Being faced with the prospect of rebranding can be a scary one, especially if your business is already well-established. There are a number of considerations surrounding a brand strategy, from customer reaction to cost, but if done right it can be hugely beneficial.
It’s important to remember that you should only rebrand in a number of particular circumstances, and not just when you’ve grown tired of your current identity . If you’ve noticed that your business has experienced particular growth lately, or you’re considering redefining your brand purpose, it’s crucial to get it right to avoid any blunders. Here we look at some advice given by a leading branding agency.
Why should you consider a rebrand?
Companies in the built environment, be they product manufacturers, designers or developers; have experienced huge growth in the last 12 months as investors and homeowners alike have given more thought to new developments and renovations. A rebrand can help your brand to grow alongside your revenue and customer base, making sure all aspects of the business are aligned, and point back to something truly meaningful.
For instance, the company values or vision may need to be reviewed in light of events during the last 12 months, or the market in general may have changed. This isn’t always the case, but you certainly need to make sure that your values and vision align with what your customers expect.
Whether you’re hoping to launch new services, or you’re going through a merger or acquisition, it’s important to understand how you want your brand to be viewed and perceived in the aftermath.
Understanding the perception of your brand
Learning how to revitalise your brand identity is an important combination of core components that need to be kept, but also what changes need to be made in order to make improvements. Understand what the current perceptions are of your brand, and how you want to alter this view of your organisation. Are your customers clear on what you offer, and do they resonate with your brand purpose?
Similarly, what is your brand story and messaging? Is your core message still the same, even after growth, or does it need updating? If your key messaging is no longer representing your business accurately, consider what your new message should be.
Keep your brand human
To ensure your rebrand is a success, the most important thing to remember is that your brand should have a human touch. Humanising your brand can help customers relate better and ensure they form a more personal relationship with your brand.
Most brands assume that putting people at the forefront of their visual communications is job done. Humanising a brand is more about developing values that can be brought to life through behaviours, and establishing a brand archetype that is truly representative of those values. From there, a tone of voice, language set and messaging guideline can be created that ensures the right words and phrases are used across all communications. For example, if your business is rooted wholesale in the UK, but there is a more Americanised tome to your communications, this is easily going to confuse your audiences.
Make sure everyone feels part of the process
Rebranding your company should be a team effort, from those at the front line to management in head office office. During the rebrand process its likely you’ll change the messaging, the visual aspects and sometimes even the whole vision of the company. In some cases it might be a couple of minor refinements, while other circumstances might see your brand change completely.
No matter where you’re positioned in the organisation, each member of the team should feel involved in the rebrand, so they can confidently carry any new values forward. Take ideas and suggestions from anyone who’s willing to offer them, and keep everyone updated on the progress and the result of the rebrand. The more your team buy into the process, the more engagement you’ll have when implementing the developed identity across the business.
Launching your rebrand
Don’t rebrand quietly and under the radar. It’s important to shout about your new branding and raise awareness, otherwise customers could get very confused. You can continue driving previous success and growth by organising the right type of launch to announce the rebrand. It is equally important ensure your internal launch is as extensively planned and thought out as your external launch.
Typically, PR tactics have been very useful in getting the word out both outside and outside of the organisation, with your external comms supported with a creative brand campaign. With the work done through a rebranding process to identify your core audiences, it’ll be easier to select which channels to activate to ensure they are reached with the right message, at the right time.