This article aims to study the concept of the Theory of Public Image and its impact on organizations, define the creation, development and maintenance Im a gene publi c to a company or person and the impact of this theory Mexico.

Those in charge of business management of large companies are increasingly interested in knowing deeply the perceptions that stakeholders (investors) have of their brands; More profusely are evaluations of the image and reputation that stakeholders have on a specific company. However, there are important structural problems, such as the confusion between academics and professionals about the concepts of identity, image and reputation; in addition to the ways in which specific evaluations of these elements should be developed.

Currently there are indicators that allow measuring the level of prestige and value of a brand and / or a company both in Mexico and abroad, for example; the Brand Reputation Index (IRMA) in Spain; the Business Monitor of Corporate Reputation (MERCO); the report CNN-Expansion of the “Super Companies”; the Grupo Reforma survey on the corporations most admired by managers and executives in Mexico City.

The main topics that are handled is defining the concept of image, which is the visual appreciation or interpretation of stimuli on a thing, situation or person, which allows us to form a value judgment, which can be "acceptance" or "Of rejection". The theme of Public Image is also addressed, which being the origin of an image is considered a perception shared by a group of people (society or organization), which generates a consolidated response, the public image is divided into personal or individual image and corporate or organizational image.

It is important to mention that the study of the image is not exclusive to companies; it is also a matter of personal development. Therefore, personal image has become a tool for individuals to gain an advantage over others, improving their perception of themselves.

Thus, imagology is a discipline that studies the image of companies and people, providing ideas and solutions to create, improve and enhance the appreciation of an individual or organization.

1 - BASIC CONCEPTS

To begin we must understand the concept of image and consequently the etymology of Imagology in order to delve into its concepts and their influence on organizations.

Image: the real academy of the Spanish language defines it as “1. Edges. Idea or representation of what is perceived from the senses: 2. Concept, impression or degree of acceptance of a person or group among others, due to their physical appearance, their behavior or their manners ”. (Spanish, 2001)

From this we can understand that an image is everything that can be perceived with the 5 senses and that it gives us a perspective of how our brain projects it. This image that is created in people's minds has the power to produce positive or negative effects on people, since it is linked to an opinion influencing preferences and decisions. And depending on the mental image that others form of an individual it will become the identity. (Gordoa, 2008)

Since we know the concept of image it is important to point out the concept of Imagology.

The word Imagology comes from the Latin root Imago = Image, figure, representation, likeness and appearance of a thing; Logos = Treaty

Then from this etymology it can be defined as: Imaginology is the science of the image and it is defined as the scientific knowledge necessary to create, develop and maintain a public image.

Imaginology can also be considered as the systematic study of the public image, that is, the set of strategies used to examine the opinion generated by a subject or entity towards society. It can be based on physical appearance, and verbal and non-verbal communication strategies, with which a coherent image can be obtained between saying, doing and the opinion of the individual or entity. (Gordoa v., 2003)

Imagology and Engineering in Public Image: The concept of engineering in public image can be defined as: The set of knowledge and techniques that allow the application of Imagology to the process of generating perception towards a person or situation.

In order to apply engineering in the Imaging area, it is necessary to fully identify the objective that the client intends to achieve, subsequently an analysis is carried out by carrying out various investigations that allow to recognize the idea of ​​the interested party to guarantee that the concept of the same has been understood. Subsequently, the elements, parts and materials necessary to design the diagrams, models, sketches are chosen and thus select the techniques that will be useful to start the project, with a basis to guarantee the satisfaction of the interested party.

Perception: It is defined as the inner sensation that is the consequence of a material impression made in our senses. By perceiving, the individual adds meaning to every sign that comes his way. (Spanish, 2001)

According to the above, it is concluded that the stimuli exposed by something or someone will generate a perception that will be transferred into an image. The image will become the identity of who has been perceived and, once granted, this identity will become the particular truth of who or those who have perceived it. (Gordoa A., 2008)

Stimuli: In a figurative sense, a stimulus is the prompting to act or function. In a biological sense, it will be any agent that causes the response of an organism. Then, any element that is perceived through our senses, what we see, hear, smell, taste or touch, will constitute a stimulus that will cause the information to travel to the brain and that once there will be compared with the pre-existing one to translate it into an opinion. and based on it, act in favor against what was perceived. (Gordoa A., 2008)

These stimuli are of two types: verbal, are those that the individual expresses with words and non-verbal, which understand all the things that send messages without words.

