Your brand is how your customers or clients know you. In our rapidly changing culture and industries, an organization can make slight adjustments in philosophy, mission, or focus that take the company in a completely different direction.
You are your brand. Your brand is basically your promise to your customers. It should be based on who you are, who you want to be, and who you are perceived to be. As your company changes and grows, those things change as well. Maybe you have settled into a new season as a company and have a clearer picture of what you are trying to accomplish. Maybe you have experienced so much growth that you have “outgrown” your current logo and branding.
But before you simply “update your logo,” you have to seriously evaluate the impact of changing the identity of your company. An effective re-branding goes beyond the logo and touches every piece of marketing material and sometimes the entire company.
There are many reasons to rebrand, but we want to hit a few of the most important ones.
Better alignment with customer recognition.
Simply changing the name can bring in stronger branding opportunities. For example, Apple Computer became Apple in 2007, allowing them to go beyond computers as well as create other branding opportunities. If your customer base has evolved, a simple change would cause your brand to resonate more with your current consumers.
Change in philosophy or function.
If you are deciding to take the company in a new direction or adding to the services your company provides, it might be a good time to consider re-branding. For example, a bakery expanding to include a café is changing the function of the business. When British Petroleum changed to Beyond Petroleum, it reflected a change in philosophy that impacted the entire company.
Look and function don’t match.
When the look of your brand doesn’t match the function of your company in the consumer’s mind, you need to re-brand. Your logo may look outdated, especially in a world of simplified images. As your company has grown, you have added new services that don’t match your current branding.
Re-branding is serious business and should not be taken lightly. If you’re thinking about taking the leap, let our experts at Riley & You walk you through the process and answer any questions to help you make the best decision for your business.
