Thinking about rebranding?

The biggest misconception regarding branding is that it’s just a logo, and that’s it; this is not the case. Branding does include the logo, but it also includes the web environment, marketing material, environmental graphics, customer perception… I could go on.

It’s helpful to think about what applications your branding will be used on in the future. Knowing this at an early stage means designers can apply concepts to sample applications – allowing you to see your brand come to life.

Ensuring someone on your end is ready to manage the project is an important step to success. The internal point of contact needs to have the time, resources and skills to drive the project in the right direction. Taking the lead over a small project team who have critical approval authority is key; too many opinions can delay the process and diffuse focus.

Initially you should establish a foundation for your business by explaining how you feel about your brand, how your clients perceive you and what you both should be thinking. Defining your vision and values is an important step towards visualising your new brand identity. Without this you are merely a logo with no definition – and with no definition comes a purposeless brand. The growth of a business can take time, and so should establishing the route for a rebrand project. A corporate identity should reflect your company values and visions which only you really know.

The creative brief should also include sections on the target market, time frames, resources and budget, stakeholders… etc. Once these have been clearly defined, work towards a new brand can be undertaken; this is when you should bring a professional designer in to help you and why you should write an effective brief.

If you already have a brand identity you should think about things that already work – maybe the functionality of your website is tip top or your tagline gets people talking for all the right reasons. This is something that needs a considerable amount of thought – don’t keep something for the sake of it. Assumptions that were made when your brand was established may not hold true anymore.

Make sure you are thinking about the present and the future. Having a timeless brand identity that will serve its purpose for many years to come is important, unless of course you want to rebrand all over again. I know we can’t predict the future but having a brand that can be developed can be beneficial.

If you are thinking about rebranding, don’t forget to take a step back and take a good look at your organisation. If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.