The market today is becoming increasingly competitive, which is why companies resort to implementing strategies that allow them to differentiate themselves and position themselves as the best in their field. Currently the reputation and image of a company is a key factor for its success.
Organizations, in addition to worrying about offering a good quality of the good or service they offer, invest a large part of their time and resources in listening and knowing what people hear and observe about their work, since their permanence depends on it. and growth in the market. The key to this is to create an image that communicates professionalism from the outset, starting when customers first notice the business or company; so when they first receive the service or product.
As the public image has become an area of incalculable opportunities for organizations, it has been the object of study for academics, researchers and professionals in Communication Sciences and specialists in Marketing; in order to generate strategies applicable to the industry to position them as the best, or where appropriate to repair their image, since this represents a fundamental aspect of strategic communications and of what the company wants to express to the public.
To understand the entire world of imaging, you must first have defined and clear what the image is, in order to derive all the importance of it in organizations from there.
What is image?
"Figure, representation, resemblance or appearance of something" (Real Academia Española, s / f), is what derives and implies the word image. There are various descriptions depending on the aspect that is specifically manifested, such as the references given below, shown by the RAE:
- Accidental: (f. Biol.) Image that, after having contemplated an object with great intensity, persists in the eye, although with changed colors. Public: Set of features that characterize a person or entity before society. Real: (f. Opt.) Reproduction of an object formed by the convergence of light rays that, coming from it, pass through a lens or optical device, and which can be projected on a screen. Virtual: (f. Opt.) Set of the Apparent points of convergence of light rays that come from an object after passing through a mirror or an optical system, and that, therefore, cannot be projected on a screen.
However, this word is clearly understood as the mental representation or figuration that an individual or group of people perform regarding some object, situation or person. It is considered that the image generates a process of perception between the physical aspect and the psychological understanding that one acquires at the moment of figuring something, being not only the physical visualization, but also the interpretation that one gives to what is perceived.
From what has been described, it is understood that the image is not something only physical visualized of the objects only, but also describes something else. Víctor Goldoa, in his book
"Imaginology" describes that an image is a process of perception that can produce a value judgment in who or those who perceive it, and the result is what leads the individual to accept or reject the appearance generated by the image.
That is why it is important to first understand what the image is, since it will make it easier to understand the term that will be broken down below.
Imaginology.
Etymologically the word "imagology" comes from the Latin root "Imago" which means image or figure, and from "logia" which means study or science. As a whole, it is the science in charge of studying the image that generally delves into developing and perfecting the image that is perceived of a person, thing or organization, forming what is known as a public image.
It is supported by knowledge of sciences such as linguistics, psychology, communication, biological anthropology, semiology, design , art history, etc., which serve to study and control the stimuli that a person or institution emits, and how these stimuli shape images subordinate to their target audience. It is a young branch of comparative or comparative literature.
Fundamentals.
Imagology is a term that has its indications in the 40's in Europe, it is attributed to the Czech writer Milan Kundera, who gives a set of ideas and precepts based on philosophy, comparative and linguistics. He understands this word as the study of mental images or imagotypes. Hetero imagotypes are also involved.
- Imagotype: It is “union of the isotype (iconic part of a brand's design) and the logo with which a brand is identified. It is a tool used to support communication processes both internally and with the external audience ”(Fundación Wikimedia Inc, 2015). The imagotype serves to reinforce the identification of what you want to promote through a virtual or real image, and this persists in your memory easily, usually being found at the top or left of the logo. Hetero Imagotypes: They are the images that we project onto others.
For Milan Kundera, imagology encompasses uniting advertising agencies, consultants, designers, artists, organizations, etc. simply unite all that of form and beauty in sight and perception. He dedicated a chapter to this science in his book Immortality.
Intercultural Hermeneutics is easily considered the same as imagology, since they are the power of images, not giving it significance if they are in accordance with reality or not, they only seek easy perception. So the imagology plays with stereotypes, mentalities, prejudices and attitudes, etc. with the investigation of mental images
Later Víctor Gordoa, Mexican precursor of imaging in the country, considers that imaging is the "Science of the image and is defined as the scientific knowledge necessary to create, develop and maintain a public image." He also describes it as a "set of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies, so that from these three elements, immersed in a comprehensive design process, we obtain a coherent image between what they say, do and seem in a concordant social setting" (Imagology, 2003).
From the above, the following is denoted: "Imaginology is the study of the public image" (Gordoa Gil, 2003).
Public image.
With the previous information that has been given in the article at the beginning that it is image, the term public image can easily be understood. This is the image that he manifests and perceives individually but that is shared collectively, generating public opinion.
- Public opinion: "It is the tendency or preference, real or stimulated, of a society or an individual towards facts that report interest" (Wikipedia, 2015).
Scholarly authors of the subject such as Delgado and Gordoa, conceive the public image as a perception that provokes a group response but unified, a value judgment with greater effect to influence others, reaching to establish a relationship between an individual or organization. For his part, Víctor Gordoa, a specialist in public image, stipulates it as a perception shared by several members of a group, whose criteria are unified and considered as a representation or result of a situation or thing.
The public image can be attributed to a natural person (personal) or a legal person (organizations), in this case greater emphasis will be given to the public image of organizations.
