Rebranding in 2018
It might be the right time for a change in brand identity. New year, new you, right? There are a whole host of reasons why brands might want a fresh new look and feel. What’s most important for a successful rebranding is that you approach it correctly.
The first step is to get clear on what a brand actually is. Spoiler, it’s not just your logo! A brand is the sum of all messages, interactions, and experiences a customer has with your people, your services, and yes, your products. A brand’s look, feel, and message should all tell one story. That means your logo, tagline, typography, and design need to be aligned.
Why are you rebranding?
It may seem like a silly question but before you start the process, it is important to fully understand why you are rebranding in order to set objectives and criteria. Rebranding – or, an overhaul of your brand – is often done in order to reposition a company in a crowded marketplace. Or perhaps your company is going through a merger. Maybe you need to refocus your efforts to expand your audience. Maybe you have a bad reputation you’re trying to move away from? Whatever the case, just be sure to answer “why?”
What is the scope of the rebrand?
Another crucial aspect to any rebrand is considering how big you’re going. Are you starting completely from scratch? Are you making slight changes to your image, to reach new leads and reenergize your {potentially} bored audience? A partial rebrand is great if you are simply looking to modernize a little bit. A total transformation may be the right choice for other brands. Your rebranding efforts might include a fresh logo, a brand new name, a different marketing strategy, a revamped brand story, or a new website. For a project larger in scope, be sure to put the necessary time in, doing research and planning.
Things to watch out for:
- Be careful not to alienate your old audience. This seems like a “duh!” moment to me but please make efforts not to drive your current audience away. Snapchat, for instance, recently launched a redesign and people h-a-t-e it. In Snapchat’s case, I don’t necessarily believe that people will stop using the app because of the update but it’s certainly something to consider; can you afford to anger your preexisting fan-base?
- Do not skip the step of strategy. A rebranding strategy is as important as the brand elements themselves. Have a plan to roll out your new look. Have a plan to get your team on board with the new messaging. At every step of the process you’ll be researching, writing timelines, and spelling out your goals.
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Setting your organization apart from the rest starts with good branding. Got rebranding on the mind but need more information? Check out our past blogs on the subject of branding or work your way through our convenient rebranding checklist. With the right planning and organizational processes in place everything should go smoothly.
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