The Communicators Guide to Co-operative Identity

The Communicators Guide to Co-operative Identity is an on-going project produced by Co-operative News, in association with domains.coop. Here we will bring together expert advice and shared experiences of...

The Communicators Guide to Co-operative Identity is an on-going project produced by Co-operative News, in association with domains.coop. Here we will bring together expert advice and shared experiences of what it means to be a co-operative – and how co-operative identity is displayed.

  • The .coop domain was developed alongside the Coop Marque to create distinctive co-op identity

    Standing out as a co-operative: how trusted is a .coop domain?

    Web visitors trust and recognise the legitimacy of the .coop domain, according to a survey from the internet registrar. ICANN commissioned Nielsen to carry out the survey, which reached 6,144 consumers across 24 countries that spend more than five hours a week online. In the survey, 28% of users who said they are likely to visit a website under this domain said they trusted .coop, which is ...

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  • The Co-operative Marque: communicating co-operation

    In November 2013, the global Co-operative Marque was officially launched at the International Co-operative Alliance’s conference and General Assembly in Cape Town. Unveiled at a dazzling laser show by ICA president Dame Pauline Green in front of 1,200 delegates from 86 countries, the new global brand was the first major change in the visual identity of the co-operative movement in almost 100 ...

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  • Setting the co-operative standard

    Today’s shoppers are faced with a wide array of certified goods – from supermarket brands through to products bought by co-operatives. While this certification is predominantly used to show either the source of a product, the quality of ingredients or even environmental credentials, all logos/marques have a common identifier. Take, for instance, the COOP Marque. [caption ...

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  • Tips: using the Marque

    Calverts, the agency that designed the Marque, explains how to make the most of it. Appoint a Marque ‘champion’ in your organisation, with responsibility for making sure everyone uses the Marque correctly, consistently and creatively. Keep the Marque style guide handy, and preferably in a shared access folder, so that you and others can easily check that they are using the Marque ...

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  • Our co-operative identity

    Co-operative identity forms a key pillar of the Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade. The global Co-operative Marque, launched in 2013, was the first significant change to the visual identity of the movement in almost 100 years. It is a clear signal that co-operative enterprise is professional and contemporary. One of the strongest messages from across the global sector was that co-ops need ...

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  • The .coop domain was developed alongside the Coop Marque to create distinctive co-op identity

    Movement must build on its good reputation

    Community and solidarity are two words associated with the co-operative movement by members and non-members around the world. A 2012 study from global research group IPSOS, which interviewed people in five cities across five continents to find out the true perception of the movement, produced other positive words, such as profit sharing, ownership, sharing and mutual aid. But the focus ...

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  • Sicoob, a national co-operative bank in Brazil

    How are organisations using Co-operative Marque?

    Since its launch in 2013, co-operatives around the world have begun to use the global Marque to highlight that they are a co-operative. Here we showcase a few of the boldest and most imaginative uses. Top: Brazilian financial co-operative, Sicoob, is a national co-operative bank. Its north west headquarters, currently being developed, will feature the global Marque in order to ...

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  • Working with other co-ops to promote your identity

    What do energy co-operatives, credit unions and consumer co-ops have in common? They have all found common ground as a co-operative business by getting behind a unique identity. With a defragmented co-operative grocery market in the UK, independent retail societies with many different facia came together to launch a common brand, named ‘The Co-operative’. Set up by the largest retail ...

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  • The seven co-operative principles are our DNA – but look for clear marketing messages

    In a world suffering from a deficit of democratic representation and from short-termism, co-operatives demonstrate how business can be done not only differently, but better – not only for their own benefit, but for the world’s. This first paragraph is the opening sentence to the identity section in the Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade, published last year by the International Co-operative ...

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  • How strong can the COOP marque be?

    Around the world hundreds of thousands of companies are showing their corporate responsibility slant through many varied marques, logos and stamps. From Fairtrade through to social enterprise – all of these ethical beacons have given organisations common ownership of an identity. But, these identities started with one thing in common – a small number of pioneers looking to make a ...

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  • coop marque launch

    Be proud and loud: you’re a co-operative

    Co-operatives have a powerful identity. An identity built on seven unique principles that no corporate social responsibility department in private businesses can replicate. Whether operating in agriculture or education, energy or retail, banking or insurance, co-operatives are enterprises that put people at the heart of economic decision-making rather than the red-blooded rush to maximise ...

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  • Co-operative identity

    Seven ways to promote your co-operative difference

    In a crowded and busy market, how can you distinguish your business? Evidence shows that people associate co-operatives with trust and fairness. If you want to mark out your business, demonstrating that it is a co-op can be effective. Here are seven ways to promote your co-operative difference.

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