issue 23 : Spring 2022
Rebranding-
is it time for a change?
D
O you know what drives you? As I had reaffirmed to me during one of the many webinars I attended during lockdown, ultimately a brand starts with its founder and their values. Of course, these change over time and that’s the point of this article – to question when you last reassessed your values and consequently your company’s brand?
The Economic Times states rebranding is ‘the process of changing the corporate image of an organisation. It is a market strategy of giving a new name, symbol, or change in design for an alreadyestablished brand. The idea behind rebranding is to create a different identity for a brand, from its competitors, in the market’. As Marketing Week reports, great brands know their customers and their own businesses inside out. Businesses that succeed will be those that invest in building their brands, using data to react to market changes and inform decision-making. Simply redesigning products or launching premium versions isn’t enough. Investing in authentic, compelling brand stories, supported by effective positioning and communication, is critical, it says. This advice is backed up by local brand practitioners. Andy Moncur, Sales Director at creative marketing agency FUZE, told me: “Branding is the way your business communicates who you are and what you’re about without having to actually say anything at all. Which is why getting your branding right is so incredibly important and something which should not be rushed. You’ll want to work with a designer who really dives deep into your company to understand what makes you tick - your essence - but you don’t necessarily need to break the bank to create a brand you love.”
what you want from your business. A rebrand gives you a corporate identity that you can confidently work with and market your business from,” he said. Designer Carl Thompson advises: “Some business owners may feel branding is only relevant for large corporations such as Apple or Nike, but this just isn’t true, and many smaller businesses can benefit from a strong brand presence. A company’s brand is the first interaction a customer will have with their business and should reflect its values and personality and go beyond just a logo. If created professionally and consistently, a strong brand will provide customers with confidence in the company’s products and services. And branding needn’t cost the earth. If you have a clear idea of your business’s values, core message and target audience, a skilled graphic designer will be able to visualise your business and create a brand identity and accompanying assets tailored to your needs.” FUZE, which itself recently underwent a rebrand, found its designers spent a lot of time defining who they are, what they do and the most important part - why they do what they do. All of which is a necessary process to get to your brand purpose. It is all a matter of priorities too. In 2019 Essex Wildlife Trust (EWT) updated its 24-year-old logo, to symbolise how the Trust has evolved during its 60-year history. It will continue to ‘update its branding over time’ whilst continuing to focus on its conservation projects and engaging with the people of Essex, all part of its journey to becoming the leading conservation charity in Essex and the largest Trust in the UK.
Jacinda Love is a marketeer, connector and business advocate with vast experience and knowledge of the Essex business scene. Here, she looks at the issue of rebranding, the process of giving a product or an organisation a new image, to make it more attractive or successful. According to the Economic Times, there are two types of rebranding: proactive rebranding and reactive rebranding. Proactive rebranding is done when a company recognises there is an opportunity to grow, innovate, tap into new businesses or customers, and to reconnect with its users. Reactive rebranding is done in a situation when the existing brand has been discontinued or changed. Possible reasons for such an action could be mergers and acquisitions, legal issues, negative publicity such as fraud, aiming to beat the competition, or creating your own niche. Any type of rebranding exercise, whether just a logo redesign or a complete overhaul of branding, needs to have time allocated to it. Tom Barber recommends, on average, it’s best to allow approximately three months for a complete business rebrand from the point of instructing your chosen design agency. This allows enough time for initial concepts to be developed, final designs worked out, artwork completed and finally the execution and roll out of your new identity.
Similarly, graphic designer Tom Barber says rebranding your business is so much more than just a new logo. “It gives you, the business owner, the perfect opportunity to strategise, set new goals and identify
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