Corporate Identity vs Brand Identity: What's the Difference?

People use "corporate identity" and "brand identity" interchangeably, and in everyday conversation that's mostly fine. But the two ideas point at different things, and knowing which one you're really talking about helps when you brief a designer, an agency or your own team.

The short answer

• Corporate identity is how a company presents itself as an organisation: its name, logo, colours, stationery, signage and the way it behaves towards staff, investors and partners.
• Brand identity is how a brand presents itself to the people it wants to win, mainly customers: the personality, voice, visuals and experiences that make it recognisable and preferred.

Corporate identity is about the company. Brand identity is about the promise to the market.

Where they overlap

They share a lot of the same ingredients, which is why they get confused:

• A name and a logo
• Colours and typefaces
• Imagery and design style
• A tone of voice
• Guidelines for using all of the above

For a small business that sells under one name, the corporate identity and the brand identity are effectively the same thing. The difference only becomes obvious when the company is bigger or more complicated.

Where they differ

Audience

Corporate identity speaks to everyone with a stake in the organisation: employees, investors, regulators, suppliers and the press. Brand identity speaks to customers and prospects.

Purpose

Corporate identity builds credibility and consistency for the organisation. Brand identity builds preference, so people choose you over alternatives.

Tone

Corporate identity tends to be steadier and more formal, because it has to work in annual reports, legal documents and investor presentations. Brand identity can be warmer and more expressive, because it has to win attention in a crowded market.

Scope

One company can have several brands. A group might own three consumer brands, each with its own brand identity, plus a corporate identity for the parent company. We explain how those relationships work in our guide to brand architecture.

Examples

• A bank's corporate identity covers its group name and how it presents to shareholders. Its consumer brands may each look and sound different.
• A food company that owns several product lines has a corporate identity for the parent and a separate brand identity for each product.
• A local studio with one name has one identity that does both jobs.

Which one do you need?

If you're a small or single-brand business, treat them as one. Invest in a clear, consistent brand identity and apply it everywhere, including the parts investors and partners see.

If you run several brands or a parent company, decide how the corporate identity and each brand identity relate. Are you a "branded house" where everything looks related, or a "house of brands" where each stands alone? That's a strategy decision first and a design decision second.

If you're changing structure, such as a merger, a new parent company or a move into a new market, review both.

What goes into a good identity

Whichever label you use, the best identities share a few things:

1. A clear strategy underneath. Who you're for and what you stand for. Start with brand strategy, then design.
2. A system, not just a logo. Colours, type, imagery, layouts and rules that work together. See how to create a brand identity.
3. A voice. Our tone of voice guide shows how to define one.
4. Guidelines. So everyone can apply it consistently. See what to include in brand guidelines.

Frequently asked questions

Is a logo the same as a corporate identity?

No. A logo is one part of an identity. The identity also covers colours, typography, imagery, voice and how everything is applied.

Can the two be different?

Yes, particularly in larger organisations. The parent company's corporate identity can be quite different from the identities of the brands it owns.

Do we need both?

If you have one name, one brand and one audience, one well-built identity is enough. Talk to us if you're unsure how your own structure should work, or read about our brand identity work.