To Rebrand or Not To Rebrand?

Dec 6

As a designer whose main focus is branding, prospective clients often ask me “Do I need to rebrand? Is it necessary?” and the answer is not always yes. Here is a set of questions to ask yourself before you consider rebranding services for your business.

1. Has Your Focus Changed?

Maybe you started your business with one focus, and from experience throughout the years, your focus shifted to better suit your audience’s needs. Say you are a B2B business consultant and started your business as a solo practitioner, then your business exploded and now you have clients from multiple different niches and associates to cater to those different niches. In this case, the branding that you initially started with will not suit your current positioning. Usually, a good rule of thumb is that if your strategy changes, your branding must adapt with it. This doesn’t always mean you need a new logo; It could mean you need a new tone of voice, imagery, colours, typography, or any other branding elements that aren’t up to speed with your positioning. ALL elements of your branding should always be cohesive, never expect to update one aspect of your business without evaluating if your branding reflects that change as well.

2. Is your branding professional quality?

So, you started your business a few years ago and didn’t have the budget to get a professional branding package. Instead, you went on Canva and picked out some templates that looked pretty, then called it a day. Is this you? If so, chances are you desperately need to revisit your branding. Bad branding could be the thing holding you back from reaching your dream customers. Every business needs a professional branding package catered specifically to its needs with elements that reflect the message it wants to convey to its customers. If your branding is not built strategically, and only based on aesthetics, it's time to call up a designer.

3. Does your logo break any major design rules?

There are many deadly design mistakes that can instantly ruin your logo. the examples above showcase some of the WORST design fails (courtesy of demilked). The biggest mistake showcased here is that the logo unintentionally looks like something vulgar or inappropriate. This can draw attention to your business in a negative way and destroy your reputation. Some other fatal mistakes are typography that cannot be read, overcomplicated logos, use of raster images, not having contrast, not conveying a clear message, copying another logo, and not using symmetry or balance. If you are not a designer, these mistakes can sometimes be hard to spot.

4. Is your branding outdated?

Outdated doesn’t necessarily mean OLD, which is a common misconception. There are some old logos that have remained classic and timeless, and should not be messed with ( ex. Coca-Cola, Nike, Starbucks, Apple). There are also some rebrands that were totally unnecessary and sucked all of the personality out of brands (those that have followed the new Jaguar rebrand know what I’m talking about). Take a look at what’s happening with high-fashion brands. Many of them have traded in their elegant, classic logos for a plain sans-serif type logo, and it is heartbreaking. What I mean by outdated is that your logo was designed based on a TREND a while back that has now gone out of style. This is why great designers usually don’t design logos based on trends, this is almost always the road to becoming obsolete because trends change so frequently. Trends should be reserved for specific marketing campaigns, not your core branding.

What kind of rebrand do you need?

Sometimes you just need a little refresh. You don’t always need to change your entire identity, your branding may just need a little TLC. A brand refresh is where the essence of your branding stays the same, but small edits are made to enhance its features (like putting on a light, natural makeup look, but not a full glam). Refresh changes can include but are not limited to: rebalancing your logo, changing a typeface to be more legible on screen, creating a new tagline, tweaking colour palettes, editing a website, or shifting your tone of voice.

Don’y know if you need a rebrand or brand refresh? That’s ok! I am offering a “brand audit” service where I analyze all elements of your brand and assess what changes can be made to optimize your brand’s performance. It’s a minuscule investment with no obligation to use my design services upon completion. Book a free 30-minute consultation to see if your business is a good fit for a branding audit.

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