When it comes to re-branding be bold and decisive

From time to time we come across companies who want to rebrand their logo but put it off because they still have supplies of their old corporate profile. Ot they still want to use their old brochures till they run out or their old banner till it breaks.

Our advice is to rebrand with conviction and cut your losses. Think about the business you might miss because you don’t have a strong and consistent brand image.

Organisations that have blended imagery send a message to the market that they are not professional, are confused about who they are, and don’t care about who they are. Would you put your business with an organisation that reflected those values?

When it comes to branding here’s what you need to do.

STEP 1

Launch your new brand logo to your staff, partners, channel and the media and tell the story of your evolving company. This is even more critical if you are changing your company or product name. A rebrand is a major opportunity to build greater loyalty and engagement, particularly when aligned with clear company direction and focus. It revitalises people. Plus, by telling your new brand story you enable the people who surround you to carry that message to others.

STEP 2

Produce something that is a memento of the occasion – a coffee KeepCup, USB sticks, pens, foldable shopping bags, T-shirts, hats and so on. BIG HINT: Make sure your logo is suitable in size, not sledgehammer in size. You want people to want to use your merchandise so it gets lots of exposure.

STEP 3

Invest in a Brand Guide that will guide you on how to use and not use your new logo across digital, print, signage, merchandise, apparel. It also covers PMS, CMYK, RGB and Hex colour codes so you can produce your materials exactly across various marketing elements. This is important for consistency as that strengthens brand identity and recognition. See our blogs on Why Refresh a Known Brand and What is a Brand Guide.

STEP 4

Get your new logo in jpeg, png, ai, and eps formats including white reverse out and replace your masters files in every location they are stored.

STEP 5

Roll out digitally – e-signatures, electronic letterhead, invoices, PDFs and any online forms.

Replace your Facebook, Linked In, Twitter’s avatars and mastheads, as well as any other digital platforms.

Update your website. At a minimum replace the logo everywhere. However we would recommend other refreshes at the same time. If funds are tight and you have the means to do most of your website in-house then fine. However, invest in a graphic designer to design your front page so it looks more professional and modern.

STEP 6

Off the back of your new website, update your printed materials: corporate profile, product brochures, prospectuses, and any paper-based forms you have.

STEP 7

Replace your signage. With pull-up banners this is easy as you can re-use the stands and just add new vinyl. Building signing must be updated at launch as it provides a great sense of occasion and reinforces your conviction to your new brand.