No matter how powerful its message, an internal “call to action” can easily get lost in the daily shuffle at the office. If your audience cannot recall the strategy behind an initiative, or remember it accurately, it won’t have the lasting power necessary to drive a change in workplace behavior. With inboxes overflowing and employee engagement a constant challenge, it’s crucial that key internal communications initiatives stand out. A well-crafted visual identity can help to do just that.A visual identity uses symbols, color, typography and other elements of a brand to connect to a message in a consistent way. It establishes a visual grammar that endures over time, punctuating each message with deeper meaning while operating within the framework of the corporate story. While visual identities are most commonly associated with external messaging, internal communications teams are increasingly implementing them for employee-focused campaigns in the workplace and beyond. Below are four rules for creating an engaging and effective visual identity for your next internal initiative.
This program helps Guardian employees transition to, and work productively in, a mobile work arrangement. The visual system and logotype are anchored by a GPS-style pin on a map—signaling both mobility and location-finding. Meanwhile, the silhouettes of the people inside the pin underscore Guardian’s message: that the Guardian mission happens wherever its employees go, transcending the traditional office.“Guardian on the Go” worked within the organization’s brand guidelines to color-code the three steps employees and managers needed to take to participate in the pilot. The color system and pin were used across a variety of materials including toolkits, overview presentations, and leadership training materials.
The pilot program launched with overwhelming success, fueling plans for a company-wide rollout in 2017. Ninety-two percent of employees who participated in the pilot were satisfied with "Guardian on the Go," and 100 percent of surveyed managers felt supported throughout the launch and implementation. All of this success tied back to a big change initiative fueled by a small, memorable symbol at the heart of their communications efforts.
The intent of this initiative was to reframe internal perceptions of the Exelon IT department. This campaign is playful and smart enough to signal a real difference in how Exelon IT goes about supporting their workforce.
The visual concept also allowed for a personal sense of humor to be infused into the content of various channels, making “IT’s for you” even more emotionally connected to the viewer no matter how they were interacting with it.Our previous post on 5 Unexpected Benefits of Emotional Storytelling shares key findings from neuroscience on why emotionally infused communications are more memorable and effective.
The mark includes an abstract element, but still emotionally resonant in its associations: it suggests both a kaleidoscope, with its multi-faceted perspective, and a huddle of diverse teammates preparing to take a winning strategy out into action. The symbol was visible at different scales and was flexibly color-coded. Each speaker’s presentation reflected the color of the pillar they explored—green for productivity, for example.
The mark and tagline appeared cohesively throughout most of the event’s materials and speaker presentations, but the emblem for the “o” in “together” could also stand on its own as a symbol of collaboration and diversity representative of the company culture.
- Simplicity is power.


- Make your identity memorable, yet emotional.


- Stay on brand, with a new and fresh twist.


- Drive towards action.
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