Reputation: When identity is preserved for a period of time, that is, if the recipient is stimulated in the same way for a long period of time, the opinion generated will remain ingrained in the mind of the recipient and reputation will be produced. (Gordoa A., 2008)

This can be more simply defined as the opinion or trust that one has in a person or organization.

All the above concepts can be included in the image equation developed by Álvaro Gordoa, a Mexican image consultant:

• The process of perception is originated by the emission of a stimulus that meets a receiver. In the mind of the receiver it generates a process of decoding information that configures an image in its mental character.

The image is translated into an opinion, which will grant a perceived value, that is, it will give it an identity, becoming what it is believed to be and not what it truly is.

Image Equation

If the same stimuli are sustained to the same receiver for some time, then the opinion about the sender will take hold in such a way that it will shape the reputation.

Reputation Settings

So we can say that an image becomes public when many people perceive the same thing, that is, if many share the perception then they will have the same opinion about something. This image will produce a value judgment in whoever conceives it. (Gordoa A., 2008)

2 - ORIGINS OF IMAGOLOGY

To talk about the origins of Imagology we can go back to ancient Greece where it was taken as a reference to the god Janus who was represented with two faces looking in opposite directions.

The public image, at the time, was considered an indispensable element even to determine the degree of criminal responsibility of a suspect. As Cesare Lombroso assumed in the nineteenth century, when he affirmed that a person who was visually pleasant and attractive to the beauty standards of his time was undoubtedly innocent, or that the culprit necessarily had to conform to a series of physical elements that ended up establishing stereotypes, which on many occasions led innocent individuals to the scaffold, just by appearing.

The origins of Imaginology must be sought in Jean-Marie Carré, The French Writers and the German Mirage of 1947 and in Marius-François Guyard in his work, Comparative Literature, of 1951.

The term Imagology was known and recognized in Europe at least from 1940. Imagology and Intercultural Hermeneutics are the same thing. The power of images - it does not matter if they are in tune with 'reality' - is indisputable and easily perceived, as we can see in the mutual dealings between peoples. Stereotypes, mentalities, prejudices, attitudes, images and other related concepts can be synthesized through the all-encompassing concept of 'image' commonly used today.

Imagology is a neologism attributed to the Czech writer Milan Kundera, this author in his work "Immortality" makes note of this term in a chapter, where he mentions the following:

Who first invented this magnificent neologism? Paul or me? After all, that's not what matters. The important thing is that this word allows us to unite under one roof what has so many names: advertising agencies, image consultants for statesmen, designers who project the shapes of cars and gymnastics equipment, fashion designers, hairdressers, and show business stars, who dictate the standard of physical beauty that all branches of imagination obey. (Kundera, 2009)

The author Milan Kundera does not define Imagology as such but he does introduce it to the word in the 40's as well as giving guidelines to know what Imagology consists of, since nowadays, not only is it enough to dress well, look Well, but also, you must have a quality when transmitting ideas that allow the people to whom you are speaking to be convinced with an attractive and well-founded language.

Now the Imagology is not only linked to the literary as it was originally proposed, but is accompanied by foundations for its development, even today there are degrees with this name, this due to the need that was visualized long ago of be consistent with the image and the acts at the time of a presentation.

3 - IMAGOLOGY IN THE XXI CENTURY

Today there are public image consultants that are used by various companies to measure their image before other companies and the society that depends on it, this is known as Image Audit which consists of making a critical image examination of said organization.

This type of audits is not always carried out, only in the time required to know if your image is having a positive impact on clients, associates and employees.

The purpose of the Image Audit is to examine the operation and actions both internal and external, and to know its weak and strong points in order to improve results or implement short and long-term strategies that benefit and project a change.

Currently for the preparation of an Image Audit there are four important elements to highlight.

• The internal image. The commercial image. The financial picture. The public image.

Thus, Paul Capriotti in his book "Strategic planning of the corporate image" mentions the auditing procedure currently used by Image Consultants. (Capriotti, 1999)

3 .1. First phase: The audit. Analysis

• The internal image - self-image, the image from within. Company culture. Employees and internal climate. Responsibility towards employees. External subcontracting. Historical evolution of the company Visual image. Name, slogan, logo, symbols, emblems, icons, and other elements that represent the company in the best way Evaluation of the visual identity in the work and communication elements Public Image, the image from outside. Evaluation of the public image (image in the media and public opinion, responsibility towards society) Commercial image. Product value, customer service and brand value Financial image. Financial reputation Definition of the current target. Study the need to segment the target audience for an adequate selection of the recipients of the communication.Competitor analysis. The viability of the company's identity, compared to that of its competitors.It is very important to identify the target audiences, such as: target / s, employees, shareholders, companies to which we subcontract, specifiers, intermediaries, competitors or opinion Once we have investigated our company and the target audiences that we intend to reach, we have everything ready to develop the corporate image of the company that should ideally reflect the essence of the company, in a coherent way.Once we have investigated our company and the target audiences that we intend to reach, we have everything ready to develop the corporate image of the company that should ideally reflect the essence of the company, in a coherent way.Once we have investigated our company and the target audiences that we intend to reach, we have everything ready to develop the corporate image of the company that should ideally reflect the essence of the company, in a coherent way.

