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.)
M&As are complex There’s so much to think about: operations, sales channels, HR, not to mention all the legal stuff. Because of that, the brand is often last on the list. It gets shortchanged in the scramble to get everything else figured out. And that equates to one massive missed opportunity. Focusing on the brand at this time is strategically the best way to define the new organization, calm nerves and get things started on the right foot.
No matter how culturally similar two companies are, a merger or acquisition always shakes up, expands or complicates their respective value propositions. How could it not? You’re combining two things into one. And questions are bound to follow. Stakeholders ask about the strategic advantages. Employees want to know how their roles will be affected. Customers wonder if they can still rely on their trusted and familiar products and services.
If you don’t take time to craft a narrative around the change, one will be written for you (and it’s not likely to be entirely favorable). Think about branding as a way to answer these questions and provide clear, consistent messaging to all the affected parties. A well-articulated brand expresses the nature of the new relationship and lays out a vision for how things will be moving forward. As a result, both internal and external audiences will breathe a little easier knowing what the transition is all about.
As an added bonus, the brand refresh encourages greater engagement since it lets your employees and stakeholders play an active role in the process. By turning your internal audiences into brand ambassadors, they can help shape the company culture moving forward—and help the brand realize its greatest potential.
Think about it this way: M&As are like merging families. Imagine if you got the marriage certificate, booked the venue, and hired the DJ, but didn’t give much thought to what you wanted your life as a couple to be like after “I do.” Post-honeymoon, you’d probably be looking at each other thinking, “now what?” Don’t let that happen to you! Yes, the contracts need to be signed and the operational details need to be ironed out and the financing needs to be approved, but that will all go to waste—or at least be much less effective—if you don’t have a brand that unites and expresses the new organization.
Client Case Study
TRULAND Equipment
A great example of how we blend two companies into one united brand is TRULAND Equipment. In this merger, two regional John Deere dealers came together to create one powerhouse. But instead of giving them a new brand that had no meaning for either side, we took the time to analyze the attributes that made each company who it was. Then, we found the common elements that linked them together. This allowed the new visual and messaging elements to reflect the joint venture’s roots.