Forms of the public image.
The stimuli that encourage the individual to generate a public image are verbal (with words) and non-verbal (without words); and this can be presented in two ways, through subordinate images:
- Individual or personal, which includes the physical image, professional image and verbal image. Group or organizational, which has to do with the visual image, the audiovisual image and the environmental image.
Descriptive scheme of public image formation. Source: (Gordoa Gil, 2003)
Imagology in organizations.
Organizations always need to convey a clear and defined message to market segments (customers / consumers) to attract them and get their attention. For this reason, imaging currently plays an important support in marketing, whose objective is to create an image that benefits the organization, highlighting its essence and quality, and areas of opportunity to create and project an image of credibility and trust to the public.
So the public image of the company is formed based on images that will be described below, which if well defined and applied to the organization, will undoubtedly generate added value to the company.
- Physical Image: It is generated by all the members who work in an organization, where the leader (manager or boss) influences both the external and internal environment, as well as the employees and even more those related to customers and suppliers. Professional Image: It covers executive competencies, the way in which members interact and behave within the company. It is the joint sum of the employees (logistics, quality, production and other sub-areas of the company) and their protocols of conduct. Verbal image: It is the way in which the members of an organization express themselves through speech, through conferences, presentations, interviews, etc. Visual Image: It is formed by managing the design of labels, logos, symbols, etc. to differentiate your good or service from the competition Audiovisual Image:Associated with advertising forms, the means to sell the good or service. It makes use of propaganda and communication media such as infomercials, commercials, internet pages.Environmental Image: It is the scenario in which you want to present what you offer, it involves representative colors, furniture, music, aroma, etc.
Benefits of a good imaging.
Among some benefits of implanting imaging are:
- Increase in customers and suppliers; As well as maintaining clients. Prestigious work environment. By generating more attraction, there are more clients and as a consequence, more clients and maximizing profits. Attracting better human resources, by wanting to belong to a company with a good image. It reinforces marketing, Sell more Better positioning in the market
Create the imagology in an organization.
To create imagology it is necessary to create an image of what you want to interpret or want to be perceived. This requires important factors such as:
Knowledge, Creativity, Sensitivity, Respect for the client and a methodology.
Erwin Panofsky suggests studying the images in their analysis by analyzing their “artistic” environment, centered on the creator or issuer; and the psychological environment, centered on the receiver or receivers. He considers that interest should be placed on the explicit (iconography) and the implicit (content).
Víctor Ganboa proposes that to create imagology, an intimate system must be followed as a methodology, which governs and gives coherence to the actions that are going to be carried out and which organizes the work; through stages that meet a single objective: "Create or modify the perception of a person or organization by its different audiences" (Imagología, 2003). This is based on four stages, shown in the following diagram.
Stages to create or modify the public image. Source (Gordoa Gil, 2003).
Step 1. Research: Identify what perception the target audience has of the company. It comprises two parts: the internal investigation, knowing the perception of the members of the organization in which they work; and the external, the perception that customers (media, suppliers and competition) have of the company.
Step 2. Design: Ingenuity and creativity make an influence, the factors that move perception are analyzed.
Step 3. Production: Put into practice what was planned and elaborated. Land everything.
Step 4. Evaluation: A re-investigation is carried out. It seeks to follow up on what has been implemented and to know the repercussions, to know if it has been correct, as well as to know the faults and correct them.
Conclusion.
Not only people should be concerned with the image they show to society, but also companies or organizations should be concerned with how they are perceived by the public. That is why the strategic development of the use and care of the public image in the market opens up new possibilities and opportunities for growth, positioning and development of an organization; however, this must be attended to by professionals since the slightest mistake in the way in which the company's Imaginology is handled can have serious consequences until it collapses in the middle. Due to the above, there are currently several universities that offer a degree in Imaging, training professionals who are dedicated to the development, enhancement and conservation of the public image.
Thesis proposal.
"Development of an imagological methodology applicable for the use of new technologies of
information"
Objective.
Develop a methodology for the application of imaging to new information technologies such as social networks, web pages and online commerce, to satisfy the current new era and the lack of a tool like this.
Bibliography.
- Wikimedia Foundation Inc. (August 3, 2015). Imagotype. Retrieved on September 22, 2015, from Wikimedia: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImagoterapiaGonzalez, B. (September 7, 2012). WordPress. Retrieved on September 22, 2015, from Imagology. How the public image is built: https://biancagonzalez.wordpress.com/Gordoa Gil, V. (2003). Imaginology. Mexico: Grijalbo.Martinez, D. (March 2011). SlideShare. Retrieved on September 22, 2015, from Imagología: http://es.slideshare.net/TommyYacksson/imagologiaestudioanalisisimagenpublicaReal Academia Española. (s / f). RAE. Recovered on September 22, 2015, from Image Definition: http://lema.rae.es/drae/srv/search?id=JbMNeeIwxDXX2XYyEBR0Torre, J. l. (July 20, 2010). WordPress. Retrieved on September 22, 2015, from Imagología: https: //imagologiajorge.wordpress.com / 2010/07/20 / helloworld / Wikipedia. (2015, September 10). Wikipedia. Retrieved on September 22, 2015, from Public Opinion:
