The term imagology has its roots where Latin words: imago and logos; the first refers to the figure, representation or appearance of a person or thing and the second means the study of the expression of something that for this case has been the image. To be able to act, the imagology relies on linguistics, communication, psychology, semiology, biological anthropology, art history, design and other sciences that allow it to study and at the same time control the stimuli emitted by a person or a institution and how these stimuli form an image of the product to a specific audience. (Left, 2009)
Due to the growing demand of companies to remain competitive in the market, they must develop strategies that allow them to remain current in the minds of their consumers and potential customers to guarantee the sale of their products or services. Today it is known that a company can be accepted by the general public not only because of the quality of its products, but also because of the image that people perceive of it, which is why the vast majority of companies currently strive to Create an image that allows you to be easily remembered. Imaging is of great help to create strategies around the company that provide added value and position itself very well in front of public opinion.In this writing we will review the concepts related to the business image and how it can be used to project itself positively to customers.
What is Imaging?
Imaging can be defined as the use of various strategies based on knowledge of psychology, social communication, marketing, public opinion, public relations, strategic planning and business management in order to create an image of a person or company that has a positive effect on Public opinion. Imaging aims to create psychological stimuli in the human being through the use of the image, resorting to physical and psychological elements or factors.
Although the imagery emphasizes appearance, it is very important that there is coherence with the essence of the person or company as this further increased credibility and increases positive perception in the long term.
Within the definitions given for imaging we can include the following: “It is a systematic study of the public image, that is, the set of strategies aimed at analyzing the impressions generated by a certain subject towards his community, starting not only from his physical appearance, but rather from their verbal and non-verbal communication strategies so that from these three elements, immersed in an integral design process, we obtain a coherent image between their saying, their doing and their opinion in a concordant social setting. Imaginology is the science of the image and is defined as the scientific knowledge necessary to create, develop and maintain a public image ”(Gordoa, 2007)
What is the image?
Image is defined as the figurative representation of an animal, person or thing. It is the way in which reality is captured through the senses, that is, through sight and can be captured in our brain, on paper, on a canvas; It can also be seen reflected in a mirror or optical lens. Therefore, the images are copies that resemble reality and that capture the essential characteristics of things, although they may differ a bit from them. Images can be endogenous or exogenous, the former are subjective and are frequently found in the artistic world, and the latter are more objective and more closely resemble the real environment.
Imaginology. Image Power. Cat - Lion Example
The word image has its origin in the Latin word "imago" that alluded to the figurative representation of a person who had already died, indicating then that something was present that was no longer there.
This word also refers to religious sculptures and paintings of representations of the Jesus, the Virgin Mary and the saints in the Catholic Church.
It is also used to refer to the perception that one has of a company or a person, it can be through their name or their actions and giving a concept either positive or negative depending on the effect it has on the target audience. A person can have a positive image before others if he has good manners, dresses appropriately and treats others using courteous words and expressions; But if she looks slovenly and is impolite, she will have a bad image. The same happens with companies, if they treat their clients well, their facilities are always clean and they always use friendly language with the general public, they will have a good image,Otherwise, a bad reputation will be formed that will make your clients and potential clients desist from purchasing your products or services. (Concept, 2016)
The image can also be defined as a process of perception that can generate a value judgment in the recipient, motivating them to produce a feeling of approval or rejection.
There are four principles related to the image:
- The image is reflected that is generated in an external person and is independent of the person who acts as issuer, therefore it is a result caused by something.When receiving the image a person will issue a value judgment that will become their reality. Value judgment is the impulse to the receiving person to make the decision to accept or reject the issuer of the image. If a large group of people share the same image about something, it becomes a public image. (Gordoa, 2007)
What is the public image?
