Why rebranding can be interesting

Why a rebranding?

There are lots of reasons why you might want to rebrand. Sales may be declining due to the reputation of your current brand, or you may be introducing a new product or service that changes what your business is all about.

If done well, rebranding can help your company reach a new audience, market your products more effectively, renew the perception of an old product, or change your brand perception in general.

If you are considering a rebranding, your first step should be to examine your existing brand and figure out what needs to change.

Find the problem.

Not all problems are brand-related. They can also stem from sales tactics, product quality, or marketing strategy, for example. The last thing you want is a rebrand if your brand is not the problem.

Hold surveys and set up focus groups and interviews to get feedback from your target audience about your business and your brand. Let people tell you what works for them and what doesn't.

If you find that your brand perception is the problem (or one of the problems), then it is time to think in a focused way about how to rebrand. Using feedback from your audience as a guide, try to pinpoint the brand challenges you face.

It can help to make a big list of all the elements that make up your brand. Then you can go step by step and decide which ones need to change and how.

Create your new brand.

After you have researched and figured out which parts of your brand need to change, set goals for what you want to achieve with your new brand identity.

To start, try writing out these four points:

1. MISSION: Why does your new brand exist?
2. VISION: Write out motivations for your new brand.
3. CHARACTER: Is there a word or phrase that represents your new brand?
4. PERSONALITY: What attitude do you want your new brand to convey?

Be clear about what you need to change, why, and when it needs to be done. Think about assets that need to be created or changed.

Test your new brand and launch!

After outlining the details of your rebranding, make sure everyone in your company is on the same page regarding the changes (why they are happening and when) and knows what their individual role will be in shaping your new brand. Once you have new brand assets, you need to test them out before you go public.

As you did at the beginning of the rebranding process, use surveys, focus groups and A/B tests to see how people in your target audience react to your new look and message.

If your rebranding does not work out well, go back to the drawing board and think of new approaches. Think about the public relations and marketing that needs to happen to introduce your new brand to the public.

Just as you did for creating your rebranding assets, write out a strategy and timeline for how you will reintroduce yourself to the world and make sure your employees know what their role will be.