Presenting a public institution at first glance is no different from building awareness of what we call image building in a corporation or an institution in the corporate sector. Each entity works with its reputation and with the presentation of its identity. Of course, it tries to present its product or service in the best possible way, not only to the public, but especially to its potential customers.
What is the main difference?
However, as Diana Polónyi, Director of Communications and International Relations of Eximbank SR, reminds HN, in the public administration, or in the position of a state or public institution, it does not work like with a brand in the commercial sphere. Public institutions also use and apply similar methods, such as logos, slogans or advertising campaigns, but these elements do not copy the principles that apply in commercial branding.
According to Diana Polónyi, there are some differences between the image building of a private enterprise and that of a public institution. “A company’s reputation, awareness-building and overall image is created by the company’s appearance, employees, the way it communicates and the quality of its products. However, it is still true that corporations have more control over the so-called brand touch points. They can manage and control it better.”
It can be said that corporations are less exposed to the company itself, or the public as a whole, because they are primarily focused on their customer base, where they have better room to manoeuvre. This is the difference with a public institution, which ‘serves’ a select group of society and has the public interest as its priority. “They operate in a wider environment that is harder to control. Laws or state priorities in selected areas enter into its activities. In the case of Eximbank, this is the direction of foreign policy and economic diplomacy. However, this does not mean that public institutions should neglect reputation building, quite the opposite,” Polónyi points out.
A change of identity should never be implemented without a reason, she says. It should always be set in a broader context and in line with the direction of the organisation. “This was also the case for us. Eximbanka has its irreplaceable place as the only state instrument for export promotion, but it has been undergoing certain developments in its 27-year history on the Slovak market. Just as the structure of the Slovak economy is changing, so are the conditions on foreign markets. We try to reflect these changes and bring a broader dimension to export promotion.”
Export promotion
The export finance and insurance agenda itself is Eximbanka’s core DNA, but it also aims to provide other services. To bring a more holistic approach to export promotion as a whole and to reach out to new groups of companies that have not been traditional clients of the institution in the past. “We have a broad outreach towards the government and our institutional partners. However, Eximbank’s partners also include commercial financial institutions, unions, business associations and many other entities at home and abroad. It is important that we send targeted signals to the various parties in a clear, recognisable but also consistent manner. It is therefore a prerequisite that these elements are applied at all levels of presentation to the external environment,” explains Diana Polónyi.
According to her, the primary intention of the identity change was not to fundamentally change anything. Rather, it is a declaration of the changes and initiatives that Eximbanka is gradually introducing, such as the continued cooperation with banks in Slovakia, the search for penetrations for companies in developing markets, the strengthening of the insurance division or the support of small and medium-sized companies. “We are aware that many exporters, especially smaller companies, did not and still do not perceive us as an organisation that is complementary to the commercial financial sector with a focus on exports. It is a continuous activity that needs to be implemented at all levels. We strive to do this through our activities in the public space, projects and partnerships at home and abroad.”
The web as a virtual headquarters
The redesign of the website, which replaces even non-existent branches and is intended to serve as a “one-stop shop”, an absolute necessity these days, is also a significant contribution to Eximbank’s efforts to achieve this. “When we talk about changing the identity, we are talking more about consolidating it. The aim of Eximbanka’s identity change was not to revolutionise the bank, but to achieve greater recognisability and practical usability for Slovak exporters and our partners,” concludes Diana Polónyi.
Photo source: Eximbanka (photographer: Silvia Slafkovská)