From the old wallpaper still hanging in your dining room to the iOS update you keep asking to “remind you later”, everything needs an upgrade now and then. Your brand is no different. As your business changes and grows, a rebrand provides a way to reintroduce your business to the audience and debut a new and improved look.
However, as much as a rebrand can benefit your company, it can also hurt it if you haven’t thought things through properly. It’s not a secret weapon for boosting sales or looking innovative. Before you go full steam ahead on a redesign, consider these factors to decide whether or not you should rebrand your business.
You SHOULD Rebrand: To Reach a New Audience
Sometimes your first stab at branding won’t exactly hit the mark. If you’re not attracting the kind of customers you intended, a rebrand can be a great way to appeal to your target customers.
You might also consider redesigning your brand when expanding to a new market. If you’ve had success with one demographic and want to spread to another, a rebrand may be needed to appeal to your new potential customers. Following design trends and how they appeal to specific demographics is important for keeping your business relevant, and a fresh brand look can usher those new audiences in.
You SHOULDN’T Rebrand: If You Have a Strong Recognition
If your audience already has a secure attachment to your current brand, be careful about any changes you decide to make. You may risk confusing or upsetting customers who have are loyal to your existing brand.
Orange juice brand Tropicana faced this problem when they redesigned their logo and packaging in 2009 to simplify and modernize their brand. Consumers rejected the rebrand, and within months Tropicana returned to its original look. Tropicana failed to recognize their audience already had a strong emotional bond with its brand. The new packaging was so different and generic, people both philosophically and literally could not identify it. Consider your own audience’s loyalties before launching a full brand overhaul.
You SHOULD Rebrand: To Differentiate from Competitors
Do you feel like your brand looks exactly the same as every one of your competitors? A rebrand can give your company a fresh look and communicate traits which differentiate your company within the industry. Your company is unique and different, and your branding should reflect that. If your current brand doesn’t feel authentic or one-of-a-kind, it’s not serving you as well as it could be.
You SHOULDN’T Rebrand: Because Everyone Else Is
When you work in a rapidly growing and changing industry, it may feel like you have to rebrand to keep up with everybody else. Though a brand refresh may have helped another company in your industry, it doesn’t mean you have to jump in and do the same thing. If you’re performing well and have no other reason to rebrand other than “everyone else is doing it,” hold off. Wait and see how consumers respond to your competitors’ new brand before making your own drastic decisions. You never know, maybe they decided to rebrand to keep up with your company.
You SHOULD Rebrand: If Your Business Model Changed
As your business has grown and evolved, you have likely had to shift your business model or product offering slightly. If your key benefits or business focus has changed, a rebrand may be in order to illustrate how your company has progressed. You want your audience to know what kind of company you are now, and an old brand can keep you stuck in the past.
You SHOULDN’T Rebrand: If Nothing Has Changed
If your business has all the same products, values and audiences, and you’re still seeing growth and success, guess what? Your current brand is probably working. A rebrand might confuse your audience or distract from your overall success. Keep doing what you’re doing and wait for a real reason to refresh your brand.
If your brand looks stuck in the last century and you are passionate about changing it, consider a subtle evolution of the current brand. A small change like a more modern font or updated (but similar) color scheme can make a big difference.