8 Reasons to Rebrand
Rebranding. It’s a big word—and an even bigger decision. Change is always hard, especially when it affects every aspect of your livelihood and hits your bottom line. But whether your brand’s been chugging along for one year or 100, there are times when a brand-new brand is not only helpful, but necessary.
At Big, branding is what we do (and we’ve spent decades doing it). Over the years, we’ve spotted some situaitons and symptoms that almost always point to the need for a rebrand. If you’re thinking about taking the leap toward a new brand identity, read through this series. If any of these points hit a little too close to home, you know who to call. (Hint: It’s us. Call us. Obviously.)
Think back to when your company first started. If your revenue has multiplied many times over, you’ve changed the type of products or services you offer, or the demographics of your key audiences have changed—your brand identity might be due for an upgrade. Your brand should both reflect who you are and appeal to the type of customers you’d like to have. Odds are good that if either your company or your customers have changed, your brand should too.
Ultimately, your brand is your first impression. An outdated brand can communicate or imply much more than you intend—and the message it sends may not be a favorable one.
In our experience, there are two ways that an outdated brand can become out of touch. The first is visual. If your brand hasn’t grown to meet the aesthetic or functional needs of a modern audience, it can look like it doesn’t reflect the caliber of your company’s current success. The second is in messaging. As organizations grow and evolve, their value proposition does, too—often adapting to the needs and demands of the market. But if you haven’t taken time to examine your brand messaging, it may no longer reflect your current differentiators or resonate with your audiences. Things that were seen as unique selling points a decade ago may now be commonplace. Or your company’s strengths may have moved from measurable, tangible benefits toward more emotional ones.
The good news is—a rebrand doesn’t mean starting from scratch, completely reinventing who you are, or throwing out the brand equity and recognition you’ve built over the years. Oftentimes, it means refreshing elements so that they’re still easily recognizable but reflect a modern, updated aesthetic and voice.
The world is full of companies whose early brands no longer match their modern images. IBM was once a hardware company. Google used to be a search engine—and not much more. UPS was known for shipping long before building their logistics prowess. The world changes, and so do the brands that reflect and define them. Evolution is unavoidable. But hey, it’s also exciting! When you embrace the change instead of fighting it, you can build a brand that grows with you instead of getting stuck in a rut.
Client Case Study
3Rivers Archery
What happens when a mom-and-pop shop suddenly becomes a nationwide resource? Just ask 3Rivers Archery. The small, independent retailer had spent decades selling within a very narrow niche: traditional archery supplies. And traditional archery wasn’t really on the public radar until a little movie called “Hunger Games” and a penchant for all things medieval started seeping into the pop culture zeitgeist.
The public fascination led to an increase of traditional archery hobbyists, and the influx of hobbyists gave the little northern Indiana shop a lot more web traffic. Their rapid, unexpected growth left their brand lagging behind, so they turned to Big. We gave them a brand that brought them into the digital era, matched their reputation and reflected their heritage. Because sometimes, what’s old is new again—and a strong brand can celebrate the past while still looking to the future.