James BundeyJune 16, 2013
If only it was that simple. And yes maybe for your business it is, but in my experience the company rebrand always appears to be the one marketing decision that businesses move on with the least amount of research or preparation. Strangely it’s often a very emotional decision, driven from the top , so people want to move on it quickly without first understanding how it may effect their business.
If by chance you woke up this morning and decided your businesses needs a new look, you may find the following quotes, all of which i’ve heard numerous times over the past 17 years, hit close to home.
“our company name doesn’t tell people what we do”
There’s only really one reason I would advocate changing your brand name and that is if your business no longer reflects the products or services you once offered and is now completely out-of-place in the market. However, it’s not essential that your brand name doesn’t exactly reflect your product, service or market, Apple, McDonalds & Pepsi are just a few companies who appear to be doing okay with names that don’t reflect their products. Ultimately the strength and success of your brand is what you make it.
“our brand’s not strong enough”
Firstly, whatever you may think of your brand, it has equity and value. There are people who instantly recognise your brand, trust it and most importantly have bought into it. Just because you’re bored looking at the same name or logo everyday doesn’t mean your clients are. Before you rush to judgement, choose five of your most important clients ask them how they feel about your brand and what it represent to them. You may be surprised by the answers.
“we’re not doing as well as we should be, we need a new look”
Firstly a true rebrand is more than a new look, it’s about establishing an entire identity for your business, you need to clearly define to the market who you are, what you offer and why you’re the solution to their problem. I’ve met with too many business who have spent thousands rebranding only to still be in the same place two years later still wondering why their business hasn’t grown. People are too quick to blame the look without analysing the message.
“our logo’s outdated, we need a new one”
I can not stress this enough, if you have your heart set on a new logo complete an audit first. Establish where your logo is being used in your business – stationery, packaging, uniforms, brochures, invoices, signage etc. – and work out a replacement cost. Also, try to include the time needed to update computer files, email signatures and any other instances where your brand is used digitally. Once you’ve completed this you’ll probably going to have to sit down as the replacement figure has sent you into shock, but at the very least it shows you how much you’ll need to invest in making a change.
“we’re going to do a soft launch”
Which is really code for “the replacement figure’s huge, but I want a new logo and will not be stopped.” Avoid a soft launch like the plague, it brings nothing but heartache that leads to an unprofessional image to the outside world and eventually when it’s dragged on for two years your own customers, the loyal ones who love your brand, will be pointing out how bad it is and your competitors will be making jokes at your expense.
One final thing, if you are considering a rebrand, this article wasn’t created with the sole purpose to put you off. I’m hoping it helps guide you in the right direction to make all the necessary considerations first. Remember your brand is one of the most important assets so it pays to value it.
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