Marketing Communications

INTEGRATION OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS 21

corporate image resides in the heads of the stakeholders.^47 Th e corporate image is not always

consistent with the desired corporate identity; in other words, an image gap may exist.

Corporate reputation is the evaluation or esteem in which an organisation’s image is held.

It is based on experience with the company and/or exposure to communications, behaviour

and symbolism. While corporate image can be quite transient and short term in nature, cor-

porate reputation is more fi rmly embedded in the mind of an individual. Images may change,

but the corporate reputation is not easily altered in the short run. It implies credibility, trust-

worthiness, reliability and responsibility.^48 It refers to how stakeholders view and believe in

the core identity and image components of the company.

Th e corporate image is infl uenced by a number of factors, the corporate identity and its

communication being only two of them. Th ese factors are presented in Figure 1.4.^49

Corporate identity or corporate culture and corporate strategy are important determining

factors or cornerstones of the corporate image, as well as marketing and external corporate

communications. But the company’s employees also play an important role. Th eir commu-

nications with external target groups and their behaviour in their contacts with these groups

will to a large extent determine how the company is perceived. Th erefore, internal commu-

nications are very important to corporate identity building and corporate communications.

Misfi ts between the perception of the employees and the desired corporate identity may

therefore lead to an undesirable image gap.

Besides a company’s own staff , other intermediate audiences, such as the distribution

channel or advertising agencies, may have an infl uence on the corporate image. Finally,

reality is an important factor: product experience is, to put it in operant conditioning terms,

a powerful reinforcer or punisher in the development of a corporate image.

What is the value of a positive corporate image?

z It gives the company authority and is the basis for success and continuity.

z Consumers buy products, oft en not just because of their intrinsic quality, but also because of

the reputation and the value the consumers attach to the company marketing the products.

Figure 1.4 Factors influencing the corporate image

Source : Based on Dowling, G.R. (1986), ‘Managing Your Corporate Images’, Industrial Marketing Management , 15, 109–15.

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