The public image can be defined as "the dominant perception that a community establishes with respect to a person, institution or cultural reference, based on the impressions and personal information it receives". (Arteaga, 2011)
As another definition, we have that the public image is "the perception that is shared by several members of a group whose criteria are unified, and the image is considered as a representation or result of a situation or thing"
There are three main elements in public image 1:
Three elements of the Public Image
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1 Image taken from the article Imagology or the integral management of the public image by Karla Ivette King published in Gestiópolis
Principles of public image
- All people project an image even if we are not aware of it because when interacting with other people they will always create a concept of who we are and that will depend on the effect we cause on them. The decisions we make are mostly based on visual perception that we have of something, which indicates that sight greatly influences the opinion that we form of a person or a specific event.Our brain forms a criterion or judgment of something instantly just by observing for a few seconds, which indicates that it is very fast to capture an image and process it. The brain responds to stimuli in a very short time, just by looking at an image for a matter of seconds our brain response is instantaneous and our criteria or value judgment is formed.Most of the decisions we make are based on the emotional perception we have of an event or a person. The image we have of something or someone is not static, it evolves as we receive more information that allows us to make more judgments. It is necessary for the public image that was projected to be in accordance with the essence of the person or the company because not being so, credibility will be lost and it will be damaged in a way The image is created based on three elements: the essence of the person, the objective that is wants to achieve and the requirements of the people who are involved.For an image to be created, a methodological procedure must be used which must be respected.The effectiveness of an image is directly related to the congruence of the elements and stimuli involved,as well as the availability of those present.It is very important that the image is taken care of, for which it is necessary that a good planning and control be done so that it is easier to maintain the positive perception of the company. good image very well managed exerts a good influence on the viewers. The more positive the image, the greater the influence. The corporate image is affected by the work of the managers The corporate image affects the people who are part of it (Gordoa, 2007)If you have a good image, very well managed, you have a good influence on your viewers. The more positive the image, the greater the influence. The corporate image is affected by the work of the managers The corporate image affects the people who are part of it (Gordoa, 2007)If you have a good image, very well managed, you have a good influence on your viewers. The more positive the image, the greater the influence. The corporate image is affected by the work of the managers The corporate image affects the people who are part of it (Gordoa, 2007)
The public image can be presented in two ways:
- Individual or personal form Group or organizational form
What is personal image?
The concept of personal image is associated with the visual and spiritual projection that a person exerts on others according to their physique, their way of dressing, speaking, the degree of courtesy and their educational level. Currently it has a great value especially in the workplace where it greatly influences the selection of personnel. There are some jobs in which personal image is more relevant, such as artists and politicians who owe their success to the degree of acceptance of the public who judge them daily. However, ordinary people must also work for our image, if we have a good personal image we can become attractive to other people and therefore we have a high probability of being successful in the different scenarios of our life. (Meaning,2016)
On the other hand, having a bad personal image closes doors and makes us lose valuable opportunities that can help us grow on a personal, professional and academic level.
What is the group image?
The group or organizational image refers to the identity or group that is presented to society, the environment and / or other surroundings, the organizational image generates a large number of actions whose main purpose is to communicate and make the environment known with the In order to manifest this identity to obtain a positive public criticism thus giving an affirmative reputation. For this it is supported by the visual image that establishes the perception of the world towards the organization, the audiovisual image that are the resources that can be used to reach people and the environmental image that is presented at the time of having a conference or any presentation. of the organization, it influences the light with which the conference is given and the background music, etc. (King, 2012)
Creation of the Public Image
How is the public image created?
