When the market moves, your brand shouldn’t stand still.
Relevancy is a constant battle. Fresh content becomes old news overnight, and trends can skyrocket to fame then dwindle to ashes in a matter of hours.
That’s why remaining fresh and relevant in the market is so critical for brands. A brand refresh builds upon your existing brand, updating key visual, verbal, and strategic elements while maintaining your core identity and recognition. Consumers purchase from companies that prove they can stay up to date with changing needs. Not ones that feel like they’re completely stuck in 1986 (or 2024, for that matter)!
There are several warning signs that indicate it may be time to refresh your brand.
Strong brands have 3x the sales volume of weak brands.
A strong brand is a brand that can change with the times, but maintain the values its customers love.
I sat down with our CEO Josh Webber, an expert on building strong brands, to talk about the magic of rebranding. Here are five reasons he said you should consider a brand refresh:
- Changing market dynamics.
- Targeting new audiences.
- Mergers, acquisitions and restructuring.
- Reputation management.
- Outgrowing your brand.
What does this mean for your brand? Let’s dive in and explore!
01. Changing Market Dynamics
It’s important to understand market dynamics when considering a rebrand. Josh elaborated on the power of adjusting your brands to the evolving market.
“Things change. The industry is changing, the world is changing, your competitors are changing, your audience is changing, everything’s changing, technology is changing,” he said. “It is pretty foolish to think that building a brand is a one and done thing. Regular brand updates are necessary to keep up with market changes and ensure your brand remains relevant. Once you build your brand, it never stops.”
A prime example of a strong brand that has successfully evolved through market changes is Apple.
Apple has gone through multiple refreshes in its lifetime, with each logo looking sleeker and more polished than the last. By updating its visual elements and overall visual identity, Apple has managed to stay relevant and recognizable in a rapidly changing marketplace. A comprehensive visual identity system ensures consistency across all platforms during a brand refresh, supporting cohesive branding and recognition.
Apple executives understand the emotional relationship customers have with their product, and tailor their design to meet those needs. Refreshing a brand’s personality can help align with evolving customer expectations and market trends.
02. Targeting New Audiences
Locking in on your audience is crucial when rebranding. Depending on who you are speaking to, your brand strategy may be wildly different. Understanding your target audience and tailoring your messaging is essential to attract potential customers and expand your reach. A brand refresh can also help position your company to enter new markets and reach new customer segments.
“Gen Z is quickly stepping into the consumer base, as well as Gen Alpha, and they value very different things than Millennials. They value different things than Gen X. They certainly value different things from boomers,” Josh noted. “It’s naïve for companies that are selling anything to just keep on positioning their brand in the same way.”
Countless new brands are capitalizing on a new younger buyer base. For example, brands like Patagonia and Tom’s are seeing success because they know Gen Z audiences value companies that are transparent and authentic. These brands have successfully attracted new customers by aligning their values and messaging with those of their target audience. Refining key messages during a brand refresh is essential to ensure they resonate with both existing and new audiences.
Customers who have an emotional relationship with a brand have 3x higher lifetime value.
This audience awareness can reach further than generational targeting. Brands looking to acquire more market share in specific segments may need to adjust brand strategies that are attractive to new demographics.
Creativity is key, and slight brand pivots can make or break a company’s shot in a new vertical.
03. Mergers, Acquisitions, and Restructuring
Here at Big Red Jelly, we are no stranger to restructuring brands.
Josh detailed his experience with some current Big Red Jelly clients merging two companies into a new brand. He explained that when merging, the finalized brand should be fresh, relevant, and “greater than the sum of its parts.” Sometimes, mergers require a complete overhaul or a significant shift in brand strategy, visual identity, and positioning, while in other cases, a well-planned brand refresh project is sufficient to modernize and energize the existing brand. A strategic brand refresh can help align the merged company’s vision and goals, ensuring the new brand remains competitive and resonates with its target audience.
82% of customers buy from a brand when they have a high emotional connection, compared to only 38% of those with a low emotional connection.
Merging can prove to be a huge opportunity for growth. When approached thoughtfully, both strengths of the previous companies can be combined to form a powerhouse brand with uncapped potential.
