How to nail your rebranding

Businesses inevitably face the need to rebrand. It’s not a bad sign, it just means a business has grown past its current identity and needs a look that truly represents them. Before you leap, make sure you’re rebranding for the right reasons… not just because you’re bored. Maybe your business is/has evolved? Have or are changing direction? Maybe you’re no longer inspired by your brand and your customers aren’t either – or it reminds you of corduroy bell bottoms – dreadfully stuck in the past.

So What is a Rebrand?

It’s an update of a business’s goals, messaging and culture which are reflected in the brand’s look and feel. One that hopefully improves your position with existing customers and your first impression with potential customers. What it’s not: just a name change. Remember, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Only rebrand if your business needs it. Unnecessary or poorly considered branding decisions can scare off customers and confuse existing ones, who will end up leaving you. If you have strong brand equity, consider what might be lost before you change. So, how do you do this? Designing logo options

Firstly: what are the reasons behind the rebrand?

Understanding why you want to rebrand will guide the process. Knowing what end result you desire can help in all sorts of branding decisions. Here are some factors to consider and what impact they would have on your rebrand.
  1. You are fundamentally changing your business - your offering, how you operate, target demographics; anything that might mean you need to appeal to a different audience or communicate a different vision. If you know who you're targeting in the future, this will help inform any new branding decisions, like colours and style.
  2. Your brand is looking a bit stuck in the past. This one is fairly easy to spot - you might just need to update your assets to a more modern palette or style. Rarely a business might need to rebrand because it harks back to a passe trend or societal norm that is no longer relevant. In that case, careful understanding of where your market is at now will be important.
  3. The competitive landscape of your industry is shifting. There might be new players entering the market, or you need to adapt your messaging to keep up with what others are already doing. In this case, you'll want to do some competitive research (or ask us to!) to understand what needs to change and how.

Follow the rebranding fundamentals

Research: Know how and where you fit. Who is your market? Your competition? What is your team culture? It’s a good time to look at performance, your strengths/ weaknesses, values, and goals? You may need to cater for a changing audience or adapt to increasing competition, make sure you know your purpose. Differentiate: A successful brand is seen as unique in customers’ minds. If you’re rebranding, look at adding new features or something extra, giving customers more reason to stay with you during the change. Very occasionally, you can also emulate what other brands are doing in your sphere if you need more industry visibility - but be very careful how you approach this and always add your own spin. Communicate: Send your customers ample and personal communication explaining what it means for them. Update your website and social media pages, and advertise where you need to; Google Ads are a great way to get the word out fast. If you ARE changing your business name, roll out the change in steps - it will take a while for both people and search engines to catch up. Consistency: Your brand message needs to be repeated across every touch point a customer could come across; business card, advert, branded stationery etc. That includes everywhere online too, make sure your domain name and all your social media handles are available before you start the process and change your name! Making a list of everywhere your business is featured is the best place to start before you roll our your rebrand.

Think You Need a Rebrand?

At ninetyblack, our brand work is guided by these principles – to ensure that we get you the right look, to the right people, in the right places. So, are you ready? Call the brand professionals today on 0800 90 25 22.