3 .2. Second Phase: Unification of the Brand-Execution

• Implementation of a basic Corporate Identity Manual, if applicable Internal communication (Intranet, Internal notices, Newsletters, Welcome Manual) Websites, blogs, Social media, etc. Communication customization Advertising and promotions Press Need to plan properly all the communication channels to reach their different environments or audiences.

3 .3. Third Phase: Quality Control and Monitoring

Make sure that the projected identity really corresponds to the image perceived in each of the selected audiences.

In 2006, Consulta Mitofsky and Transparencia Mexicana published the Mexican Business Reputation Index (IMRE), a study that made it possible to measure the perception of companies. The results indicated that ITESM, Bimbo and Nestlé occupied the first places in their research, respectively.

There are evaluation and corporate image indexes that are commonly those that measure the perspective that society has before the institutions, which are mentioned in the following table.

	O R G A N I Z A C TIO N		REPORT N OM BR E
Corporate Reputation Forum	RepTrak
Business Monitor of Corporate Reputation	Merco
Brand Reputation Index	IRMA

Table 1. Image Reputation Indices.

RepTrak - Reputation Institute

The Reptrak is a tool designed to measure the reputation of companies and is led by the Reputation Institute, which is considered one of the most important organizations in the field of corporate reputation research. The Reptrak model allows the company "to understand what the real priorities of its stakeholders are, diagnose risks and opportunities, set objectives, measure evaluations, establish comparisons with other companies." (Miguel & Agustín, 2007)

One of the important aspects of RepTrak is that it is a study that is carried out frequently, that is, in Anglo-Saxon terms it can be spoken of a Tracking, which measures the reputation of a company at a certain moment and its subsequent evolution in a given moment. determined time, using as basic variables:

• A emotional tractive (trust, respect and admiration, identification and positive reaction). Culture and work environment (ability to attract and retain talent, fair pay, good work environment). Corporate Social Responsibility (commitment to the community, care for the environment, social action). Vision and leadership (excellence in management and leadership, clear vision of the future, business opportunities). Financial results (profit and profitability, low business risk, growth, leadership in the market). Product or service (quality, innovation, customer service).

M e rco: Business Monitor of Corporate Reputation

This study is in charge of evaluating the reputation of Spanish companies since 2000, based on the studies carried out by Professor Justo Villafañe, from the Complutense University of Madrid. Merco carries out six rankings a year, in

where they evaluate aspects related to reputation such as the best companies to work for, the most prestigious leaders, the brands with the best commercial reputation, and even have tracking that determines the best cities to work, live, visit, study and do business. The variables used by this study are:

1. Economic - Financial Results (accounting profit, profitability, quality of economic information). Product Quality - Service (product value, brand value, customer service). Corporate culture and work quality (adaptation of the culture to the business project, quality of work life, evaluation and reward). Ethics and corporate social responsibility (business ethics, commitment to the community, social and environmental responsibility). Global dimension and international presence (international expansion, strategic alliances, online relationship with stakeholders). Innovation(investments in R&D, renewal of the portfolio of products and services, new channels).

IRMA: Brand Reputation Index

This index assesses the reputation of brands, no longer as organizations or companies; It is characterized by making its measurements through surveys of end consumers, in addition to evaluating the brands by comparing them with competitors in the same business sector. Irma uses three basic variables, as follows:

• Functional values (perceived quality, guarantee). Social values (ethical profile, social responsibility). Emotional values (relevance, identification).

It is important to talk about the six types of images that describe a person or a company, for this it is necessary to emphasize that the public image of what is being analyzed must be consistent with what is actually being described. For example, we cannot say that a person is responsible when she never fulfills her activities on time or a company complies with accounting standards when she has fiscal problems and her solution is to cut personnel constantly to solve these problems.