To build the public image, three elements are necessary: creativity, sensitivity and knowledge in order to achieve the desired objective. The image must take into account the characteristics and quality of the issuer which are going to be the starting point to be able to build a good image, because there must be credibility between what is shown to the public and what the person or the person really is. business. The stages that must be followed to build a public image are:
- Research: it is the basis that supports the rest of the methodology, where it is carried out in a market study through qualitative and quantitative inquiry, which will provide information regarding the perception that the target audience has of the client. This investigation comprises two parts: the internal investigation and the external investigation. Internal: the purpose of this stage is to know the perception that the members of the organization in which they work have. Its importance lies in knowing how much the work teams are wearing the shirt External: the purpose is to know the perception that customers (media, suppliers and competition) have of the company Design: is part of the audit of the image where ingenuity and creativity are very important.At this point, the factors that distort the perception are analyzed and possible solutions are proposed, considering aspects such as essential, temporary and economic. Production: this is the stage where the consultant puts into practice the recommendations he has made; that is to say, the ideas for improvement are brought down to the practical level. Evaluation: after making the suggestions made and putting them into practice, the results that have been generated must be evaluated, for which a re-investigation is necessary; that is, to follow up on the actions implemented and to know the repercussions that these have caused on the image of the organization, to know if the decisions made have been correct and how successful they have been, as well as to know the failures and implement a plan to correct them. (González B., 2012)2012)2012)considering aspects such as essential, temporary and economic. Production: it is the stage where the consultant puts into practice the recommendations he has made; that is to say, the ideas for improvement are brought down to the practical level. Evaluation: after making the suggestions made and putting them into practice, the results that have been generated must be evaluated, for which a re-investigation is necessary; that is, to follow up on the actions implemented and to know the repercussions that these have caused on the image of the organization, to know if the decisions made have been correct and how successful they have been, as well as to know the failures and implement a plan to correct them. (González B., 2012)considering aspects such as essential, temporary and economic. Production: it is the stage where the consultant puts into practice the recommendations he has made; that is to say, the ideas for improvement are brought down to the practical level. Evaluation: after making the suggestions made and putting them into practice, the results that have been generated must be evaluated, for which a re-investigation is necessary; that is, to follow up on the actions implemented and to know the repercussions that these have caused on the image of the organization, to know if the decisions made have been correct and how successful they have been, as well as to know the failures and implement a plan to correct them. (González B., 2012)improvement ideas are brought down to the practical level. Evaluation: after making the suggestions made and putting them into practice, the results that have been generated must be evaluated, for which a re-investigation is necessary; that is, to follow up on the actions implemented and to know the repercussions that these have caused on the image of the organization, to know if the decisions made have been correct and how successful they have been, as well as to know the failures and implement a plan to correct them. (González B., 2012)improvement ideas are brought to a practical level. Evaluation: after making the suggestions made and putting them into practice, the results that have been generated must be evaluated, for which a re-investigation is necessary; that is, to follow up on the actions implemented and to know the repercussions that these have caused on the image of the organization, to know if the decisions taken have been correct and how successful they have been, as well as to know the failures and implement a plan to correct them. (González B., 2012)Follow up on the actions implemented and know the repercussions that they have caused on the image of the organization, to know if the decisions made have been correct and how successful they have been, as well as know the failures and implement a plan to correct them. (González B., 2012)Follow up on the actions implemented and know the repercussions that they have caused on the image of the organization, to know if the decisions made have been correct and how successful they have been, as well as know the failures and implement a plan to correct them. (González B., 2012)
conclusion
Imaging is part of the new trends in marketing whose main purpose is to create a positive image of the organization or person, about the public, respecting the essence and characteristics of it, thus working on the areas of opportunity in the physical, professional, verbal aspect, visual, that allow to create and project an image of credibility and trust to the public.
Bibliography
- Concept. (2016). Obtained from Concept Image - Definition at DeConceptos.com http://deconceptos.com/general/imagen#ixzz46KhhtYrMGonzález, B. (2012). Retrieved from: https://biancagonzalez.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/imagologia-como-se-construye-la-imagen-publica/Gordoa, V. (2007). The power of the public image. Mexico: Random House Mandadori. Izquierdo, JL (December 28, 2009). Retrieved from: http://jorge-imagology.blogspot.com/2009/12/la-palabra-imagologia-parte-de-la-raiz.htmlKing, KI (2012). Imagology or the integral management of the public image. Gestiópolis. Meanings. (2016). Obtained from
