We often see stories in various media about the importance and process of branding, but it’s rare to see as much attention given to RE-branding.

Most organizations know that it’s a smart investment to spend resources defining and communicating their brand to their markets. It’s how enterprises explain why prospects should buy from them instead of going elsewhere.

But businesses and organizations grow and evolve, and at some point it’s likely that the original brand doesn’t reflect who they are and what their value is. Then their brand becomes a liability because it no longer represents them authentically.

Here are some reasons to consider a rebrand:
1. Your organization has grown beyond its original identity. This could include a change or expansion of products/services, or a greater geographical reach.

2. Your offer to your market has changed.  Perhaps your enterprise began by focusing on one or two products but has added others over time. That means that your definition of your ideal customer has changed as well, so your branding needs to address that.

3. It’s gotten harder to stand out in your market. You may have a lot more competition than when you first started. A greater effort to stand out and communicate your value is crucial to keeping and growing market share. This often indicates the need for a rebrand.

4. Your marketing and communications look dated. Example: if you’re selling cutting edge broadband services and your identity looks like a throwback to dial-up days, that’s a deal breaker.

5. Your product/services mix has changed. This is a no-brainer: if your offers have changed, so has your market, and your current brand may not reflect these changes. Consequently your outreach won’t land.

Here are some reasons to NOT consider a rebrand.
1. You’re tired of your current identity. Just because you’re tired of it doesn’t mean that your audience is. Your identity may bore you because you’ve been looking at it every day for the past umpteen years, but your market doesn’t pay the same attention to it that you do. Familiarity breeds confidence and comfort in your clients, and signals stability. Change for the sake of change is rarely a good idea.

2. Your new CEO wants a new logo because __________. This happens more often than you might think. Case in point: the 2010 Pepsi rebrand fiasco. The new CEO wanted a new logo, the company went through an ill-considered rebranding process, and the result cost Pepsi market share for years. This horror story lives on in creative services lore as a cautionary tale of brand overreach and disconnect.

3. Your competition’s identity looks cooler than yours. This is a good reason for a rebrand only if your market is the 12-26 cohort for whom “cool” is often a top priority. Your most valuable prospects are going to be looking at your value, not how you come off on TikTok.

Next Steps 
My service focus has moved to branding and creating the applications and communications to promote and express brands across different platforms. If you’ve been contemplating a rebrand,  contact me – I’d love to be part of your journey.