The value of consistency might be interpreted as the supremacy of identity over anonymity. Consistency in one’swriting, one’s actions and representations of oneself is a way of affirming,reiterating and showing a precise identity. Far removed from the concept ofmonotony, consistency shows personality and rectitude, in other words, the abilityto act consistently at all times.
Over the course of the years, consistent representation of brand image has given rise to the concept of corporate Identity and the brand guideline as an instrument that summarises therules surrounding the construction of communication tools for any determinedbrand. Today we are witnessing the birth of new ways to affirm identity, withoutbeing ‘identical’.
It is interesting to examine the architecture of a brand such as Virgin which, while competing on variousmarkets with brands that adopt different visual identities, manages to maintainan essential consistency with the fundamental values of the mother brand and atone of voice that carries the energy of a challenge.
A brand’s consistency also applies to its behaviour in relation to the promises made by the brand. The consequentialchoices have an impact on the offer as well as on the selection of suppliersand partners, Chipotle, fast food brand established in 1993, has taken on themission of producing food with moral integrity, always seeking the bestingredients that are produced with respect for animals, the environment andgrowers.
Consistency then completes the bouquet of six values that, in Calvino’s opinion, are fundamental to the millenniumwe live in. We have tried to verify how these values and the implicationsderiving from them can be applied to the Brands that surround us.
In conclusion we feel able to claim that the most successful brands, which we encounter every day, all possess someor many of the following qualities:
‣ #1 Lightness, which sanctions the supremacy ofthe intangible over the material, which reigned in the last century;
‣ #2 Quickness, which affirms the value of intuitionover slower methodologies;
‣ #3 Exactitude in attention to detail as opposed tovague superficiality;
‣ #4 Visibility, which celebrates the imaginationover direct experience;
‣ #5 Multiplicity, which values curiosity overconformity;
‣ #6 Coherence, maintaining one’s identity withoutmonotony.
