To Rebrand or Refresh - That is the Question
Feeling a strong desire to elevate your brand this year, but finding yourself uncertain about where to start, how to approach the process, and grappling with questions about time and cost?
Join us as we delve into a couple of options for updating your brand – depending on your need, time, and budget. We'll explore the telltale signs that indicate you might be ready for a makeover, and we'll provide insights into alternative options for those not quite ready to embark on a full-scale project but still eager to enhance their brand presence. Let's equip your brand for success.
First, we want to break down the difference between what we call a “rebrand” and a “brand refresh.”
Brand Refresh
A brand refresh is like giving your brand a fresh coat of paint and some throw pillows (who doesn’t love a good throw pillow?!). It's about tweaking and refining the existing elements – maybe updating the logo, adjusting the color palette, or fine-tuning the messaging. Think of it as a subtle makeover that maintains the essence of what you've built but adds a modern touch.
Rebrand
Now, a rebrand is a bit more extensive. This is the full remodel– a total transformation that involves a deeper shift in your brand identity. You might change your name, overhaul the logo, and revamp the entire vibe. It's a bold move, signaling a significant evolution in your brand's story.
Watch the videos below to view actual examples of a rebrand vs. a refresh:
So, the big question is: how do you know which option is better for you? Let's talk about that
Indicators Your Brand is Ready for a Refresh
Auditing your own brand is a great practice to implement about once per year. Consider this a similar practice to getting a facial or having the tires rotated on your car - you want to take good care of the things that matter to you. Start with a review of your brand strategy, clarifying your business purpose, target audience and positioning. We’ll be a broken record: excellent messaging is always the foundation for excellent branding. Take a comprehensive look at your brand presence – messaging, visuals, website, marketing collateral, and social channels. Perhaps some aspects of your brand presence are just a tad offbeat, or you've noticed a shift in your target audience's preferences – these are the whispers of change.
Now it's time to navigate the refresh journey. For those of us who aren't design or copywriting gurus, identifying the right moves might feel a bit like a puzzle. Fret not; here's our playbook.
Begin with your brand message (oop! There it is again.) – the heartbeat of your identity. Make nuanced adjustments to keep it fresh, but don't rush; let it marinate for a few days to ensure the changes stand the test of time.
Then, venture into the visual realm. Consider a revamped brand photoshoot to help make yourself and your team accessible to your audience! We highly recommend adding video for maximum impact.
Dive into your brand files – the backbone of your visual identity. Before calling your designer, explore what you already possess. Maybe that forgotten color in your palette is the game changer, or those neglected submarks can infuse new life into your logo files.
As you piece together these elements, maintain a harmonious consistency across all your marketing channels. The goal is a seamless brand presence that feels authentic and like you.
While listed in easy bullet points here, we realize that the above steps are not always easy to tick through on your own. Averson is dedicated to partnering with brands in every season of their development, so we’d love to help you evaluate or execute steps that feel hard for you to grasp!
Maybe you reviewed the steps above and you were surprised at how misaligned everything felt. Perhaps you don’t feel proud of what you saw or it just doesn’t feel like you. Or, maybe you knew from the start that a rebrand was in the cards for you. Here are a few more signs you might be ready for a rebrand:
TIME: If it’s been more than 5 years since your last investment in branding, it’s definitely worth considering a rebrand. Things simply evolve over time and unless you’ve been refreshing as you go, it’s easy for even the most timeless of brands to become stale. (Note: just because your brand is 5 or more years old, doesn’t automatically mean you need a rebranding, it’s just an excellent evaluation point.)
INCONSISTENT VISUALS: If your brand files and visuals seem like a patchwork quilt rather than a cohesive family, it's a clear sign it's time to weave a unified visual story.
MESSAGING MISMATCH: When your brand message doesn't resonate with your audience or feels disconnected from your brand strategy, it's a red flag that your narrative needs an overhaul.
OUTDATED WEBSITE: An antiquated website can be a turn-off for your audience. If your online presence feels stuck in a different era, consider it a nudge to modernize and captivate.
AUDIENCE DRIFT: If you've noticed a shift in your target audience's preferences or feel a disconnect, it's a subtle yet crucial whisper prompting you to realign your brand with their evolving needs.
LACK OF EXCITEMENT: When the enthusiasm for your brand wanes, either internally among your team or externally in the market, it's a clear indicator that injecting fresh energy is the next step in your brand's evolution.
LACK OF IDENTITY: If you read the list above and barely feel as though you had these things to begin with, this could be another reason for a rebrand. It’s so common for companies to have a logo and a website done for them but to not really grasp their business identity. A quality branding process can breathe so much life into your business!
It’s Time for a Rebrand
So what now?
You may have read something above and thought, “Yes! That’s me.” or you may have opened this link hoping that’s what you would feel but you still feel somewhere in between. The truth is brand refreshes and rebrands are always a spectrum. There is so much gray area between the options we explain here.
Whether you feel ready for the next step or curious about the life and longevity in your brand, the first lesson in branding is that the best brands are built in collaboration. These journeys can get lonely on our own and we’d love to be a friend and partner on yours.
