, repositioning, new culture, new products and
thinking!
services. Clients are in the aerospace, industrial, manufacturing, financial
and service sectors. Transform your thinking brings together thought
provoking articles on corporate identity. e: chris@altura.uk.com
A well managed Corporate identity programme is not just about the design of a logo or symbol.
Before you can begin to visually express the Corporate identity you will need to build the right
Foundations - at the heart of these are: Core values, Customer value proposition,
Substantiators (for the customer value proposition), Personality, Essence, identity architecture.
o n
ssi
Corporate Identity:
pre
ex
• ensures an image consistent with the
organisation’s defining ethos,
character and values,
DRIVEvisual
VALUES
• provides the visual cohesion to ensure
that all corporate communications are
coherent with each other,
address and be relevant to all • presents a sense of individuality that
stakeholders. Realism should guide can help to differentiate the
Why? your judgment in writing a statement of organisation within its competitive
values. To base the statement on what environment,
Values are specific and unambiguous. we are currently confidently capable • is a powerful means of integrating the
They are: of is the wiser starting point. To allow many disciplines and activities
• fundamental - the DNA of an values to be hijacked by hyperbole will essential to an organisation’s success.
organisation, devalue them. Any values that are • helps an organisation to build
• with the organisation for the long term, written to inspire us to reach new understanding and commitment
• the guiding principles that cause heights should have committed among its diverse stakeholders,
people, who represent the resources behind them. • is a powerful means of integrating the
organisation, to think and behave in many disciplines and activities
certain ways, For values to stick and become essential to an organization’s success.
• not the same as vision or mission as actionable and to make a difference, • attracts, retains customers and
they enable vision, mission and goals they must be translated into specific employees
to be achieved. responses to known issues and • helps achieve strategic alliances,
requirements in your business. Clarity gains the support of financial markets
If Values are the DNA then they should in this translation from the principle to and generates a sense of direction
absolutely drive the visual expression in the actionable is vital to success with and purpose.
part or as a whole. values. If, for example, a company
states that a key value is to always If Values are the DNA that drives the
Values are not internal or external - they deliver on its promises, then it must organisation and Corporate identity
are relevant to everyone who has a go on to clarify what qualities in people, ensures an image consistent with the
relationship with the business. A set of what policies, processes, disciplines organisation’s defining ethos, character
values should cover all stakeholders. and skills ensure that promises are and values, it is clear that the Visual
Not each value must do this, but the set made very carefully and that delivery expression of the Corporate identity
of values taken as a whole, should will be reliable every time. must reflect the values wholly or in part.
...Corporate identity
ensures an image
consistent with the
organisation’s Chris Smosarski, creative partner ,altura
defining ethos, character Chris is an independent corporate and brand identity designer. Most of the work
undertaken is driven by change such as growth through acquisition, de-merger,
and values, ... repositioning, new culture, new products and services. altura builds brands through
corporate and brand identity programmes. Clients are in the aerospace, industrial,
manufacturing, financial and service sectors.
published by altura corporate and brand identity © 36 sebright road, high barnet, herts en5 4hl

2. NSFOR
RAyour
VALUES
M
T
thinking!
In a world where companies are changing their nature faster than ever, through take over’s,
mergers and sell outs; in a world where a mother company can have several businesses that
have little or no connection with each other, simply held together by a holding; how can a
company keep its employees aligned, motivated, clear about their roles and about their future?
The answer is: Values also give rise to Value both For Values to work there are a few
by Common Values. internally and externally. More and more simple rules:
stakeholders are only willing to work Values must be seen to be a priority
Values are the glue and the umbrella with or invest in companies that have for Leaders.
under which employees can find their values and principles that are both The workforce must be part of the
place and where they can test their acceptable and shared. An informed discussion.
comfort in belonging to a company. public when presented with a choice Values must be seen as having a
of products will buy a product from a higher purpose as opposed to current
People need: company it respects before a company tasks
• to believe in what they are doing, that it doesn’t trust. Values are part of the Company’s
to do it well. brand
• to “belong” to be “disciples“ A company that has strong Values is a Values must be clear simple and
of a common cause. company that is strong and unified. It is explicit; milestones that people can turn
a company that is better able to accept to when difficulties or controversy hit
In a world where States are becoming the violent changes from outside and the company.
less important than Corporations, to remain strong in addressing these They act as a control system against
adhering to the principles of that problems. violations, excesses or veering off
corporation becomes essential to the course.
wellbeing of the employees. Where Values are driven by the Values should be tested regularly in the
leaders of companies and discussed light of change.
