Rebranding: When And How To Do It The Right Way

Rebranding: When And How To Do It The Right Way

Ever felt like your business was wearing clothes that didn't fit anymore?

That's how I felt about Inkbot Design a few years back.

We'd outgrown our original brand like a teenager outgrowing their favourite hoodie.

It was time for a change. But where to start?

Rebranding isn't just slapping on a new logo and calling it a day.

It's a delicate dance of preserving your core identity while evolving to meet new market demands.

Get it right, and you'll breathe new life into your business.

Get it wrong, and you might as well be flushing your brand equity down the toilet.

So, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of rebranding – when, how to do it right, and how to avoid the pitfalls that have tripped up even the biggest brands.

🔰 TL;DR: Rebranding is a powerful tool for business evolution, but not without risks. This guide walks you through when to consider rebranding, how to do it effectively, and common pitfalls to avoid. We'll cover everything from recognising the signs it's time to change to implementing your new brand identity across all touchpoints. Whether you're a startup looking to pivot or an established company seeking relevance, you'll find actionable insights to guide your rebranding journey.

When Should You Consider Rebranding?

Rebranding isn't something you do on a whim because you're bored with your logo.

It's a strategic move that specific business needs should drive.

Here are some signs it might be time to consider a rebrand:

1. Your Brand No Longer Reflects Your Business 🔄

Businesses evolve. You could have expanded your services, entered new markets, or shifted your focus.

If your brand doesn't accurately represent who you are and what you do anymore, it's time for a change.

2. You're Struggling to Differentiate 🏆

In a crowded market, standing out is crucial.

A rebrand can create a unique identity if your brand blends into the background.

3. Your Brand Looks Outdated 🕰️

Design trends come and go.

If your brand looks stuck in a time warp, it might send the wrong message about your business.

4. You're Targeting a New Audience 🎯

Different demographics respond to other brand elements.

If you're shifting your target market, your brand might need to move too.

5. You're Dealing with a Reputation Problem 🚫

Sometimes, a rebrand is necessary to distance yourself from negative associations or past mistakes.

6. You're Preparing for a Merger or Acquisition 🤝

When companies join forces, a rebrand can help create a unified identity.

7. Your Brand Has Become Too Complex 🧩

Over time, brands can accumulate much baggage.

A rebrand can help simplify and clarify your message.

How to Rebrand the Right Way

Now that we've covered the ‘when', let's dive into the ‘how'.

Rebranding is a complex process, but these steps will help you navigate it successfully:

1. Start with Strategy 🧠

You need to nail down your strategy before considering logos or colour schemes.

Ask yourself:

• What are our core values?
• What's our mission?
• What makes us unique?
• Who are we trying to reach?
• Where do we want to be in 5, 10, 20 years?

Your answers to these questions should drive your rebrand.

2. Research, Research, Research 🔍

Don't make assumptions about your market or your audience.

Dive deep into data:

• Conduct market research
• Analyse competitors
• Survey your customers
• Study industry trends

The more you know, the more informed your rebranding decisions will be.

3. Define Your Brand Personality 🎭

Is your brand playful or serious? Luxurious or affordable? Innovative or traditional?

Your brand personality should inform every aspect of your rebrand, from your visual identity to your voice.

4. Develop Your Visual Identity 🎨

Now, we're getting to the fun part. Your visual identity includes:

• Logo
• Colour palette
• Typography
• Imagery style

Remember, these elements should all reflect your brand strategy and personality.

5. Craft Your Brand Voice 🗣️

Your brand voice is how you communicate with your audience. It should be consistent across all channels:

• Website copy
• Social media posts
• Marketing materials
• Customer service interactions

6. Create Brand Guidelines 📚

Brand guidelines ensure consistency across all touchpoints. They should cover:

• Proper usage of visual elements
• The tone of voice guidelines
• Do's and don'ts for brand representation

7. Plan Your Rollout 🚀

A rebrand isn't something you spring on people overnight. Plan a phased rollout:

• Internal launch to get employees on board
• Soft launch to test with a small audience
• Full public launch
• Ongoing implementation across all touchpoints

8. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate 📣

Don't leave your audience in the dark. Explain the reasons behind your rebrand:

• Share your story
• Highlight the benefits
• Address any concerns

9. Monitor and Adjust 📊

Once your rebrand is live, keep a close eye on how it's received:

• Track metrics like brand awareness and sentiment
• Gather feedback from customers and employees
• Be prepared to make tweaks if needed

Real-World Rebranding Examples

Let's look at some companies that have navigated the rebranding process successfully (and some that haven't):

The Good: Airbnb 🏠

In 2014, Airbnb unveiled a new logo and brand identity.

