There are a variety of reasons as to why a rebrand may be considered for a brand. Perhaps there was a change in ownership or management, the current brand is outdated, or the brand voice is lost. Regardless of the reason, our experience has shown that there are consistencies in the process employed to rebrand, or refresh, any brand.
Our branding process starts with a brand assessment that gathers information through data analytics, surveys and interviews. This information is utilized to formulate a brand positioning statement that then funnels into creative and key messaging. Our branding process culminates with updated brand guidelines that include logo variations, color palettes, voice/tone recommendations, and suggested do’s/don’ts.
STEP 1: BRAND ASSESSMENT
A comprehensive brand assessment will analyze brand pillars, brand positioning, and brand personality.
Brand Pillars
The brand assessment typically starts with internal stakeholder conversations about the brands core values. Only an honest assessment of the brands core values will translate into a successful brand assessment, as consumers are apt to turn on brands that are viewed as ingenuine.
Furthermore, core values should guide every decision throughout the process. By knowing who a brand is, it will be able to effectively convey to consumers what makes the brand exceptional.
Brand Positioning
Positioning explains how a brand contributes to the purpose. What makes a brand unique from others?
Research is a crucial step in the brand positioning process. It can be conducted using qualitative interviews, quantitative surveys or by reviewing past research efforts. By collecting data from stakeholders including brand leadership, employees, and target audience, a wide range of feedback and a more wholistic view of the challenge can be received.
If a brand wants to stand out in a field of competitors, the first thing to find out is what they are doing. We start by identifying similar brands and reviewing aspects such as taglines, key messaging, logos, colors, fonts, website, etc.
We then proceed to evaluate what is working well and what is not working by conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis. A SWOT Analysis allows a brand to take advantage of strengths and reduce the chance of failure by understanding what the brand is lacking.
Usually a brand positioning exercise will culminate in an updated brand positioning statement, outlining what the brand does, target audience, and the reasons to believe in the brand.
Brand Personality
The personality of a brand is what makes it human in the eyes of consumers through visuals, voice, and tone. The final step in the brand assessment is to form the brand’s personality.
A way to humanize a brand is to use a model based on Carl Jung’s theory which is that people typically use symbolism to understand concepts. In his model, he defined 12 different brand archetypes that represent different groups of characteristics, aspirations, values, and attitudes.
STEP 2: BRAND ROLLOUT
Using the brand assessment as the guide, it’s time to proceed to the visual updates and messaging that reinforce the updated brand positioning. A brand’s logo, color palette, and fonts are assets that will grab the audience’s attention and will be the things that they will remember visually.
A rebrand can consist of large rollout that includes new logos, messaging and a website redesign or could be a slight refresh of colors and fonts. Even minor updates can have a big impact on a brand rollout.
Regardless of what is executed, it is important that everything done moving forward is consistent. Setting brand standards will guide how the brand elements are used to ensure consistency.
If you are interested in refreshing your brand or starting from scratch, give us a call. We would love to help you through the branding process!
