A rebrand is one of the most important moments for any company – a coming of age or a rite of passage. However, a rebrand is also one of the biggest challenges for an organization as you potentially lose customers or confuse them. Today, I share some rebranding tips to help you successfully rebrand your product.
No rebranding effort comes without challenges, but such an extensive project can also be a unique opportunity for growth and development, both inside the company and out. Obviously, you want to avoid the necessity of rebranding your products by doing a good job branding them in the first place, such as choosing a great brand name and logo, producing consistently high-quality products, and delivering superior customer service. But, even that isn’t enough sometimes as language and how people relate to your products change unexpectedly over time.
So, on to our rebranding tips.
Rebranding tips
1. Do it for the right reasons
Rebranding your company can come with many benefits, but there are also lots of examples of rebranding projects that failed miserably! So, before rebranding, it is important to understand the reasons why you have chosen this option.
Among the best reasons behind a rebranding project are:
- Market positioning
- Change in management or ownership
- Internationalization
- Wrong or outdated images
- Changing market
- Reputation issues
- Mergers or acquisitions
- Differentiation from too-similar brands
While these are all great reasons to modernize and rebrand your company, there are some motivations that are certainly not the right ones – including covering up a crisis, boredom, ego, or marketing.
2. Start rebranding on a strong footing
One of my top rebranding tips is to research before making any change. Rebranding and redesigning your logo can have an impact on your audience, your reputation, and your public image. So, the imagery, voice, and colors you pick require careful consideration and research. To understand what is the best choice for your needs, start with your company story and identity. This tells you what values to keep and highlight and what you want your logo to communicate.
3. Research options
When rebranding, it is vital not to assume that your brand new look will resonate with your audience. So, it is important to do your research and ensure that you create a logo that is recognizable and impactful with your target market while not overlapping those used by the competition or associated with a negative brand.
And, of course, check that your new name, logo, and slogan communicates the right message in various languages and across all cultures. For instance, Starbuck’s recent removal of words from its branding, although it met some resistance, reflected the growing international market it served.
It is always too easy to use words – or invented words – that have unwanted meanings in other parts of the world. Save yourself from embarrassment by conducting a simple Google search!
4. Involve your team and stakeholders
A rebrand is not a one-person job. Rather, it is an organization-wide effort that starts with personal rebranding and ends with new, improved frameworks. Since your employees and stakeholders are likely to be your first brand ambassadors, it is vital to involve them in the new project. Make sure everyone knows what is happening, what the deadlines are, and what new skills they need to master before presenting your new brand to the world.
5. Understand your target market
Finding your target market is only a small percentage of the effort – the rest involves understanding what your market is all about! To understand what your market wants, you need to challenge your assumptions, research other organizations, and conduct surveys.
What you need to know about your target market is related to their buying habits, but it is also vital to understand their values, interests, and preferences, as well as how to reach them. Creating a customer persona is a great starting point to better understand your audience and foresee how they might receive your rebranding project.
6. Think about your mission and vision
Your company’s mission and vision are unique, but they might not remain the same throughout the whole life of your company. And, if you are rebranding, it means that you’ve come across a new business need you must address. Therefore, it is worth looking into the mission and vision of your company and ensuring that there is consistency between the message you communicate, your branding, and your mission and vision.
7. Keep sustainability in mind
Sustainability became an increasingly important factor considered by buyers across the world. Today, consumers are increasingly aware that their actions have consequences, and they prefer brands that embrace their values, with sustainability a top priority.
Additionally, it is worth considering that the majority of consumers prefer to shop with a brand that reflects their own values. Therefore, if you wish to tap into a market composed of young consumers, you should not think twice about investing in sustainability.
Once you implemented ways to make your business more sustainable, don’t forget to communicate your efforts through marketing, branding, and voice. It is important for your consumers to know that they can trust your company.
8. Decide on a Brand Voice
Selecting a brand voice is important in creating the right image. You might opt for a formal, fun, engaging, or austere voice, depending on what your company does, what industry you work in, and what audience you wish to connect to. However, make sure that your brand’s voice is consistent across all of your communication channels.
9. Transform your logo and slogan
Changing your company name, brand, and logo are often the most important projects to undertake during rebranding. And, since they are extremely important factors in what your audience sees and what image they form of your brand, you should find the support of an expert team of marketers, researchers, and designers to do it right the first time. With the help of expert professionals in rebranding, you can create a logo, color palette, and imagery that is impactful and memorable.
10. Keep your labels and packaging consistent
There are many ways to communicate your rebranding to your target audience and one of these is through labels and packaging. Undoubtedly, you need to keep your logo and color palette consistent across all labels – but it is also important to align the packaging chosen with your values.
For example, you might consider a minimalist design, reusable packaging, or recyclable materials if your forte is sustainable. In any case, you should find the support of an expert Custom Product Labels designer and manufacturer who can help you make the smartest decisions for your business.
11. Bonus rebranding tips – don’t hide a rebrand!
Rebrands are vital for a company’s growth and development when done for the right reasons. However, they can represent a disruption in awareness, visibility, and recognition. So, it is important that you don’t just change your logo and packaging from one day to another without letting your audience know! You should prepare them and help them recognize the products they love once you have launched your new brand.
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