- Nina Sletten
Time for a rebrand?
We all know branding is important, but at what point do you decide that your brand no longer works for you and it's worth the investment to change it.
So first of all, what is actually a brand? There is some confusion around this, as many refer to the logo as the brand. Whilst the logo forms an important part of your brand, your brand is a lot more. It's the sum of all the touchpoints and the collected impression your company gives. It can include your logo, name, colours, images, copy, design, product, social media, interior, food, customer service, uniforms etc, basically anything a customer might come in contact with.
There are several reasons you might want to consider a rebrand:
Your brand does not accurately reflect your business or what your do If you change what you do, what you offer or how you offer it, then it's likely your brand might no longer represent your business.
Your marketplace has changed If your market has changed a lot, you need to assess your brand to make sure you are still competitive within it. 10 years ago I did a brand for one of my long standing clients, The Organic Protein Company. The company was at that point the only supplier of organic whey protein in the UK, so it was easy to stand out in the market. Now, that market has completely exploded, so we recently decided it was time for a rebrand to make sure the product would remain current and competitive.
You don't stand out If there is a lot of others competing for the same customers who all look similar, a rebrand can help you to reposition yourself and make sure you stand out in the marketspace.
The brand is outdated Styles, trends and tastes change over time, so if your brand is starting to look a bit stiff and outdated, a rebrand can help you inject some life back into your brand.
You no longer attract the right customers If you are not getting the customers you want, then a rebrand can help you reposition yourself so that you can easier target those customers which will take your business in the direction that you want.
So, do you need a rebrand?
Assessing your own brand is important to make sure you are positioned correctly and that you are sending out the right messages. A rebrand for a small business is a very different matter than for a huge corporation, but it is still important that you do it for the right reasons, not just because you don't like a certain colour.
Look at your current brand as a whole, then consider this:
Does it reflect your company, your values and your ' company personality'?
Does it reflect what you do?
Does it appeal to and engage your ideal customers?
Does it stand out among your competitors?
What do you need to change?
Normally a rebrand for a small company would be focused on
The visual brand or the visual identity (logo, colours, fonts, images, graphical styles and illustrations)
The copy and tone of voice
This would then form the basis for the brand extensions, where the brand would come alive through the different applications which might include:
Website
Stationery
Packaging
Social media
Marketing material
Signage
Not necessary everything needs to change in a rebrand, sometimes part of the previous brand works well and can be brought through the rebrand (maybe the logo just needs a bit of refining). The main thing is to make sure all the assets work well together to create a form of visual language which is able represent your company and communicate with your customers.
A rebrand done right and for the right reasons can help you reposition your company, connect with your ideal customers, and steer your company in the right direction. If you got a brand which needs a some TLC or a complete makeover, then contact me for a free consultation and we will soon get you back on track.