This is precisely what a brand refresh is.
Typically this involves taking an existing logo and visual identity a little past its best and evolving it into something new with solid connections (visually) with the old version.
This approach to refreshing branding aims to retain all the equity you have in your old logo and marketing collateral and to move it forward.
This can be driven by the need to modernize the design or to replace something that was trend-based and now looks old-fashioned (making sure the new design is as timeless as possible).
Dunkin’ Donuts was first introduced in 1973, but it has evolved to offer much more than doughnuts. Recently, they adopted a new logo that dropped the “Donuts” on their name and established a new identity in place.
“By simplifying and modernizing our name while still paying homage to our heritage, we have an opportunity to create an incredible new energy for Dunkin’, both in and outside our stores,” Tony Weisman, Chief Marketing Officer at Dunkin’ U.S., said in a statement.
If you want to change direction, distance yourself from negative equity or take your product or service in a new direction, it’s a rebrand rather than a refresh. These projects are typically more involved as they throw out the old and replace it with something completely new.
If there’s one thing certain in the world of Marketing, consumers’ expectations, needs, and wants are continually evolving. If you don’t transform along, there’s a high chance of losing your customers once and for all.
We live in a digital world, and what’s not following the trends gets left stuck in the past. If that’s the case, then a brand refresh is the only way to propel your business forward and right back on track.
Think about the values deeply rooted in your culture, and then ask yourself whether your brand identity communicates who you are and what you do. If your identity doesn’t reflect your values or isn’t cohesive, then you know it’s time for an update.
You are launching your e-Shop, targeting new audiences, and expanding to new markets. Well done, it means you’re doing something right. Yet, as you grow, it’s essential that your brand identity grows with you.
Whether your packaging doesn’t stand out on the shelf, your branding looks like your competition, or your social media presence lacks some creative direction, consider how your brand identity might play into that.
With millions of businesses looking to compete for mindshare, getting lost in the crowd is easy. But your brand’s primary purpose is to help create differentiation. If it’s not serving its purpose, it might be time to press the restart button.
Your brand is something more than a product or service. It’s made up of what your brand says, what your values are, and how your consumers feel about your brand. To create meaningful and authentic connections, you need a strong brand identity that corresponds to the needs and wants of the people you’re serving.
As your brand grows, it’s normal to lose focus from time to time. Things get more complicated, and your brand identity is not an exception. If your brand experience feels like a labyrinth, it’s time to simplify things.
One surefire sign to rebrand is if you’re expanding beyond your original geography. Entering new markets entails new customers with different needs, trends, and expectations. The only way to understand your new customer base is through market research.
The truth is, we live in a fast-paced era in which even a single tweet on social media can backfire against your brand. Political missteps, sticky social situations, and business faux pas can often take your brand down, leaving you with only one option – rebranding.
We are thorough in our research whether that’s through a deep dive data analysis of your business and marketplace or through our stakeholder interviews
We need to understand where you sit in your marketplace. How are you viewed by your customers when compared to your competitors on price, quality and aspirations.
I think you’ve now realised we don’t just jump in on creating visuals. The background research is vital. Now we can agree on what’s underpinning the brand proposition and the visual identity.
How do we explain what you do to customers, what’s your mission, what’s the background story to your “why”, what makes you tick and makes you different. Why should people engage with you. It’s the personality of your business.
It’s not just a logo. And it’s more than just fonts, a colour pallet and photography. It’s creating a visual look that can express your brand across all channels in a way that’s consistent with all of your underlying brand beliefs.
Your brand strategy revolves around getting your brand out there. What’s the brand sentiment, what people think of you and how you are getting this message across. Identifying your ideal customers and then measuring what they feel about you.
Your brand guidelines evolve over time but everyone in your organisation needs to understand them. Your brand needs to be consistent, if it’s not, people will find it hard to engage in you because they won’t know what you represent.