Signs you need a rebrand

These days, it seems like everyone and their mother is talking about rebrands. Dunkin’ recently dropped “Donuts” from its name, Burger King has gone back to its vintage feel, and even a walk down the shampoo aisle illuminates an ongoing trend of consumer packaging design going minimalistic.

Needless to say, it’s totally understandable to find yourself thinking: “Does my organization need a rebrand?” Frankly, it might.

First, it’s important to understand what exactly a brand is: it’s not just a logo. Messaging, colors, supplemental design features, photography, values, even company behaviors—all of these things are also wrapped up in your brand. Your brand is your reputation, and it is arguably the most important investment in your organization that you could make.

How do you know when it’s time to freshen things up? There aren’t necessarily hard and fast rules, but here are a few of the guidelines we tell our clients:

• It’s been at least 5–10 years since you last updated your brand. Messaging should be revisited at least every 5 years. Your overall visuals may stay relevant for up to 10 years, but it’s common to make small tweaks more often. And if you haven’t touched either your messaging or visuals in 10 years…well, you’re due for an overhaul.

• Your competitors are shaking things up. While we don’t typically advise clients to follow the lead of what their competitors are doing, it is important to “keep up,” so to speak. If the industry around you is rebranding, chances are you’ll need to rebrand too to stay relevant.

• Your brand no longer reflects your values and/or services. What you stood for years ago may not be what you stand for now. Or maybe your organization has expanded to include new services or products. These are normal—and great—things, but if your brand doesn’t reflect these changes, no one will know what the “real you” is.

• You want to reach a new audience. Different audiences resonate with different values and design aesthetics. So, if your company hasn’t been attracting the customers you want, a new brand could help you better align with your target audience.

• Sales have been declining. No, branding isn’t the only driver of sales, but it can have an impact. A rebrand alone may not do the trick, but coupled with more persistent, strategic marketing and product innovation, rethinking your brand could give your sales numbers a jolt.

Still thinking about your brand?

If your brand is keeping you up at night, or you even think it could be time, we’d love to hear your story and brainstorm bold ideas.