If you have been in business for a while you may come to an eventual crossroads as to whether to rebrand or refresh and your answer will come in knowing exactly what the difference and purpose of each concept are.
Rebranding can be thought of as starting from scratch, or close to it. I think a good comparison would be if you purchased an older home and it had “really good bones” and a “strong foundation”, but the walls were needed to be replaced along with many things like the wiring and the plumbing. So, you might strip it down to the studs and start again. A rebrand can be much like that.
You may have great products or services that you offer, but maybe your business strategy has completely changed.
Maybe your business has grown so much you have even absorbed another company and you need to incorporate that new procurement into your existing brand.
Maybe, and hopefully this is not the case, your business was linked to some negative news or event, perhaps beyond your control, and it is time to make a change to the face of your business to remove yourself from any sort of negativity.
These are the types of things that would put you in a position to rebrand.
On the other hand, a brand refresh can come into play when your business is needing something more along the lines of a “facelift”. Perhaps you have had the same old website, logo and business card since the start of your business, and that was 15 years ago.
Now, of course, there is nothing wrong with consistency, and that can help to build your brand, but again this is a refresh and not a rebrand. If you have built a solid customer base and brand recognition as well as brand personality, there is nothing wrong with doing a little remodeling to liven things up and make them fresh. One of the best parts of rebranding can be the build-up of the launch of the new look of your brand to your target audience. This momentum can revive sales and bring fresh life into your social circles. A fresh new website and new marketing materials may be just what your business needs to breathe new life into it.
Many well-known brands have done a brand refresh successfully. Take for example Apple, Starbucks, and BP. The products and services have remained pretty much the same but over time they have developed or refreshed their brands, and with success.
Whether you are in need of a rebrand or a refresh, we can help. Talk to us today!