Brands become stagnant if they aren’t open to change. For this reason, reviewing your brand strategy is now common business practice, but any changes you make should have a business objective behind them.
Should you refresh or rebrand?
To identify whether change is necessary for your brand and where updates need to be made, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does the brand identity and language accurately reflect your business?
- Is the brand resonating with your customers?
- Do your team members understand how they contribute to brand success?
- Is the brand being applied consistently across all customer touchpoints?
When a brand is successful, the answers to most of these questions will be ‘yes’, although an indicator that your brand strategy needs updating is when that ‘yes’ is followed by a ‘but’. For example, if the answer to the brand language question is ‘yes, but I feel that the language could be more personal’, this is an indicator that your company has evolved and the branding needs to catch up.
In this instance, a brand refresh may be more valuable to your business than a complete rebrand. Refreshing your brand rather than starting from scratch allows you to refine your visual identity and redefine what the brand stands for and how you communicate these core values internally and externally.
What is a brand refresh?
A brand refresh is an evaluative process where we identify challenges and opportunities for your business and make subtle refinements to your brand to reinforce its position in the marketplace. A brand refresh ensures your brand remains relevant without damaging the equity you’ve worked hard to build.
When should I do a brand refresh?
You should consider a brand refresh when:
- Your brand feels stale or outdated
- Your branding is not applied consistently across your business
- You’re repositioning your business
- Your brand has matured or is preparing for growth
What can I expect with a brand refresh?
A brand refresh is an opportunity to align your branding with your business strategy. You’ll see the best results if you define your ongoing business objectives before the refresh.
During a brand refresh, we refine your brand strategy brisbane and review each element of the brand to ensure you’re effectively and consistently communicating your brand promise and brand story.
Refinements made during a brand refresh project may include:
- Subtly refining/modernising the logo
- Updating the brand colour palette
- Modernising photography style
- Reviewing brand statements and technical descriptors
- Refining the design of all business collateral
- Implementing a new brand style guide
- Reviewing internal and external communication strategies
This process results in a more cohesive identity that better reflects your business. It also provides a strong framework to continue developing your brand as your business grows.
A brand refresh case study
Century Batteries have been manufacturing batteries in Australia since 1928. They approached Viabrand in 2020 to refresh their brand with an updated visual identity incorporating a more contemporary language and design elements.
Being an established brand, Viabrand needed to retain enough of the existing identity to remain recognisable to its well-established target markets.
After an extensive discovery process, Viabrand created a bespoke brand visual identity and applied it across all of Century Batteries’ digital and physical communication assets.
What makes a brand refresh different to a rebrand?
The rebranding process is a lot more in-depth. It signals a change of direction for a business and can involve the creation of a completely new identity, brand story, and even business name. This process suits companies that need to reinvent themselves because they or their market has changed so much that the current brand no longer represents them or connects with their customers.
When should I do a rebrand?
You should consider a rebrand when:
- Your product offering has changed
- Your industry has shifted
- You’re taking your business in a new direction
- Your brand reputation has been damaged
What to expect in the rebranding process.
A rebrand allows you to redefine your business, its position in the industry and your product offering. You’ll see the best results if you clearly define your new branding and marketing strategies before you rebrand.
During a rebrand, we refine your brand strategy and create elements that capture your new brand offering and brand story.
A rebranding may include:
- A new company and brand name
- A new logo
- New brand colours
- New brand statements and technical descriptors
- New business collateral
- Implementing a new brand style guide
- Reviewing internal and external communication strategies
This process results in a new identity reflecting changes to your business.
A rebranding case study
Everdent, formerly known as Forever Smile Denture Clinic, is a family-owned business with a strong heritage in the dental industry. Wanting to change its brand name and positioning, Everdent joined forces with Viabrand® to complete a comprehensive brand strategy and rebrand.
Everdent sought a new brand name and logo that positioned them as leaders in the dental industry. The new brand name — Everdent — was inspired by evoking the notion of good dental care enhancing your life forever and the wordplay of ‘evident’, meaning to be noticeable and apparent. To ensure there were no misconceptions about the brand name, Viabrand® deployed a technical descriptor: Dental Aesthetics Clinic and the brand promise of ‘building better smiles’. We then incorporated these new brand elements across shopfront windows, LED overhead signage and brochures. A new website and an ongoing social media campaign also carried the momentum forward.
Choosing to do a brand refresh or a rebrand will depend on whether your brand needs an aesthetic update to stay competitive or if your brand would benefit from wiping the slate clean and starting anew. Developing a clear brand strategy and seeking a fresh perspective can help you decide which choice is right for your brand.
Viabrand® is an experienced brisbane marketing agency and brand strategy brisbane that can help develop and execute agile marketing plans. Book a complimentary, no-obligation 30-minute call to learn more: https://calendly.com/viabrand/30min