The ‘Bélo‘ symbol represented ‘belonging', aligning perfectly with their mission of helping people feel at home anywhere in the world.

Why it worked:

• The rebrand was deeply tied to the company's core values
• A clear explanation of the meaning behind the new logo accompanies it
• The new identity was flexible enough to work across various applications

The Bad: Gap 👖

In 2010, Gap unveiled a new logo that was met with immediate backlash.

They reverted to their old logo within a week.

Why it failed:

• The new logo was a drastic departure from their iconic blue box logo
• There was no clear rationale communicated for the change
• It felt like a change for the sake of change rather than a strategic move

The Ugly: Tropicana 🍊

2009, Tropicana redesigned its packaging, removing the iconic orange with a straw.

Sales dropped by 20% in two months, forcing them to revert to the old design.

Why it flopped:

• The new design removed vital elements that made the brand instantly recognisable
• It failed to consider the emotional connection customers had with the existing design
• The change was too drastic, confusing loyal customers

Common Rebranding Pitfalls to Avoid

Rebranding is a minefield of potential mistakes. Here are some common ones to watch out for:

1. Losing Your Core Identity 🧬

Evolution is good, but don't change so much that you become unrecognisable to your loyal customers.

2. Ignoring Your Audience 🙉

Your rebrand should resonate with your target market. Remember to consider their preferences and feedback.

3. Overlooking Digital Considerations 💻

Your rebrand must work across all digital platforms in today's digital-first world. Remember social media profiles, app icons, and website favicon.

4. Rushing the Process ⏱️

Rebranding takes time. Rushing it can lead to overlooked details and inconsistencies.

5. Failing to Get Buy-In 👥

Your employees are your brand ambassadors. If they're not on board with the rebrand, it's doomed to fail.

6. Underestimating the Costs 💰

Rebranding isn't just about designing a new logo. Factor in costs for new signage, packaging, marketing materials, and more.

7. Neglecting Legal Considerations ⚖️

Make sure your new brand elements aren't infringing on any existing trademarks.

The Rebranding Roadmap: A Step-by-Step Guide

Now that we've covered the why, when, and how of rebranding, let's break it down into a step-by-step roadmap:

1. Evaluate Your Current Brand 🔬

Before deciding where to go, you need to know where you are.

Conduct a thorough brand audit:

• Analyse your current brand positioning
• Assess brand awareness and perception
• Review your visual identity and messaging
• Evaluate your brand's performance against competitors

2. Define Your Rebranding Goals 🎯

What do you want to achieve with your rebrand?

Be specific:

• Increase brand awareness by X%
• Attract a new demographic (e.g., millennials)
• Reposition the brand as a premium offering
• Simplify the brand architecture

3. Research Your Market and Audience 🕵️

Dive deep into your target market:

• Conduct customer surveys and interviews
• Analyse market trends and competitor strategies
• Use social listening tools to understand public perception

4. Develop Your Brand Strategy 📝

Based on your research, develop a comprehensive brand strategy:

• Define your brand essence (who you are at your core)
• Articulate your brand promise (what you offer to customers)
• Identify your brand personality traits
• Craft your brand positioning statement

5. Create Your New Brand Identity 🎨

Now it's time to bring your strategy to life visually:

• Design a new logo (or evolve your existing one)
• Choose a colour palette that reflects your brand personality
• Select typography that aligns with your brand voice
• Develop a visual style for imagery and graphics

6. Craft Your Brand Messaging 📢

Develop a messaging framework that communicates your brand strategy:

• Write a compelling brand story
• Craft your key messages
• Define your tone of voice
• Create taglines or slogans if needed

7. Develop Brand Guidelines 📚

Create comprehensive guidelines to ensure consistent application of your new brand:

• Logo usage rules
• Colour and typography specifications
• The tone of voice guidelines
• Examples of do's and don'ts

8. Plan Your Rollout Strategy 🗓️

Map out a phased approach to launching your new brand:

• Internal launch to employees
• Soft launch to key stakeholders
• Public launch
• Ongoing implementation across all touchpoints

9. Prepare Your Communication Plan 📣

Develop a strategy for communicating your rebrand:

• Craft messaging for different audiences (employees, customers, partners)
• Plan PR activities and press releases
• Prepare social media announcements
• Update all marketing materials

10. Launch Your New Brand 🚀

Execute your rollout plan:

• Host a launch event (virtual or physical)
• Update all digital properties
• Roll out new signage and packaging
• Train employees on the new brand

11. Monitor and Optimise ⚙️

Keep a close eye on how your rebrand is performing:

• Track brand awareness and sentiment
• Monitor sales and customer feedback
• Be prepared to make adjustments based on data and feedback

Remember, rebranding is not a one-time event.

