Why rebrand the company and how to avoid mistakes

In today's world, the greatest success is achieved by companies that can adapt to new trends, are able to understand and analyze their market. Brand recognition is one of the most important indicators of a company's success. However, over time, even the most influential brand starts losing its popularity, it becomes boring to the consumer, and it becomes very ordinary. Other reasons for resorting to changes include incorrect positioning in the market, competition, changing market conditions, setting more ambitious goals for the brand. Sooner or later, any company faces the need for rebranding. That is why today we will talk about how to approach the process correctly and not to lose the balance between new and recognizable elements.

Rebranding is quite painstaking and time-consuming process, therefore it is necessary to approach it with all responsibility. This is much more than updating a logo or website. Your brand is an integral part of your company and the key to its success. Therefore, prior to diving into a comprehensive rebranding, pay attention to a few tips that will help you to approach the process competently.

Start with the most important

It is very difficult to make a decision about the color scheme or the choice of social networks for promotion, if you do not realize who you are as a company, what you are going for, what are your goals and the vision of the future. Make sure that you have a clear understanding of the main vector of your business development before you go to photo repositories, logo improvement and brand redesigning.

Keep it simple

Very often business owners are frightened by the prospect of rebranding, because people already know their company and the audience's reaction to changes can be unpredictable. That's why it's very important to do everything right from the very beginning. Let's pay attention to the success stories of brands that have been firmly holding their positions in the market for more than one decade. What do we see? Each of these companies, step by step, strives for maximum simplicity.

Within over fifty years Canon has not changed its logo. The reason for this is the fact that there is nowhere to simplify. In the process of the company's development an ideal option was found for them. At a time when the brand reaches the most simple and memorable format, you can slow down with the redesign until the market begins dictating new conditions.

Kodak is another example of companies striving for simplicity in brand development. Over the years, the corporate logo was rid of unnecessary elements and reached a peak of simplicity and convenience.

From the very beginning of the company's existence Starbucks uses the image of a siren, which was gradually simplified. When the brand became more recognizable, it became possible to completely get rid of the name in the logo. Modern Starbucks logo is considered one of the most successful in the history of the brand development.

The logo of the largest oil and gas company, although not experiencing a drastic change, but still, along with other well-known companies, was simplified as much as possible. Just like in the case of Starbucks, the high recognizability of the logo made it possible to take away the inscription.

For objectivity, it should be noted that some successful companies have not changed the logo from the very date of foundation. Here are some of them. 

These are just a few examples of brands that prosper, preserving their traditions. The secret of such constancy is very simple: companies from the very beginning made a very correct choice of corporate identity. Their logos are simple and effective, even after so many years they look modern and therefore do not need a change.

The above examples are convincing evidence that if you decide to rebrand - take a course on simplification. According to the experience of the world market giants, we can assume that this is the right decision. After all, if you do not try to make the logo of the company easy and simple, very soon it will become uncompetitive in the current market conditions and sooner or later you will face the same issue again - changes.

Think about what works and what does not

There is no need to reinvent the wheel and change what already works. Change for the sake of change is a completely wrong approach. Some things really do not need to be touched during rebranding. How many people like your slogan? Do your company colors stand out against the competitors? Think about all these moments and make sure that all winning elements of your brand will be preserved.

Have a clear idea of what you want to get

You should have a complete understanding of what you want before you start working with the rebranding team. If you decide that your updated brand should be laconic and modern, and a week later, will start talking about something fun and colorful, it will not only bring the confusion and chaos into the process, but will also cost a lot of money and time. Even if you have already created a picture of the "ideal" brand in your mind, you should still consider the advice of specialists, since the combination of your understanding of your business and their professional experience will create a truly successful project.

Think ahead

Rebranding should serve your purposes now and in the future, so you should have a vision of what your company will be after a certain period of time. Develop a brand that will be relevant in a year or two and be able to meet the rapidly growing company. Although there is a high probability that it will not happen all at once, some of your ideas will have to be postponed until later, although the understanding of what you want your company to be in the future is a very important aspect.

Tell the consumer about the changes

When the process of the rebranding is already coming to an end, tell your audience what changes have taken place. Write on your website's blog, share good news on social networks. Your customers need to know what's happening to their favorite brand so they do not experience mixed feelings, finding on the store shelf something they haven’t expected to see. If you are planning huge changes that directly affect the familiar experience of your customer, then take care to warn about it beforehand so that the fundamental changes will not become a surprise.

Consider all possible consequences

The success of rebranding depends on many factors. If your customers have become accustomed to the usual packaging / logo / website, then after the updates you will surely feel the response to the changes, often negative. It is therefore important to act carefully and do not change the brand so much that it stop being recognizable to loyal customers. And do not forget that the elimination of any (even the most minor) negative consequences requires funds. Make sure that you adequately assess your strengths and financial capabilities, and also pay particular attention to the drawing up of a realistic budget, which will take into account all possible options for the development of events.

The main thing, remember that your brand is your attitude to the client, the face of your company, the impression and associations that arise when it is mentioned. The main task is to preserve the best that was before, as well as the modernization and improvement of outdated and weak elements. Trust professionals who are able to maintain the strengths of the brand and make it dynamic, modern and memorable.