AEG Electric Company of Germany was the first to apply CI to corporate image design, but the United States is the birthplace of CI theory. As early as the early 1930s, Raymont Rowe and paul rand, famous American designers, put forward the word CIS, that is, enterprise identification system.

Enterprise identification system consists of three parts: surface subsystem, grass-roots subsystem and deep subsystem. The surface subsystem is mainly composed of the external visual image elements of the enterprise, such as the visual symbols of the enterprise's logo, standard words, standard colors, names, patterns, and other behavioral elements that can be perceived by the outside world, such as advertisements, slogans, various activities of the enterprise, employee behaviors, etc. Grass-roots subsystem consists of various systems, relationships, structure, quality, competitiveness, organization and other elements of the enterprise. The deep subsystem includes spiritual elements such as enterprise concept, enterprise culture and enterprise values.

From the internal relations of these three subsystems, the deep subsystem is the most fundamental and decisive factor. Because from the perspective of individual behavior of enterprises, all external manifestations and behaviors of enterprises are initiated by corporate ideas and values, and are the external image of corporate culture. Grass-roots subsystem and surface subsystem are the externalization of deep subsystem, that is, the conceptual level of enterprises dominates the behavior of enterprises, thus forming the external image of enterprises. Therefore, we can judge an enterprise's deep-seated business philosophy and values and its cultural connotation through its behavior and external visual image.

Strictly speaking, CI and corporate image are two different concepts. In English, CI is the abbreviation of Corporate Identity. Moreover, although corporate image can also be expressed by CI, it is the abbreviation of corporate image. Translated into Chinese, corporate identity and corporate image are also different concepts. Generally speaking, corporate image represents the impression of the public and employees on the enterprise and reflects the behavior and characteristics of the enterprise in people's minds. Such as product image, enterprise manager image, employee image, environmental image, enterprise sociality, etc. Moreover, it is difficult to find the corresponding words to replace and explain the corporate logo in Chinese. The definition of identity in English is: (1) identity and consistency; (2) Identification and appraisal; (3) Personality and characteristics. Literally, these three meanings, but in the practice of enterprise CI, they are inseparable and consistent. Because we want to achieve the purpose of corporate identity, we must achieve the consistency of corporate image, so that the outside world can get a unified impression. In addition, we should fully display our unique characteristics so that people can identify them from many enterprises. In other words, if the identity of the enterprise is to be recognized by the public, it is necessary to unify the internal and external image of the enterprise. If we understand corporate image as a compound concept, it is composed of deep corporate philosophy, basic system, organizational structure, superficial corporate behavior and visual image. In this way, the corporate image can only be regarded as one aspect of the corporate image at most, that is, the external performance of the corporate image.

Therefore, our definition of CI system design is: CI system design enterprise is the shaping process of business philosophy, values and cultural spirit, so as to transform and form the internal system and structure of the enterprise, and spread the corporate image to the advertising public inside and outside the enterprise purposefully and planned through the visual design of the enterprise, so as to achieve the purpose of public understanding, support and recognition of the enterprise. Specifically:

First, CI first shapes the corporate soul through mental identity (MI). As the name implies, corporate soul mainly refers to the existing forms of corporate spirit, such as corporate philosophy, corporate culture, values and business philosophy. Mental identity (MI) is the core and starting point of enterprise identification system (CIS), which is called Mind Identity in English. Mental identity itself contains the meaning of shaping enterprise spirit. CI activities should first shape the enterprise ideas and values that constitute the soul of the enterprise, and constantly improve the taste and grade of the enterprise culture. In this sense, CI is a great project for the soul of sculpture enterprises. What needs to be pointed out here is that the enterprise concept originates from the practical activities of the enterprise and the material environment on which it depends.

Second, CI is the materialization process of transforming enterprise idea into enterprise behavior. The enterprise idea needs to be spread through the behavior of the enterprise, so as to establish the image of the enterprise. Only through the implementation of enterprise behavior can the ideological enterprise concept become an objective reality that people can see and touch. People generally refer to the behavior change of enterprise idea as enterprise Behavior Identity, and English is called behavior identity, or BI for short. BI is to materialize the essence of MI in the behavior of enterprises, which is reflected in various systems, codes of conduct, management methods, education and training, public welfare culture, public relations, marketing activities and so on. , so as to gain the recognition and recognition of employees and consumers. Internally, it improves the cohesion of employees, strengthens communication and contact with consumers, and shortens the distance between managers and employees, enterprises and consumers. In this sense, CI is an innovative activity to improve the level and taste of enterprise behavior.

Thirdly, CI is the communication process of symbolizing and visualizing corporate image. The main function of enterprise identification system is to transform the symbols reflecting the internal ideas of enterprises into symbol systems that can be accepted by employees and consumers. Such as corporate logo, name, advertising language, slogan, trademark, design, etc. People call it visual recognition, or VI for short. VI is the process of concretization, visualization and symbolization of CI, and the result of visualization of CI essence. Only in this way can we shape the image of the enterprise, embody its personality and form its unique style. Through the communication activities and modes of corporate image, the corporate image is finally established in the minds of the general public. In this respect, CI is a corporate image building project.

In a word, CI is an enterprise identification system composed of MI, BI and VI. If traditional enterprises sell products, then modern enterprises sell corporate image. In a sense, CI activity is the process of creating, producing and selling corporate image.

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