Rebranding: A Guide to Successfully Revamp Your Brand

Rebranding is an important part of any business strategy, it can help you stay competitive in a changing market. It's an opportunity to look at shifts in attitudes and the economy so you can alter the perception of your brand inline with it. A successful rebranding process can help attract new customers and can make your existing customers more loyal. But you have to be able to communicate the reasons why you are changing.

It can also increase your visibility and help you stand out from your competitors. In this article, we will discuss the steps you should take to successfully rebrand your business.

Rebranding is the process of changing and evolving the existing identity of a business. It involves updating the company's logo, design, messaging, and other visual elements, as well as the way the company is being perceived by its customers and the public. Rebranding can also involve changing the company’s name or slogan but not always.

It's often done to reflect changes in the company's mission, values, or goals. It can be used to differentiate the company from its competitors, or to create a new and more modern image to attract the right audience. Rebranding can be powerful for businesses to stay relevant and competitive in the market.

Before you begin rebranding, it’s important to look at your existing brand and understand how it’s been perceived by your customers and the public. This is often done through market research and talking to existing customers. Questions to ask are - What do people associate with your brand? What do they think of when they hear your name? What are their impressions of your products or services? Understanding your brand’s current image is key to successful rebranding so you know how to change the perception into something more desired.

It’s also important to consider how your brand has evolved over time. Has it changed in any way? Are there any elements that have remained consistent? What do you want to keep the same and what do you want to change? Answering these questions can help you determine the best approach to rebranding and ensure that your new image is in line with your brand’s core values.

An important aspect of the rebranding process is identifying your target audience. Who are the people you want to reach with your new brand? Are they existing customers you want to keep? Are they potential customers you want to attract? Who are they and what do they need from your product or service? Understanding who your target audience is will help you tailor your rebranding efforts.

To identify your target audience, you should consider the demographics of your current customers, such as age, gender, location, and income level. Another thing to consider is the psychographics of your customers, such as their interests, values, and lifestyle. Once you have a better understanding of who your target audience is, you can create a marketing strategy that speaks to their needs and interests.

Once you understand your brand and its current image, as well as who your target audience is, you can start crafting a new brand story. What do you want to communicate to your customers? What sets you apart from your competitors? Why should people choose your business over others? A compelling and well-crafted brand story is essential for successful rebranding.

Your brand story should be unique and memorable, and should be able to capture the attention of your target audience. It should also be consistent across all your marketing channels, from your website to your social media accounts. Consistency in image and message plays a big part in how people remember you. Additionally, it should be able to evolve over time as your business grows and changes. Crafting a strong brand story is an essential part of any well thought out rebrand.

Now that you have a new brand story and target audience in mind, you can start developing a rebranding strategy. This should include tactics for how to promote your new brand once you finish, such as advertising, social media campaigns, and content marketing. It should also include a timeline for when each step should be completed, as well as a budget for each step.

Consideration needs to be paid to how you will measure the success of your rebranding efforts. This could include tracking website visits, social media engagement, and sales. You should also consider how you will adjust your strategy if it is not successful. By having a plan in place, you can ensure that your rebranding efforts has the most chance of working and that your new brand is likely to be well-received by your target audience.

Once you have a strategy in place, it’s time to create new visuals for your brand. This could include a new logo or website design, or it could involve creating new graphics or videos to promote your business.

When creating new visual elements, it's important to consider the look and feel of your brand. Think about the colours, fonts, and imagery that you want to use to represent your brand. You should also consider how your visual elements will be used across different platforms, such as social media, websites, and print materials. By creating a cohesive visual identity, you can ensure that your brand is recognisable and memorable.

Before launching your rebrand, it’s important to test and evaluate them first. You can run focus groups or surveys to get feedback on your new brand elements and messaging, analyse the results and make adjustments. Once your new brand is in place, you should track the performance of your rebranding efforts after launch. Watch metrics such as website traffic, customer engagement, and sales to determine if your rebrand is having the desired effect. If not, you may need to make further adjustments to ensure it's attracting more of the right kind of people.

Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your rebranded image across popular platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Explain why you rebranded and create new content that aligns with your new brand story and is represented with your new visual style. This will help increase awareness of your new brand, as well as engage with potential customers.

Rebranding isn’t a one-time effort; it’s an ongoing process. It's useful to stay on top of trends and adjust your branding accordingly. Keep an eye on what other businesses in your industry are doing, as well as changes in customer preferences and behaviours. This will help ensure that your repositioning remain relevant in the long term.

Rebranding can be a daunting task, but it’s an essential part of staying competitive in today’s market. By following the steps outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to revamping your brand.

One of the better rebrands in our opinion is from Burberry. They needed to shake the ties the brand had with 'chav' culture where their iconic check pattern started being worn by the wrong kind of demographic for Burberry. They approached the iconic graphic designer Peter Saville to help them create a new identity and monogram that not only worked for them visually but was backed up with commercial decisions of how they would push the brand forward.