Corporate Communication as Branding strategy:

Monolithic, Endorsed, Branded

DR. UTSAV KRISHAN MURARI

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Olins (1989) suggests three kinds of corporate identity:
monolithic, endorsed and branded. These are sometimes
referred to by other authors as brands or branding (Ind
1997; Keller 1998). Monolithic identities are associated
with organizations where the entire company uses the same
visual style, logo, etc. Everything in the identity mix is the
same for all products and divisions, with perhaps some
slight variation, and the parent company is instantly
recognized.

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Reputation scholars Fombrun and Van Riel carried out
comparative analyses of the corporate reputations of the
most visible and reputable organizations across the world.

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Based on stakeholder evaluations of companies within different
countries, they found that organizations with the strongest
reputations are, on average, characterized by high levels of
visibility (the degree to which corporate themes are visible in all
internal and external communication), distinctiveness (the degree
to which the corporate identity or positioning of the organization
is distinctive), authenticity (the degree to which an organization
communicates values that are embedded in its culture),
transparency (the degree to which an organization is open and
transparent about its behaviour) and consistency (the degree to
which organizations communicate consistent messages through
all internal and external communication channels) in corporate
communication. In other words, a key driver for the strength of an
organization’s reputation is the degree to which the values that it
communicates are not only authentic but also distinctive.
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Many communication practitioners indeed draw heavily on
the idea of uniqueness or distinctiveness in corporate
identity because it encapsulates the idea that the
organization needs to express its uniqueness in the market
and with other stakeholders. The principle behind this idea
is that it enables an organization to differentiate itself from
its competitors and to attain a preferred ‘position’ in the
minds of consumers and other stakeholders.

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Recently, the term ‘corporate branding’ has become
fashionable alongside corporate identity to highlight the
importance of distinctiveness. The idea of an organization
as a brand is a logical extension of the product branding
approach, with its original focus on products and brand
benefits and on individual consumers. The notion of a
‘corporate brand’ was also inspired by Wally Olins’
framework on monolithic corporate, endorsed and branded
identities.

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