Values are not soft issues. and shared with employees, these Values are aspirational, signaling long
The understanding and acceptance companies are the ones where the term intentions that guide thinking about
of Corporate Values gives rise to employees feel part of and where trust the future.
clarity, efficiency, speed and reactivity in top management is stronger. The Values are “The” key cornerstone to
to change. Change is easier to accept application of these values enhance a company’s long term success. They
if you have confidence in the accountability, collaboration and give a shared purpose, reinforce
organization and its beliefs. If I have initiative of employees. Common Vision teamwork and collaboration, help
faith, I will accept the unknown. If I don’t and common Processes are easier to people decide and to do the right things,
I will look for security and guarantees have in companies that have common speed up the decisional process, take
before committing myself. Values. out fear and unlock creative potential.
...Values are “The”
key cornerstone to John Purcell O’Dwyer: Transformation specialist FIOS INternational
a company’s long BL. FRSA is a Specialist in the area of “Transformation” and a Senior Coach.
He has 30 years experience with leading International companies, American,
term success... Anglo‐Saxon, French, Italian and Asian, in the areas of Change management,
Culture, Innovation, Leadership and Quality. He has worked with companies in
FMCG, Pharmaceuticals, Chemistry, AG‐Chemicals and Natural Resources.
For 20 years he has worked at Management committee and Board level. He is
multi lingual, multi cultural and has a passion for all things human with a belief that
this is the last frontier to tap into profit not yet attained.
http://fios-int.com
published by altura corporate and brand identity © 36 sebright road, high barnet, herts en5 4hl

3. NSFOR
...values should form the RAyour
M
common thread
T
for all your
decision making processes. thinking!
If you spoke to anyone and asked them what they valued in life, they’d probably be able to reel
off a number of items that were important to them. And if you delved deeper, you’d find that
it was their values they held close to their heart that drove their decision making and helped
them be the person they were. And this is exactly the same in business.
X
When an organisation takes time to
NOT JUST A everyone is clear of how the values
VALUES
define its values it’s making a will drive expectations of attitudes and
statement of what it holds important and behaviours, outlining any
T ICK
how it wants to be perceived in the way consequences
it does business.
I remember having to coach a member
But some organisations see the creation of a senior team as they were continually
of values as a tick box exercise. They providing mixed messages to their own
have an away day and sit around the
table deciding what feels right and then
IN THE BOX team – they were passionate about the
values, but the way they acted wasn’t in
have a launch back into the business to crystal clear about how you want to any way congruent
introduce them. The words get be perceived as an organisation both 6 Monitor and communicate quick wins
scattered into internal and external internally and externally – find case studies of people doing
literature without any real process to 2 Involve a cross section of people from the right things as sometimes we need
embed them which ends up with the business who can become examples of what good looks like.
everyone having their own interpretation champions and role model the values,
of what they mean. 3 Test the values with rigor so that you On a final note, when you introduce
understand how other people interpret values to your organisation they should
And when individuals are challenged them – this should be done with internal form the common thread for all your
by either their manager or a customer and external customers decision making processes.
that they’re not living the values of the 4 Map out how the values will link into
organisation, they don’t really know business processes to ensure If you’ve thought about your values long
how to react. So don’t let that be your congruency in everything you do, and hard before introducing them, then
organisation. If you’re serious about especially internal and external it will feel entirely right to have them at
creating values that will make sure customer facing ones such as the centre of all your decisions.
