Rebranding is no rash task to take on. At Fifteen, our job is to help facilitate a company’s decision to rebrand. But why exactly would you decide that the time is right to do so? We’ll take a look at the reasons why you should, why you shouldn’t and some real examples of rebranding done right and rebranding done so so wrong!
Good times to rebrand…
A merger, take-over or renaming of the business.
During a merger, take-over or renaming of your business, there is a certain message you have to portray to your audience. Your logo will most likely need to change during this, so it is the perfect opportunity to roll out a rebrand. We saw this happen back in 2015, when T-Mobile and Orange merged in the UK and became EE. The brand launch was a huge success and their latest campaigns starring Kevin Bacon have helped establish EE’s brand across a variety of channels.
One thing to bear in mind: if your business name is changing but your current branding works, you might just want to tweak your logo to fit into your current branding. A great example of this is Opal Fruits. In 1998 they changed their name to Starburst but kept the successful branding. In fact it hasn’t really changed a great deal since then either!
Your core message or product has changed
If your business goes through a period of growth, or starts heading in a new direction then perhaps your brand needs to as well. We know from experience, as we rebranded in 2013 when we went from ‘Fifteen Design’ to just ‘Fifteen’ due to the growth and expansion of our digital and online marketing services. This is usually the most common reason for a business to rebrand, as it works as a visual metaphor to communicate the change in the business.
Apple’s early rainbow logo was eventually rebranded to a slick chrome look motif. This represented the update in image and technology of their product base.
Getting up to date
Now it’s all well and good having a fantastic brand that worked for you 5 years ago, but if that phone ain’t ringing, you’ve got a problem! Sometimes it’s a necessary process for a business to move with the times and make sure that they aren’t putting across an old fashioned way of thinking. It’s a very common problem that can sometimes be solved with a large rollout or a small update to your branding. A recent rebrand for Netflix saw them ditch their old cinema style for a fresh, stripped back look, while retaining enough familiarity for the rebrand to launch slightly under the radar.
Standing out from the crowd
It may be the case that your market has been flooded, and you’re currently sat alongside a range of competitors who all have a very similar style of branding to your business, now’s the time to make your mark!
When you probably shouldn’t rebrand…
For some, rebranding can be an expensive and lengthy process, so the last thing you want to do is rebrand when it is unnecessary.
When your branding already works
Some businesses have made the mistake of launching a new brand to which their customers have reacted badly. Sometimes it’s takes a period of adjustment and the new brand will sink in well, but in other cases businesses are forced to scrap the new brand and take a step back. One famous instance of this occurred in 2010 when GAP tried to refresh their style. The Internet caused such an uproar that they had to retract the rebrand. Luckily they hadn’t gone into a full rollout and the brand only lasted 3 days before being replaced with its predecessor.
For the sake of change
You might be fed up of your branding, but that’s fine! As long as you are delivering the right message and your branding works then there’s no need to invest in a rebrand just yet. If you assume you should rebrand because others are doing so, you’re not looking at the best way to inject more life into your business.
Steps to follow before you go ahead with a rebrand
Understand your core messaging
It’s all well and good going ahead with a rebrand, but what is at the centre of any great brand launch is the underlying message conveyed.
Know your audience
If you have a good understanding of your audience, you should have a good understanding of what they want from your business. Some companies have such large brand recognition that they can drop their name entirely from their logo. Starbucks did exactly that in 2011.
Hire the experts
If you want a rebrand done right, we suggest hiring an agency that have experience in rebranding. At Fifteen we have been involved in a great deal of rebrand projects, including Hendrix Media, UK WON and Westridge Golf Centre. If you want to find out more about how we can help you, please contact our friendly, helpful team today.