Should You Consider Rebranding?
We're changing seasons here in Toronto and it's a mixture of feelings over here. It had me thinking about renewing things. The fall makes me want to re-organize, de-clutter, relax and recover from a busy summer.
Applying this renewal concept to the design world, I wanted to share a few points on why we should consider rebranding ourselves or our companies. Once a company is up and running, it can seem redundant (and perhaps hard on the budget) to rebrand everything. There are some things to consider, though, if you are thinking about re-launching your brand into the world.
1. How much attention was given to your current brand identity?
When the company was first started, was design something that you invested in? Starting a company comes with a million tasks, and perhaps design was on the back burner. It’s important for organizations to have a consistent identity, especially now, with all of the different platforms consumers are using. Check in and make sure things like your business cards are in line with your website, which is in line with your Facebook page and so on and so forth. If there’s inconsistency, it might be time to consider a brand cleanup!
2. What are others in your industry doing better than you?
Take some time to think about how you compare with brands similar to your own. If there's a company that's performing better, try and nail down how it is that they're representing themselves compared to you. A brand isn't a logo - it's the entire perception of your company. A professional and cohesive identity for your brand is very important in both standing out and creating a credible reputation that's consistent and recognizable.
3. Could your brand be stronger and built to better reflect your company values and goals? What do people think of when they see your logo or website?
If you asked 10 people on the street their first thoughts from seeing your business card, are those opinions in line with your perceptions? Go out and try this exercise! See what people's initial thoughts are when they see your brand or logo out of context. If they are saying words that haven't even crossed your mind, it could be time to re-evaluate how you're representing your company values.
4. Could a rebrand work as a way to reintroduce your organization or company to your target audience? Would this audience benefit from new hype around your company?
Perhaps your company has taken a new direction. Or maybe things are changing in your industry and you need to reposition your brand to keep up with competition. Any of these reasons are perfect for a rebrand project. It creates lots of buzz around re-launching your company and gets people excited to see new things happening. You can create teasers surrounding your new brand identity to hype up your audience while they wait for the launch. All of these approaches give your audience and consumers something new to talk about, bringing a new light to your company!
It's always a good idea to be thinking about how your brand is being perceived. Take some time once in a while to evaluate these points and ensure you're on the same track as your target audience.
