Sooner or later, every brand must change. The skill is in understanding to what extent and when that change is necessary.
A rebrand can be a serious and, in some cases, risky undertaking for any organisation. It’s not something you should take lightly, particularly if your business has been around for a while. There’s a fine line between alienating a loyal customer base and capturing new supporters, so a rebranding project requires careful thought. From time to time, organisations rebrand for the wrong reasons, and when not implemented correctly, it can leave your business worse off than when you started.
A rebrand is about meaningful change
A rebrand is about more than a fresh lick of paint or a shiny new logo; it signals a period of meaningful change and can sometimes require a complete overhaul of the company’s goals, message and culture. A few high-profile organisations have changed their images in recent years with varying success. However, a common theme among the most successful rebranding projects is a shift towards simplification. This fact is further documented in a recent study by Siegel+Gale, ‘The Global Brand Simplicity Index 2015’ [1]. In a marketplace of increasing noise and clutter, a big idea expressed will inspire employees and customers and ultimately grow revenue.
Rebrand or brand refresh?
Before considering a rebrand, you must understand the reasons for change and the problem you are trying to solve. Sometimes, a simple evolution (brand refresh) is enough; other times, an extensive transformation (rebrand) is necessary. To determine the level of brand change that’s required, you must first explore why you might want to make a change.
There are many compelling reasons an organisation might consider a rebrand; they can be categorised as either proactive or reactive.
Proactive rebranding
- Predicted growth: If your business is preparing for rapid expansion, a rebrand can help position it for sustained growth.
- Globalisation: If your business is considering venturing into international markets, rebranding will help your organisation transition.
- Relevancy: If your brand is losing relevance in consumers’ minds, sales are declining, or your image looks dated, a rebrand can be an opportunity to reinvigorate and modernise it.
- New product or service: If your business has added significant new products or services, the brand story can become confusing. A rebrand will clarify your brand architecture.
- New strategic direction: If your business is planning a strategy that could potentially change its future direction, a rebrand can help communicate the new intent to its customers and employees.
Reactive rebranding
- Merger or acquisition: If your organisation has recently changed ownership due to a merger or acquisition, then it’s likely that your strategic direction has changed. A rebrand will allow you to reflect the different intentions of your newly formed company.
- Legal issues: If your business has encountered trademark or legal problems, a rebrand may be necessary to avoid any repercussions.
- Bad reputation: If your brand has suffered from negative publicity or become embroiled in a controversy, you may need to rebrand to rebuild trust from your stakeholders and customers.
- Industry influences: If new industry regulations or competitors threaten your ability to compete in your market, then a rebrand can reposition your offering and breathe new life into your brand.
- Memorability: If your customers can’t remember your brand, rebranding can help you create a more memorable experience and build familiarity and trust.
It’s time for change
If you’re considering a rebrand for your organisation, it probably means your old brand is no longer holding up. Whether it’s evolution or revolution, change is inevitable, whether you’ve planned it or not.