It should be noted that to analyze the public image of a company, it must be understood that it is an organism made up of a set of six images, which result in a global integration of the company. To support this premise, Peter M. Senge mentions that “we are used to trying to see things by breaking them down into the parts that make them up so that their analysis is easier. However, when we want to unify it it is practically impossible, it is like breaking a mirror and analyze only one part and then want to unite it in all its parts ”. (Senge, 2011)

1) Physical image. We must understand that the image of a company is made up of the sum of all the collaborators who work in said organization. It is important to highlight that one of the most influential physical impressions with the external and internal environment is of the person who is in charge of the company, since he is the leader and is usually the one who closes important and juicy contracts for his company. Without subtracting weight, there are the rest of the collaborators, and especially those who are in direct contact with customers and suppliers. The physical image of a person not only includes the way of dressing, speaking and acting in different situations, but also includes personal physical characteristics, height, weight, color, among others. Costumes, body language and accessories.

2) Professional Image. It is clear that the public image of the company is the result of the combined sum of the people who work in it (sales area, logistics, quality, production and all those that form a company). The professional image speaking of a person, is one that by habit is associated with an activity. The professional image encompasses executive skills, as they demonstrate the skills to develop the qualities of a person or a company. The professional image includes the way we act in a waiting room, our way of greeting others and above all the way we handle a crisis. The professional image even includes aspects as simple as the way to answer the phone. Basically, they are protocols of conduct for people in a normal state or under pressure.

3) Verbal Image. The verbal image of an organization encompasses the perception generated by a person or a company to its target groups, using the word, either orally or in writing. In this section, it is important to highlight that care must be taken with the way in which the members of the organization express themselves and communicate with other people, through presentations, which can be about products, results, in conferences or in interviews with the media and public presentations.

4) Visual Image. It is very difficult to change the first impression of a person or object, therefore it is important to create a great visual starting image. Speaking of a company's visual image, it is one that is formed by the design of the containers or packaging, labels, logos or any other symbol that can differentiate its product lines from the competition, including how they are designed and painted your transportation vehicles. Semiology is used to give greater support to the visual image.

5) Audiovisual Image. The audiovisual image is related to advertising forms, propaganda and all those aspects related to the media, such as infomercials and instructional videos. In short, the audiovisual image will be the way in which the company seeks to increase its customers through the use of the tools previously described.

6) Environmental Image. The environmental image refers to the scenarios where we work, such as the management of colors, lighting, furniture, music, decorative items, aroma, among others; the scenarios can occur in a functional or recreational way. It makes use of the five senses of people.

Usually the corporate image is designed to be attractive to the public, with the aim that the company can stimulate an interest and impact among end consumers, creating in the public mind the development of appreciation for the brand that facilitates product sales. or the demand for a service. (Martínez, 2012)

The image of a corporation is created by the company, however it is a fact that other actors intervene that favor the creation of the image; for example, the media (press, radio, television, print, internet and social media), journalists, unions and environmental organizations. (Martínez, 2012)

Color typology

Also, for the development of the corporate image, issues such as the selection of colors, designs, shapes and logos are involved. In terms of the design of the corporate image, the organization has to consider the identifying signs of its brand, product or company, that is, those elements of perception that make the client or any person in the public identify the organization, brand or product; with the simple fact of contacting any of them, which are:

1. The name of the company The logo The logo The slogan The institutional colors and typography The graphic supports of communication The symbolic artifacts with which the company regularly identifies

These identifying elements are regularly used on different objects inside and outside the organization, for example: the decoration of facilities, stationery, promotional items, uniforms, product packaging, and official vehicles. (Martínez, 2012)

But how to create a public image of an organization for this, there is a method known as the Intimate System and it consists of four steps.

The four steps that this methodology comprises are specified below, in which it represents a process that seeks to generate a public image that helps the interested party to achieve their objectives. (Gordoa V., 2007)

1. Investigation. Two types are carried out, one is INTERNAL which is done between the members of the institution that make it up. The other is EXTERNAL, it is done only to know the perception they have among their different target groups Obtaining and collecting the information collected. Design. Here the essence of the issuer is designed in a coherent and respectful manner, inspiring confidence . P roduction. In this stage, all the sources that produce stimuli are coordinated so that they all transmit the same message. Evaluation. Here the production is executed in order to determine the correction of the stimuli that are not producing the expected effect.