The key is in the presentation–if such drastic changes are poorly communicated with consumers, you can expect sales to suffer as well.
04. Reputation Management
Sometimes a brand just needs a fresh start. Undertaking a brand refresh can be a bold move, especially when facing a reputation crisis, as it helps restore trust and reposition the company. Josh related a recent experience he had helping a brand do just that.
“We have a client like that that just signed on with where they had a little bit of a hiccup because a leader at their company made some unwise decisions. [For] PR purposes.. they wanted to rebrand and use this as an opportunity to kind of tear down the, tear out the carpet, right?” Josh recalled. “Scrape off the paint and, refresh everything, and kind of head into 2025 with ‘New Year, New Us’ kind of mentality.”
Rebranding, when done properly, provides an opportunity to rewrite your brand’s story. It can highlight the best pages and tear out others that haven’t served the company well. However, it’s crucial to preserve your original identity and core brand values during the process, ensuring that the core identity remains recognizable and trusted even as you evolve. Clearly defining and communicating your core values throughout the brand refresh helps guide design, messaging, and strategic decisions, ensuring consistency and authenticity.
Brands can see a 96% increase in conversion rate with emotional brand storytelling efforts.
A brand refresh is a prime opportunity to boost reputation (or clean it up entirely). A new logo or font can provide the necessary space for a brand to refresh without having to start from square one.
05. Outgrowing Your Brand
While not as frequently discussed, outgrowing your brand is a real issue. When speaking with Josh, he recalled Big Red Jelly’s very own brand refresh a few years ago.
The initial brand, concocted by a co-founder, served BRJ well for six years. However, Josh remembers the internal conversations that sparked the decision to elevate the brand image.
“We were growing as a company. We are growing. And we definitely outgrew the brand.”
While it’s easy to grow attached to the initial mascot or logo, holding onto the past could be holding your brand’s potential back. Updating brand elements such as your color palette and making visual changes to reflect current design trends is essential for keeping your brand relevant and appealing. A brand refresh can also set the stage for future growth and ensure your business remains relevant as the market evolves. A brand refresh provides a key opportunity to re-evaluate company image, expound strengths, and eliminate weaknesses. These updates can positively influence brand perception and customer perception, helping your business stay competitive and trusted in the market. Aligning your brand refresh with business growth objectives ensures long-term success and maximizes the impact of your efforts.
Conducting a brand audit is crucial to identify which aspects of your brand need to be refreshed or updated.
By recognizing when it’s time for a brand refresh, you can ensure your business continues to grow and thrive.
So, what’s next?
Branding is not a one-time thing. Evaluating and re-evaluating ways to optimize your company image is critical to maintain relevance, and following a structured brand refresh process or refresh process ensures your efforts are strategic and effective. Developing a comprehensive brand refresh strategy that aligns with your company’s objectives and overall business strategy is essential for ensuring that every update supports your long-term vision and market positioning.
As part of any brand update, updating your brand guidelines and creating new brand guidelines is essential to maintain consistency across all touchpoints. Regularly review and update your marketing materials and marketing assets to reflect the refreshed brand identity. It is also important to maintain a consistent brand voice across all channels to reinforce your brand values and messaging. Make sure your digital presence and digital platforms, such as your website and social media, are aligned with the new branding to reinforce your updated image to your audience. Monitor customer engagement and strive for higher engagement as key indicators of a successful brand refresh.
Always keep key audiences in mind as you do so. Engage key stakeholders, other stakeholders, and external audiences throughout the brand refresh to ensure buy-in and effective communication.
Choose partners who can effectively manage projects and support your brand refresh goals.
“[The] environment… is changing, moving, evolving, improving. So should your brand. We are big believers here at Big Red Jelly that building your brand is an ongoing process that never stops.”
Josh Webber, Co-Founder and CEO
At Big Red Jelly, we’re here to help you put your best foot forward. If you’re ready to refresh and renew, our team of experts is ready to help you carry your vision forward. Get in touch with our team to get a free quote today and unlock what we can do for your brand.
Written by Kay Myers.
