Corporate image research
Corporate image research is often confused with brand research. However, corporate image is a wider category, which scope extends well beyond the brand. It relates to the company as a whole, its perception by customers, business partners and competitors.
- How do customers perceive my company?
- What distinguishes my company from competitors?
- How to attract customers?
- What do my customers pay attention to?
The primary challenge of present-day public relations (PR) departments is effective corporate image management. Such activities should distinguish between reality and the desired image. Companies can be analysed from an internal (own image, perception of company by employees) and external (perception by external parties, such as customers or business partners) point of view.
Corporate image research is often conducted in conjunction with other types of research, as this helps to optimise investment. When looking at the external view of a company or organisation, for example, corporate image is often combined with brand research activities. Similarly, an internal view may be supplemented by an employee satisfaction survey.
Our offering
Corporate image research is an analysis of a company’s strengths and weaknesses view by a target customer. It involves elements of a typical functionality assessment as well as emotional approach. The summary of results is accompanied by recommendations on how to reinforce positive aspects of the corporate image while eliminating negative ones.
Internal and external corporate image research conducted concurrently enables clients to develop a comprehensive PR strategy. Most frequently, a first full study results in the establishment of a simplified tool that can be used regularly to review changes in the company’s image and the effectiveness of marketing activities, in particular in the area of public relations campaigns.
How do we deliver
As the key areas of creating the company’s image are usually known, corporate image research generally involves a quantitative measurement of the strength of (variable) features of the existing image and also the desired or target image. Monitoring the strength of such features makes it possible to track any changes – good or bad. This can also be used as a way of measuring the effectiveness of corporate image campaigns. In each study, Research PMR tailors the scope and method of data collection. It is vitally important that the study covers both existing and potential target groups.
