FIGURE OUT WHY.
Branding is
what connects consumers to
companies. Well-known brands
don’t want to flush all that brand
equity down the drain, so it’s
important to know exactly why a
rebrand is desired, or even neces-
sary. Is it a matter of getting with
the times, or reflecting a new
slate of services and products?
Change can be good—if you are
certain of the payoff.
KEEP SOMETHING FROM THE
PAST.
Maintain recognition with
a single element or group of
memorable design pieces that
can be incorporated into a new
logo, icon or image.
GET EVERYONE’S INPUT.
The
decision makers in a rebrand
shouldn’t be limited to the top
brass. Every employee or brand
representative is going to carry
this new image on their shoul-
ders going forward, so make sure
they all get to participate at some
level. It’s a way of ensuring
everyone is truly on board with
the rebrand, and it makes the
rollout that much smoother.
KEEP IT SIMPLE.
Take advan-
tage of established best prac-
tices to pare down your
rebranding ideas. Use only
those elements that will stand
out and stand the test of
time—a bright, minimalist
color palette, a reader-friendly
font, or a sharp and concise
tagline.
EXPLAIN YOURSELF.
Tell
stakeholders and end users
what you’re doing and why.
Reassure them that all the
good points of your busi-
ness—service, favorite
employees, favorite prod-
ucts—aren’t changing, but
the way you deliver or
package those ele-
ments is being
upgraded.
BRANDABLE
FAST
FORWARD
62 •
PPB
• MARCH 2016
THINK
Ready For A
Rebrand?
THE TIMES, THEY ARE ALWAYS
A-CHANGIN’. Does that mean your company has
to change as well? In some ways, yes. Rebranding is
one way to reflect how well you keep up with the
times, but introducing ‘the new you’ isn’t as simple as
sporting a new logo. Read on for tips on making the
most of your plans to rebrand.
By Jen Alexander