Rebrand vs Refresh
Which Brand Strategy Will Work Best for Your Business?
Considering a rebrand to revitalise your business? Before diving into a full-scale rebranding project, it's important to assess if it's the right move for where your company is headed, or whether a brand refresh could yield better results.
While a complete rebrand can be a great strategy for a growing business, it involves a significant commitment, investment, and leap into the unknown. Brands like Burberry, Uber, and Apple have successfully undergone rebrands*, that brought about great returns, however, it's crucial to identify whether your company is trying to shift its direction, or simply build on what it’s currently doing in a new and refreshed way.
For large companies with established, loyal audiences, rebranding carries risks and may not always yield the desired results. Gap's failed attempt at rebranding serves as a cautionary tale, prompting a quick reversion to their old and familiar ways. In such instances, a brand refresh** might have been a more feasible option, which would allow the company to build on what their audience was already expecting from them.
A rebrand
involves a significant strategic change, either within the company's product range, or target audience, or service level, that then needs to be correctly communicated to the outside world and understood by the brand’s intended audience. Creatively, rebranding means writing a completely new brand positioning statement, strapline, and set of value statements, establishing a new brand voice, and creating a whole new look and feel, all with the goal of reflecting the strategic change that happened when it comes to the company’s direction.
A brand refresh
involves much smaller, incremental improvements and is akin to giving your business a visual makeover while retaining its strategic essence. Rather than taking a leap into the unknown, and venturing out towards a new target audience or launching a completely new service range, a brand refresh allows you to stick to what your customers already know and love about you while giving your communications strategy a creative boost.
Before you make a decision on whether a rebrand or a refresh is the right strategy for you, it’s important to understand where your brand is today, what’s working, and what’s not, so that you can make an informed decision.
Below, we’ve listed a few questions and considerations that will hopefully help you decide:
What does your brand currently convey about your business?
Is your brand's message and image confusing or outdated?
Has your company progressed when it comes to the services offered, while your brand remained stagnant?
What aspects of your brand do you and your customers appreciate and want to retain?
How do you want your customers to perceive your brand in the future?
Are you planning a shift towards a different target audience, or are you looking to adjust the way you do things?
Determine your restyling budget
Decide how extensively you want to refresh your brand. Do you require more than just an updated logo? What about your brand messaging? Do you need to give your website content an overhaul? Does your website will require a redesign after you refresh the brand identity and language? Be selective and strategic about choosing a partner for your brand refresh and seek expert guidance for optimising your budget. If your brand requires a significant overhaul across several touch points (brand identity, copywriting, website), it’s best to work with an agency that offers all the necessary services under one roof, rather than trying to assemble a team of freelancers. This way, you’ll be able to work with a team who understand each other, work within the same standards and guidelines, and as a result will produce a better outcome.
Ways to Refresh Your Brand on Your Own
REWRITE your brand story
Re-evaluate the narrative of your brand, considering its history and journey to its present state. Rewrite and share your brand story through your website's "About Us" page. Your brand story shapes its personality, which plays a crucial role in connecting with customers.
Update and modernise your website
Ensure your website features modern graphics and high-quality imagery. A poorly designed and unappealing website can deter potential customers. Make your website a reflection of your business, easy to navigate, and visually pleasing. A well-designed and user-friendly website can enhance your brand's credibility.
Invest in branded photography
Replace pixelated images, outdated graphics, and generic stock photos with professional, unique photography of the real people behind the brand, tailored specifically to your audience. Present your brand as distinctive and exceptional, setting it apart from others.
In conclusion, a rebrand is a big shift in business direction that requires many considerations. A brand refresh is an evolutionary journey for your business that can be done in incremental steps. Either strategy can help you achieve fantastic results, however, it's vital to understand the goal behind the rebrand or brand refresh, so that you can make an informed decision, and ensure that you’re not risking what you’ve already achieved.
Are you feeling inspired to rebrand or refresh your brand, but uncertain about how to get started?
Our expert team is here to provide guidance on the best way forward. Contact us today for expert advice and personalized solutions to bring your brand identity to life. Together, we'll create a powerful and refreshed brand that leaves a lasting impact on your customers. Let's take your brand to new heights!
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