Brand identity is a huge thing when it comes to running a company. As time progresses, it becomes more and more essential to evolve with current trends, innovations, tastes, and popular demands with respect to customers. The changes in the marketplace must also reflect on your brand. Under that, there is always a question of whether you should rebrand or refresh your brand.
Rebranding you Brand
When it comes to rebranding, you get something similar to plastic surgery. And what that means is you need to make a drastic change in visual appeal, culture, customer experience, and messaging. The objective of rebranding is to change ideas and influence the customer regarding a service or product. All this is done with the greater aim of rejuvenating the brand’s influence and expanding popularity among the existing customers, as well as the new ones. Under this process, storytelling, manifestos, and different presentations are utilized.
Rebrand When…
- …your brand is forming a negative impression on your audience.
- …there is a fundamental change in our market.
- …you come up with a totally different product or range of services compared to the original brand’s identity.
- …there has been a major change in the administration, and you have to express yourself differently from your former image.
Interesting Example: McDonalds® implemented a complete rebranding strategy to ensure that it now underlined the importance of nutritious dining among its customers.
Refreshing your Brand
In the case of a refresh, you basically undergo a brand update. This means your audience will know that you are modern and up-to-date. Besides, it also displays your connection to the industry, and the current trends. The underlying aim is to express new energy on behalf of the brand. This includes a makeover in the appearance, aesthetics, and other things including style, color, tone of voice, and use of color. It is seen that most companies go for a simple refresh rather than a comprehensive one, because it involves less risk. However, it could still yield the results you were hoping for.
Refresh When…
- …your brand has to establish a relationship with a new audience with a modern mindset, you also have to undergo a refresh that makes you “catchy” and attractive, while still catering to your current targeted needs.
- …there have been drastic changes in the market.
- …there is a bit of misalignment between your product and your brand.
Interesting Example: Southwest Airlines went through a brand refresh where they altered their visual identity into something more modern and dynamic. They did this with the Southwest Heart, which offered a matching visual character, and the change was in line with their ongoing strategy.
