Organizational Identity & Image

Monolithic Image

For example: a company (like Nike) deciding that every ad it puts out will have the same feel, vibe, logo, colors, etc.-- "so we don't ad to the confusion"

What is the difference between identity and image (in an org.)?

IDENTITY is created & maintained thru communication that is internal to that organization. IMAGE is how other people see the organization; how outsiders view it.

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)-- Shultz & Tannebaum, 1994

NAME: has to 1) be something that people will remember and 2) project image of positive associations COLOR: one of the first ways we differentiate between things; certain colors elicit certain emotions/feelings SLOGAN: phrase or jingle that will stick in peoples' minds LOGO: graphic representation that doesn't need to have any words; people will automatically associate it w/your org LEGITIMACY: idea that the org. has to figure out a way to get people to believe that its product/service will deliver what it says it will (i.e. detergent commercials where they wash 2 different shirts with 2 different detergents in order to prove that the advertised detergent works better)

Org. Identity

When an individual sees membership of an org. as an integral part of his/her identity. This can happen to both employees of an organization AND its customers (i.e. "Brand loyalty"; always buying Apple technology) ADVANTAGES: those employees might work harder and be more loyal DISADVANTAGES: you might not challenge that org. the way it should be challenged; can lead to the org. becoming less creative

Organizational Narcissism

When an org. becomes so concerned with its image that it loses sight of more important things. For example, when we look at NASA's Challenger Tragedy, it's obvious that NASA was so caught up with projecting the idea of being "ahead of its time" and "technologically advanced" that they rushed the space shuttle into production without being as careful/thorough as they should have been.

"Branding"

When an org. tries to get people to associate them with something positive (characteristic, idea, feeling, etc.). For example, EMU always uses "TruEMU" or "Education First"-- provides notion of nobility, higher learning, etc. (Another example: Nike --> very few of their ads are actually promoting a specific product; more so an athletic ideal-- "Just Do It")

"Positioning"

When you can occupy a space in the mind of a consumer so that when they think of a generic product, they think of YOUR organization. (For example, when most people think of "cheap pizza," they think of Little Caesar's.)