Brand building can be tough work. Since familiarity and recognition are the main goals, consistency is key, but at the same time you want to be flexible as your company evolves. Your demographics aren’t always necessarily going to stay the same, nor are market trends, your competition, or even your company’s direction. After having an established brand for some time, you may begin to consider revitalizing your brand with a new design, fresh image or different aim—but will it help or hinder you?
Before you charge forward, take some time to consider the following
Your current branding has no strategy behind it:
If your design wasn’t developed with a firm strategy behind it, you may be wasting potential. You’ll definitely want to put great thought into your design or consult with an expert who can, and work to build something effective.
You’re tired of the old design and want something new:
Following an impulse isn’t always the best motivation to rebrand your company. If the timing is too soon or the change is too drastic, you may end up alienating your customers. Take some time to reconsider your reasoning.
You haven’t changed a thing in over a decade:
A “decade” itself is arbitrary—if you’re a company that prides itself on history and consistency, there’s no rule forcing you to change. But if you’re a solid company with a good history, a “refresh” of your brand may breathe new life into your campaigns. Corporate giants like Coca-Cola, Ford, and Apple have all updated their brands over the years—sometimes in large redesigns, and sometimes in minor tweaks.
Your competition is ahead of you:
This could go either way. Are you aiming to be more competitive or take a new approach? Or are you merely resorting to rebranding as a gimmick to edge out your competitors?
Your company has changed:
Depending on how much it’s changed, you’ll definitely want to reconsider a campaign to rebrand yourself. Your image represents your company, and if that representation is obsolete, your customers may remain familiar with your brand but be oblivious to your new direction.
