How a little touching up can make a big difference for your company.
Do you remember the old Starbucks Coffee logo? Us either. In fact, if you were to put the original double-tailed mermaid side-by-side with the current image we’ve come to know it would look downright alien. In 2011, Starbucks underwent a major rebrand, starting with their logo, where they dropped the words” Starbucks Coffee” and left only the simple image of their famed aquatic mascot.
Starbucks did this rebranding for marketing purposes and a little bit of bragging. They had finally reached a point in their business journey where they didn’t have to introduce themselves anymore. Whether you were a loyal customer or had never taken a sip of coffee in your life, you knew that logo, and you knew them.
Starbucks is an example of a successful rebrand, but not all are created equal. Sometimes a company rebrand can have the opposite effect and leave customers feeling angry or even betrayed. So, today we’re breaking down exactly what a rebranding done right can do for your business and how you can get started!
What can it do?
Rebranding is when a company updates its brand presence to intrigue customers, target a new market, shift its company culture or core values, or just freshen things up. It can be as simple as curating a new logo or as significant as updating the look and experience of every retail facility within your company. No matter the size of your business or industry, a rebrand can do wonders for stirring up interest from new clientele, keeping current customers interested, and ensuring that you stand out amongst your competition.
If you’re wondering if you should rebrand, first take a look at the current state of your company. Has business slowed down in the past year or so? Do you have new competitors with sleek signage and new visual and verbal messaging? Has your target market changed or outgrown your services? Can’t remember the last time you rebranded? If you answered, “yes” to any of these questions, then it might be time for some updating.
Too often, when business owners hear the word “rebrand,” they immediately assume whoever is proposing the idea believes the current brand identity isn’t working. Yet, this might not be the intention. Usually, it just means that your business and the world around it are changing. Just as people constantly evolve, so must brands to stay relevant.
Five tips on where to start.
1. Brand Identity Evaluation
Before you break out the color swatches and start doodling ideas in your notebook, you need to figure out what you want to accomplish with a rebranding. This can be determined by doing some research to figure out what your current identity represents and what you hope to become.
For example, let’s say you own a pizza shop named “Pizza Love.” In recent years, you’ve started serving an array of Italian cuisine, and now you’ve become known for your excellent pasta dishes rather than just your pizza. So, you embark on a rebrand, looking to showcase yourself as an Italian restaurant with multiple dishes. The most effective rebrand, in this case, would be to take “pizza” out of your name and go with something broader and in line with the branding you’re hoping to achieve.
2. Instill the New Brand Identity in Your Employees
To pull off a successful rebrand, you’ll also need to make sure that your employees are on the same page with the company’s new culture. Train your employees on how you want the company to be seen by consumers, the key differentiators you wish to communicate, the core values that the company is built upon, and what you truly represent. Having consistent messaging and beliefs amongst your entire staff helps spread your brand to more potential customers and presents a united front.
3. Don’t Stray Too Far From Who You Are
As mentioned before, a poorly done rebrand can result in anger and feelings of betrayal from existing, loyal customers. Let’s look at Gap as an example. In 2010, Gap changed their logo from a blue box with “GAP” in a serif font to a modernized but unrecognizable image featuring a white background, black letters, and an odd blue square diagonally above. The outrage from the public was so overwhelming that the original logo was restored within a week, and they haven’t touched it since.
We’re a society of nostalgics, and whether you know it or not, your current brand resonates with your customers. So even if rebranding is necessary, that isn’t to say that some folks won’t miss your old branding and won’t be afraid to tell you either. That’s why it’s important not to stray too far from who you already are because who you are now aided in curating the current customer base you rely on.
When deciding what to update, remember that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” So, if your tagline is one your customers love, then don’t feel like you need to change it just because you’re rebranding.
4. Consistency is Key
Establishing brand consistency is essential not only when rebranding but with your marketing strategy as a whole. If you’re changing your messaging, logo, or colors, make sure there is consistency across all aspects of your company. For example, your website, blog, mailings, email, and social channels should all work in harmony to portray your brand. If one of these facets is unchanged or differs too far from the other, it can lead to brand confusion and make your company appear disorganized and even illegitimate.
When brand consistency is maintained, your business has a better chance of being recognized, remembered, and referred to. In addition, a strong brand can help you develop trust with current and new customers, all leading to more business.
5. Enlist the Help of an Expert
Rebranding is not a simple process, which makes this last tip the most crucial. In fact, we would argue that the previous tips could fall under this category because enlisting the help of a competent agency can help make sure that every important step in a rebrand is taken.
By enlisting the help of a marketing agency, you can get valuable insights into what kind of rebrand is right for your company and see examples of past work with similar businesses. A marketing team like ours at Rizco will also help simplify and streamline the process as rebranding is a strength within our wheelhouse!
At Rizco, we’ve helped clients in industries from apparel to healthcare undergo successful and rewarding rebrands. We work with our clients every step of the way to add clarity to their vision and value to their bottom line, and we’re carrying out that intention to its fullest potential.
Are you thinking of rebranding? Let’s start the conversation today.
Contact us to get started!