So, you’re considering whether a rebrand is right for your organization. As a Creative Director who has worked with countless brands over the years, I’m familiar with the complexities of this decision. I’ve seen firsthand the potential risks and rewards of rebranding.
Rebranding costs time, money and effort. And when done in the wrong way—or for the wrong reasons—this investment isn’t worthwhile.
On the other hand, a well-executed rebrand will pay dividends for years to come. A successful rebrand is authentic and helps organizations better reach and engage with their audiences.
So, should you re-brand, or not? Read on for some key points to help you decide.
To some, a brand seems as simple as a name, a logo, some colors and a typeface. But there’s a lot more to a brand.
Your brand may include:
As you can see, a brand is made up of many different components. A rebrand might involve an update to some or all of these, but rarely only one, since the elements should support one another cohesively.
There are two major risks when it comes to an ill-advised or poorly executed rebrand:
The best way to avoid these risks is to work with a trusted branding team like Creative Noggin. We will work with you to decide whether a full or partial rebrand is wise, then expertly execute it.
Likewise, there are risks to not rebranding: Namely, failing to connect with your audiences. If your brand isn’t authentic and evocative, your marketing and advertising efforts may be wasted.
With that said, here are five signs that it may be time for a rebrand.
This is one of the most common and compelling reasons for rebranding. An effective brand helps you capitalize on your differentiators.
Otherwise, you’re likely to blend in with the noise. And there is a lot of noise—it’s estimated that the average person sees up to 10,000 ads per day!
Yes, this one is harsh. But if your brand isn’t putting its best face forward, your audiences are likely to be put off.
Whether your brand’s personality is authoritative, playful, eccentric, warm or anything else, a clean, appealing look is always on-brand. And working with a top full-service branding agency like Creative Noggin can help you achieve this.
You could outgrow your brand for a variety of reasons. Common examples include:
These major changes have a cascading effect on your organization’s identity and should be reflected by your brand.
Audiences’ tastes and preferences vary. Likewise, different brand attributes resonate with different audiences. If your main audience has changed or expanded, your brand likely should change as well.
Sometimes, leaders decide that simply changing their organization’s name will address their needs. I caution against this. There is usually a deeper reason behind the desire for a new name. In other words, your name is likely not the only part of your brand that should change.
If I could sum up the case for rebranding in just one sentence, I’d say this: If your brand no longer reflects who you truly are and who you want to resonate with, it’s time to rebrand.
We were glad to work with Thriving Families (formerly California Alternative Payment Program Association/CAPPA) on their recent rebrand. In 1977, this nonprofit organization was created to help serve low-income families and their children in both the private and public sectors. They believe that when families thrive, communities thrive.
When their team reached out to Creative Noggin, they had identified signs that it was time to rebrand. Recently, their vision expanded. They want to become more holistic in their support of families and need a brand that reflects this. We identified the goal of creating an evocative brand that would represent Thriving Families in the present and future.
As a first step, our team executed an in-depth discovery phase to understand the organization, its differentiators and the industry. Next, we began to craft assets that would suit the team’s bold vision for the future—something that Thriving Families could grow into rather than something that only reflected its identity years ago. We presented options and the Thriving Families team chose the one that felt the most engaging and authentic to them.
We created Thriving Families’ new:
The Thriving Families team was thrilled to unveil their new brand to their audiences.
Whether a partial or full rebrand is on the horizon, our team is here to help. Book a free 30-minute strategy call now. We’ll discuss your branding goals and how to achieve them.
Let's create your evocative new brand.