Finally, Víctor Gordoa raises 13 axioms or rules of the public image game which encompass all these techniques currently used to measure and audit the corporate image. (Gordoa V., 2007)

1. It is inevitable to have an image. If it can be perceived, then it will have an image. Most decisions are made by our eyes. Most of our decision making is based on what we see. "Eye love is born". The brain process that decodes the stimuli takes a few seconds. In a single glance and quickly we obtain information that will determine our final decision regarding the perceived one. The mind decides based mostly on feelings. If we feel, we take it for true and act accordingly. The image is dynamic. The image must evolve as the essence of the stimulus emitter evolves and the receiver's needs evolveThe creation of an image must respect the essence of the issuer. The essence is the support of the image, it is the background that will support the form. Violating the essence will only cause a lack of conviction such that communication cannot take place. The image is always relative. Every image must be created based on three factors: the essence, the objective to be achieved and the needs of the audience. The process of creating an image is rational so you will need a methodology. It is the product of a scientific process that will be repeated in the same way in all cases. The effectiveness of an image will be directly related to the coherence of the stimuli that cause it. It is based on the mind's need to rig to understand; otherwise the answer is rejection. It will always take longer and more difficult to reconstruct an image than to produce it right from the source. It is advisable to become aware of stimulus planning before starting any project. The better the image, the greater the power of influence. The axiom is based on the ability of perception to produce a behavioral response. The image of ownership permeates the institution. The image of the man who represents an institution will be the image of the institution. The image of the institution permeates all its members.The reputation of an institution will influence that of its members to such a degree that it will replace the individual republic in the first instance.

4 - EXPONENTS OF IMAGOLOGY

The greatest exponents of this theory are Victor Gordoa and Alvaro Gordoa, father and son, of whom a few brief biographies are mentioned.

Victor Gordoa He is a Consultant in Public Image, Agustín Reyes Ponce award for business merit awarded by the Universidad Iberoamericana, from which he is a graduate. He is Rector of the College of Public Image Consultants, where he studies a Bachelor of Imaging and a Master of Engineering in Public Image. Advisor to characters and institutions in the political, business and entertainment sectors, he has given hundreds of conferences throughout the American continent and trained thousands of people who already know the benefits of Public Image tools. An opinion leader on the matter, he is a contributor to different newspapers and magazines and his point of view is expressed in more than one hundred interviews each year. He is also the author of the bestsellers The Power of Public Image and Imagination, with more than one hundred thousand copies sold.

Álvaro Gordoa is a lecturer and Managing Partner of Grupo Imagen Pública, studied a degree in Communication Sciences with a specialty in film and television at the Universidad Anáhuac and has a Master's degree in Engineering in Public Image.

The lecturer Gordoa is a Public Image Consultant, an activity that he exercises advising distinguished members of the political, business and entertainment sectors in the areas of creation and modification of their public image. As a teacher at the College of Public Image Consultants, he teaches the subjects of "Fundamentals of Imaginology" and "Propaganda" at the Bachelor level, of "Verbal Image" in Master's degree and is the holder of the "Diploma in Verbal and Non-Verbal Image".

Dr. Richard Bandler, creator of NLP, certified the speaker Álvaro Gordoa as a “Conversational Change Specialist” and has trained more than two thousand people in the use of the oral word; as well as has advised businessmen and political candidates in the areas of debate and creation of speeches.

Álvaro Gordoa has the title of "Master in Educational Management in Ibero-America" ​​awarded by the Ibero-American Council for Educational Quality and has an MBA specialized in Strategic Administration.

He is a recognized lecturer and trainer and has collaborations in the press, radio and television where he exercises his opinion leadership.

CONCLUSIONS

Competition between people, organizations, brands and products is increasingly evident in all local, national and international markets; so any element that generates a competitive advantage is used immediately by people and companies.

The creation, development and maintenance of a Public Image is the most important step to capture the attention of customers and in this way obtain their trust for our organization and thus achieve the sustainability and permanence of the company in the market. The image always exists, it is inevitable to form it, that is why it is important to create the best possible image, both personal and corporate.

Currently, Imagology is not only linked to politicians and important figures that appear in the social life of a society; All people have a public image, which must be constantly renewed so that it continues to attract the attention of the general public. Failure to do this can mean the decline of the organization.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Capriotti, P. (1999). Strategic planning corporate image. Barcelona: Ariel.Española, R. (2001). Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy. Madrid: ESPASA. Gordoa, A. (2008). Cool picture. Mexico: Random House.Gordoa, v. (2003). Imagology. Mexico: Grijalbo.Gordoa, V. (2007). The Power of the Public Image. Mexico: Grijalbo. Kundera, M. (2009). The inmortality. Czech Republic: Tusquets Editores. Martínez, J. (2012). Image and Corporate Reputation. Mexico Miguel, H., & Agustín, LA (2007). Strategy and Social Conduct of the Organization. Salamanca: Pontifical University Salamanca. Senge, P. (2011). The Fifth Discipline. Spain: Granica.
Download the original file