“I believe consistency and orthogonality are tools of design, not the primary goal in design." – Yukihiro Matsumoto

If the logo is the face of an organization than its corporate identity is how it dresses. If the clothes change from day to day it is hard to tell who that person is and what he does. Just as a carpenter might wear full-bibbed trousers with tons of pockets or a banker wears a suit and tie, a working organization needs to convey some consistency in how it appears to its public.

This is done through established guidelines for designers, writers and marketers to follow. Usually it is a published guide showing how all communications are to look, with use of layout, color, tone and imagery. Whenever I gain a new corporate or non-profit client I first ask for their corporate identity guidelines.

Larger organizations usually have something prepared for me. This is a huge help when I need to design materials for them because I can be sure my work will dovetail with previous efforts. If the client has none, I will ask to see their most recent or most effective materials and try to figure out the best method for achieving some consistency. I essentially create a "virtual" identity standard in my head.

Occasionally I'll come across a client who has been totally missing the boat with a variety of looks, colors and imagery or graphics. I usually try to get them to agree to creating some identity standards to help pull together their "wardrobe." I find that any organization who doesn't see the need for this step invariably wastes money and effort on a wide range of ineffective materials. Some come around but some continue to flounder hopelessly in their marketplace.

Think consistency in all your communications. Contact me.