There comes a time in every business’ life when it needs a change. Things aren’t working out – or not in the way that you might have hoped. This isn’t the end – it’s just time to have a think about what your business is really about, and whether the way you have been doing things is the right way to carry on.
No business sticks to the same brand forever. Sure, there is often no reason to change a winning formula, but no one happens to stumble across that formula on their first attempt. This is where a rebrand comes in – it helps you figure out whether you are doing things a particular way because it is the right way, or because it is the way you have always done things.
What is branding?
A brand is how people envision a product, service or company. This takes into account both physical and emotional perceptions. For example, if you produce clothes, people might think that your clothes are light-weight, and that they make the wearer look cool.
So, how do people form these opinions – even if they have not used or owned the product, company or service? They form opinions based on the brand.
A brand is formed of every way that you depict your business and its activity. This could take into account the logo, the visuals you use in your advertising, the copy on your website, and even the types of product you sell. Every way that your business appears to potential customers forms part of your brand.
What is a rebrand?
A rebrand is about trying to change how your company or product is perceived externally. This could take many forms. It might mean slightly changing the company logo, or it might mean changing the company’s name and personality entirely.
A rebrand needs you to think about what it is you actually want to change. You want people to think about your brand in a different way – but the important question to consider is why?
What are the reasons for rebranding?
You’ve changed
One of the main reasons to rebrand is because your brand has changed – but the official branding hasn’t caught up yet. You might have thought your brand’s name was perfect 5 years ago, but is it right now? Think about the email address you signed up for when you were a teenager – does it still represent who you are now? Equally, your brand might have been perfect when you were a smaller company – but does it still work after you have grown? You can’t claim to be an underdog if you have become the biggest player in the market.
The competition have changed
Maybe you don’t feel like you need to change. Your brand still seems pretty good, and isn’t making you actively embarrassed. However, you notice that your competitors all seem to have had flashy rebrands. This doesn’t mean that you need to slavishly follow trends for the sake of it, but it’s worth considering why they feel the need to rebrand. You need to differentiate yourself from the rest of your market. If everyone else has updated their style to reflect broader trends, it is worth questioning whether yours is up to scratch.
No-one understands you
Is it really clear what you have to offer? This doesn’t just mean what sets you apart from the competition. For a lot of businesses, it takes some significant digging to realise what it is they actually do. Your brand is key to making your business clear to anyone who encounters it. If your brand is complicated, or your business model is complicated, it can put potential customers off from using your products and services. A clever rebrand can make even a complicated operation seem simple and understandable.
Your plans are different
You can’t always do things the same way forever. Business plans and strategies change – so do the fundamental processes behind the ways you do business. When you change your plans, you need to change your branding to match. If you move your business’ location, then you might also need to have a rebrand. Different people and places like different sorts of brands – so an older brand might worsen your results.
You’ve had some bad luck
Sometimes, unfortunate things happen to businesses. Small faux-pas can affect the public perception of your business in a negative way. Equally, over time people can start to think of your products as old-fashioned, or no longer relevant. Take, for example, the American grooming brand Old Spice. They had, over many years, become associated with older men. However, after a successful rebranding exercise, and a viral advert campaign, Old Spice managed to change how people thought of them. They changed from an older fashioned brand, to a young, light hearted and funny brand.
You want to meet new people
Sometimes you need a change of scene. Your business might have made its name selling products and services to a particular kind of demographic. Changing this can sometimes need a total rebrand in order to appeal to the people you want to start targeting. Your target audience is closely connected to your brand. Make sure that the brand image you portray is aligned with the sort of customers you want. For example, if you want to start targeting high-end, expensive purchase consumers, you need to have a brand that focuses on quality rather than value.
Rebranding with Gumpo
Gumpo are experts in helping all sorts of businesses rebrand themselves. However you want your brand image to change, we can help. Our studio designers can create a clean and memorable visual design for you. Our copywriters can help change your messaging to reflect your new aims and concerns. Our developers can make sure that your website reflects who you are as a brand.
When you rebrand your business with Gumpo, you receive as much help as you need to determine what your new aims are. We can work to your specification, or sit down with you to determine what your rebrand should be together.