It's an ongoing process of aligning your brand with your business goals and audience's needs.

The Rebranding Balancing Act: Preserving Heritage While Embracing Change

One of the trickiest aspects of rebranding is striking the right balance between honouring your brand's heritage and pushing it forward.

It's like trying to renovate a historic building – you want to modernise without losing the character that made it unique in the first place.

When I rebranded Inkbot Design, I was terrified of losing the essence of what made us… well, us.

We had built a loyal client base who knew us for our bold, innovative designs.

However, we also needed to evolve to reflect our growing expertise in broader brand strategy.

The solution?

We kept our logo's core colour palette and the ‘minimal' element but refined and simplified the overall design.

This allowed us to signal growth and sophistication while maintaining a connection to our roots.

Here are some tips for walking this tightrope:

1. Identify Your Brand's Core Elements 🧠

What are the non-negotiables that define your brand?

These could be visual elements, values, or critical messages.

Keep these at the heart of your rebrand.

2. Evolve, Don't Revolve 🔄

Unless you're completely changing direction, aim for evolution rather than revolution.

Gradual changes are often more palatable to existing customers.

3. Tell Your Brand's Story 📖

Use your rebrand as an opportunity to reinforce your brand's journey.

Show how your new identity is a natural progression of your history.

4. Involve Your Long-Time Customers 🤝

Consider involving loyal customers in the rebranding process.

Their insights can be invaluable, and their buy-in can help smooth the transition.

5. Keep One Foot in the Familiar 👣

Try to retain at least one familiar element in your new brand identity.

This could be a colour, shape, or tagline your audience strongly associates with you.

Measuring the Success of Your Rebrand

You've put in the work, launched your new brand, and… now what?

How do you know if your rebrand was successful?

Here are some key metrics to track:

1. Brand Awareness 👀

Has recognition of your brand increased?

Tools like surveys and social listening can help you gauge this.

2. Brand Perception 🧠

How do people feel about your new brand?

Look at sentiment analysis from social media and customer feedback.

3. Website Traffic 🌐

A successful rebrand often leads to increased curiosity.

Monitor your website analytics for spikes in traffic.

4. Social Media Engagement 💬

Are more people interacting with your brand on social platforms?

Look at metrics like followers, likes, shares, and comments.

5. Sales and Revenue 💰

Ultimately, a rebrand should positively impact your bottom line.

Track changes in sales figures and revenue.

6. Customer Loyalty ❤️

Are your existing customers sticking with you?

Monitor metrics like customer retention rate and repeat purchase rate.

7. Employee Satisfaction 😊

Don't forget about internal stakeholders.

Survey your employees to gauge how they feel about the new brand.

Remember, some of these metrics might dip initially as people adjust to the change.

It's essential to track them over time to see the long-term impact of your rebrand.

Conclusion: Embracing Change, Preserving Identity

Rebranding is like getting a makeover for your business.

When done right, it can make you look and feel like a whole new (and improved) version of yourself.

When done wrong, let's say there's a reason “makeover disaster” shows exist.

The key is to approach rebranding with a clear strategy, a deep understanding of your audience, and a willingness to evolve while staying true to your core identity.

Remember, your brand is more than just a logo or a colour scheme.

It's your promise to your customers, the values you stand for, and the experience you deliver.

A successful rebrand should enhance and clarify that promise, not muddy it.

So, are you ready to give your brand a fresh coat of paint?

Just remember: measure twice and cut once.

Or, in branding terms, research thoroughly, strategise carefully, and execute thoughtfully.

And if you're feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of rebranding, don't worry.

That's what experts are for.

At Inkbot Design, we've guided countless businesses through successful rebrands.

We'd happily help you navigate this exciting (sometimes scary) journey.

After all, change might be intimidating, but stagnation is the natural killer in business.

So go ahead, take that leap. Your future brand is waiting for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Remember, rebranding is a journey, not a destination. It's about evolving your brand to serve your customers better and achieve your business goals. With careful planning, execution, and ongoing management, your rebrand can set the stage for your next chapter of success.

Whether you're considering a minor refresh or a major overhaul, the team at Inkbot Design is here to guide you through every step of the process. We've helped businesses of all sizes reimagine their brands and emerge more robust, focused, and better positioned for success.

Ready to leap? Let's chat about how we can help you rebrand the right way.