you’ve done your homework. The list performance management and
below provides you with a guide of what complaint handling If you find you’re making exceptions
you need to do: 5 Roll out to the business with from time to time, you may find that one
1 It’s vitally important that you are awareness sessions so that of your values needs rethinking!
Jane Hirst - People specialist
Jane Hirst has a real energy and enthusiasm for working with people and truly
believes that a business achieves its potential through its staff. Having led
Operational areas as well as Learning and Development, Culture and Internal
Communications, Jane has not only experienced what makes people tick, but has
used this knowledge to enable them to become more self aware fostering their own
resourcefulness and resilience throughout the process. When not in consultancy
mode, she writes and facilitates bespoke workshops to help develop your people
achieve results in an interactive, energetic and fun way using tools and techniques
that can be used as soon as they get back to the work place. When people work
with Jane, they know what it is to live the brand .... they get to understand what the
customer expects of them and find their own special way to bring it to life.
http://janehirst.com/
published by altura corporate and brand identity © 36 sebright road, high barnet, herts en5 4hl

4. IDENTITY lu e, NSFOR
RAyour
should add va
M
T
notcos thinking!
t www.altura.uk.com
e: chris@altura.uk.com
m: +44 (0)7768 927 427
For leading companies around the world, expansion comes generally through a combination of
organic growth and multiple acquisitions? Whilst the expansion strategy can be extremely
successful, lack of attention to the global structure and unchecked growth in isolationism and
silo mentality can lead to regionalisation, with smaller and less well established operations
unable to leverage the success of their bigger and better established brothers.
This was the case for BPB, the world’s developed throughout the group adopted and supported by local
leading gypsum company. BPB had operations in 50-plus countries. There personnel around the world, who
grown by acquisition, over a period was no unifying theme – customers, welcomed the professional imagery and
of several decades, to become UK even in the same country, would have feeling of belonging to a global ’family’.
market leader, European market leader no idea of the global infrastructure It also helped to build presence for the
and eventually global market leader and expertise supporting their local newer operations in emerging countries,
in its sector. The company remained, supplier(s). enabling them to maximise their
however, highly regionalised, and whilst advertising and promotional budgets
it was enjoying success in its traditional Global identity set the stage through joint initiatives, and to leverage
markets, companies in the strategically With the launch of the Group’s new group strength in other markets.
important emerging markets were global identity in 1996, all of that
finding it hard to leverage the success changed. But it was not simply in the Perhaps more importantly, the new
of their established counterparts. company’s external image that benefits imagery was introduced into key areas,
were felt. Before Altura even began to such as literature and packaging,
Major change needed consider designs, worldwide enabling products from different
In an increasingly global industry, with presentations and discussions took countries to sit comfortably alongside
competition growing, particularly from place, with each individual company each other on supplier shelves, and
Europe and the USA, it had become buying in to the global concept. This set giving greater supply chain flexibility
clear that major change was necessary the stage for a new era of conversation and price stability, in what were
to keep the organisation on track. In the and co-operation that was to eventually previously competitive markets.
late 1990’s therefore, the board ordered lead to the concept of a single global
a review of global corporate identity as brand – albeit following the Group’s At the end of the day, the new identity
the first stage in a programme designed acquisition by Saint-Gobain. was not just a whim; it was part of a
to unify and strengthen the global carefully researched and executed
organisation. Altura’s new global identity cleverly strategy that added value and helped
combined the BPB identity with that of to facilitate the move to a truly global
With no defined global structure or the local company, retaining local links structure and enabled BPB to retain its
identity guidelines for new acquisitions, and company names within a much market leading position in the face of
a mish-mash of individual identities had more powerful global imagery. It was strong competition.
...carefully researched
and executed strategy Paul Smith - founder Smith PR
that added value...
Paul has more than 35 years experience managing advertising and
communications within major international companies in the construction products
and electrical components industries. He has a very wide experience at every level,
from supporting new business launches to handling major corporate events and
crises. He has also been responsible for developing and managing corporate
dentity in an FT 100 company, including roll-out in more than 60 countries. He has
run his own PR Company for a number of years, working for clients in the UK,
UAE, Switzerland, France, Spain and Germany.
published by altura corporate and brand identity © 36 sebright road, high barnet, herts en5 4hl