Corporate Identity

The Importance of Corporate Identity

A Corporate Identity (CI) is the overall "face" of an organisation. It encompasses the visual, verbal, and behavioural elements through which an organisation presents itself both internally and externally. For ELSA, CI is not merely a matter of appearance, but a fundamental component of its reputation, credibility, and long-term impact. It reflects the organisation’s identity, core values, and distinctive visual and organisational characteristics, shaping the way it is perceived and differentiated from others.

Corporate Identity in a broader interpretation consists of the following:

Corporate behaviour (how the organisation and its’ people acts)
Corporate communication (public relations, information, etc.)
Corporate culture (the way an organisation works)
Corporate design (logos, corporate colours etc.)
Corporate language (style, vocabulary, etc.)
Corporate philosophy (vision, aims, values and ideas)

Corporate Identity within Marketing

In principle, our Corporate Identity is based on two fundamental principles:

Visibility and recognition

A strong Corporate Identity makes an organisation easily recognisable and memorable. Every action carried out within the association contributes to shaping its reputation and long-term identity, whether positively or negatively. Maintaining a consistent appearance and style across all forms of communication—ranging from International Council Meetings and local events to social media platforms—strengthens ELSA’s visibility throughout its extensive Network and beyond.

Credibility and trust

Credibility is established not only through an organisation’s statements, but also through the consistent application of its values in practice. For ELSA, professional communication, respect for cultural diversity, and the promotion of human rights values are essential for building trust among stakeholders, including students, universities, law firms, international institutions, and partners.

Corporate design

The most important part of CI for a Marketing Officer is Corporate Design. We are the ones responsible for the creation of materials in accordance with our Corporate Identity. Following this section, you will know and understand the basics of the ELSA Corporate Design and its necessity for marketers to treasure and implement it in the process of creating marketing materials. The most prominent and standardised CI elements in ELSA are:

Name
Logo
Colours
Fonts

The ELSA logo, fonts (Lato and EB Garamond), official colours—particularly ELSA blue (#0a3087) and ELSA orange (#ff7400) —and the consistent tone of voice are all defined in the ELSA Brand Book, which forms an annex to the International Council Meeting Decision Book, in order to ensure coherence throughout the association. These elements are not merely decorative features, but essential instruments for communicating ELSA’s mission: “to contribute to legal education, foster mutual understanding, and promote social responsibility among law students and young lawyers”.

In contrast to that, a poorly managed corporate identity can lead to internal fragmentation, public misperception, and decreased member engagement. For ELSA, Corporate Identity is more than merely a set of rules; it is the embodiment of the association’s mission, vision, and values. It shapes the way ELSA positions itself within the broader community, fosters trust with partners, and encourages members to pursue excellence. By investing in a strong and coherent corporate identity, ELSA ensures that it continues to serve as a leading and unifying force within the European legal community.

For further information, please read through the Corporate Identity Handbook as well as the ELSA Brand Book.

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