To help understand how companies use digital tools to engage their investors, analysts and other stakeholders, we reviewed the corporate websites of the largest 40 companies by market capitalisation in the FTSE 250.
The findings capture the priorities and expectations of digital IR and contain unique insights into how companies meet those expectations. One of the core areas we focused on in our research was Identity and Design.
Brand identity encompasses all the components that make up a company’s brand, such as the logo, colour usage, typography, fonts, iconography and other design elements.
Although distinct from brand messaging, they are closely related and should come together symbiotically to form a compelling brand story that connects with audiences.
What we are seeing
Creating a consistent brand identity across both the corporate/IR and consumer websites builds a visual reference that allows a company to be recognisable. Our research shows that half of the websites reflect a recognisable brand; and a strong brand identity is key in order to help establish credibility and loyalty.
When it comes to the consistency of the brand identity, we found the majority (83%) of the websites are applying their brand consistently throughout the site. Despite high levels of brand consistency, only approximately half of the websites presented a real visual point of difference from competitors.
Brand consistency alone does not guarantee engagement and we found that those which had a visual difference to what was expected from the sector had the highest level of engagement. Only 65% of the websites reviewed were judged to create a connection with the user.
This is an area where organisations need to work harder, as building a connection and establishing credibility are important facets of IR and attractiveness to investors.
Best-practice considerations
- Create and develop an instantly recognisable brand through consistency and correct use of brand guidelines.
- Invest in creating a distinctive corporate brand identity with ownable design elements such as brand graphics.
- Avoid stock imagery and identify points of difference through competitor reviews.
- Build a distinct identity with a real point of difference that allows the company to stand out from competitors.
Download a copy of the report
At our launch event on 18 May, Luminous’ Stephen Butler, Investor Engagement & ESG Disclosure Director, Kay Kayachith, Associate Director of Investor Engagement & ESG, and Paris Mudan, Investor Engagement & ESG Consultant, along with James Croxford, Digital Engagement Director, shared the outcomes of our research. They also offered practical advice on how companies integrate ESG, bring their equity story to life, communicate their purpose and culture, and much more.
If you would like to access the recording, slides or transcript from our event, please get in touch.
