There is a great deal of merit that surrounds rebranding. A proper rebranding strategy can reinvigorate a company, it can resurrect it, give it new life. With the appropriate rebranding, you will be able to, in a way, start from the beginning, but a stronger foundation. Logistics, contacts, networks, staff, you will practically keep all, if not most, of everything you have, while still being able to try out new things.
However, there are many instances of a company rebranding too soon, or for no good reason, and then getting into trouble. From BP oil setting up a condescending rebrand and campaign to the money Gap wasted on flip-flopping with their own logo. Rebranding is an expensive and complicated procedure, and if you do it too soon, or too hard, or too often, you will just end up losing money and time. So, below you can find our top tips on how to figure out whether you need a rebrand done or not.
Your mission, and peoples' perceptions
Branding isn’t just about looking cool. It’s also not about trends, about colors, fonts, about an obsession with design. Your brand isn’t even really your logo. What it is, is a message. These are all elements that are supposed to communicate your message, they are channels that remind people that the service they are using, and the product they are buying, is made by you.
Now, the main issue here is figuring out your mission. Namely, in order to have your rebrand be effective, you must at all times be certain what your mission is, what your company stands for. Otherwise, you won’t really achieve much with your branding efforts. So, figure out what you want to communicate through your brand, how you want people to look at you and your company. And if you are unsatisfied with how they perceive you now, then it’s time to change. Now, the reason behind your dissatisfaction can vary. This can be anything from perhaps mistakes that have been made, or perhaps your competitors ruining the entire reputation of the industry, right down to simply propaganda or bad luck. Whatever the reason it happened, it’s now up to you to just change things up.
Now, there is however a slight caveat to this point. Namely, it depends on who has actually started looking at your brand differently. Random tabloid journalists, celebrities without any clout in your market, or your target audience and industry experts? And on that note…
When your target audience changes
You, of course, rely on your target audience, there are no ifs, ands, or buts about that. They are, in fact, the people who buy your products, who pay for your services. So, if your target audience changes in any way, you need to make changes as well. As you evolve, so does your target audience.
Now, the reasons behind the change can vary. Perhaps your original audience just became older. YOU may have targeted teenagers and, as time went on, they grew up. This leaves you with choosing one of two things. You can either focus on teenagers continually, preparing your products and marketing efforts for new generations, or you can change things up and stick to your core audience.
When you change your focus
The second issue is not so much your audience changing, as you yourself wanting to change. This can be anything, from branching out, to changing your own products and services. Perhaps you are not inspired anymore with the line of work you are currently doing. Or maybe you want to dip your toes in other waters. Maybe you want to try targeting a new demographic, like people over 45, for example, instead of just sticking to young adults. Maybe you prefer targeting another country, and so need to tailor your marketing efforts in that direction.
This is much harder than it sounds, though. You need to get the right marketing team, get your research done, and actually do all the logistical work that leads to a rebrand. Of course, you can delegate. So, you can, for example, hire the services of a good company, like getting some Orion Creative graphic designers to help you out, and focus on other things. You will spend less time on trivial things, and more time on leading the company or your team.
The times they are a changing
The entire point of having a brand is to communicate your message, as we’ve mentioned. However, if you want to get your business noticed, in a positive way, you need to do the work and change things up when needed. Perhaps your logo is now considered old fashioned. Perhaps your slogan can now be interpreted as outdated, or even offensive. Whether people are becoming more sensitive, or perhaps more aware, it doesn’t matter. For example, the Washington redskins’ name controversy is an excellent example. People have become more self-aware, and a bit more mindful of how certain words are used nowadays. As the term “redskin” is now considered more universally offensive, the team’s manages now have to deal with this issue.
On a simpler note, perhaps your logo is now ugly. A detailed and artistic representation of your company is now seen as gaudy, and minimalism is taking over. An excellent example is comparing Apple’s old logo, with its modern one. The old logo represented Isaac Newton sitting below a tree. The new one is a simple, 2D apple. And we all know which one reminds us of which.
Conclusion
So, proper rebranding can be a godsend. It can reinvigorate your company, push you forward towards new avenues and markets. It can save a company from the brink of collapse, but also make a successful business even stronger. The point here, however, is that it’s not that easy. It requires a lot of work, time, and dedication. For this reason, you need to think long and hard on whether you need to do a rebrand or not. Figure out if its time for a change, check your market, think about what your new goals are, and act accordingly.
