Not even the world’s biggest and most successful brands stay the same forever. While we may think of the most iconic company logos as being static and unchanging, a fleeting look at their company history and development will tell us otherwise. These are lessons all companies and brands must learn, that at some point in time a rebrand may be necessary.
Rebranding is not an action that should be undertaken lightly. Careful project management of corporate rebrand is critical to its success. But how does a business know when the time has come to do rebranding? When is it time for new signage, new colors, a new or refreshed logo? Let’s see below.
The vision that founders of a company have can change over the years. Businesses don’t have to change hands for this to happen. Some of the most famous companies in our world today have done complete reversals on their previous brand identity because they felt that it no longer served its purpose in telling the brand story, conveying a company’s values or sending out the right kind of message.
Did you know that Google was originally called “BackRub.” From this kooky and inexplicable name, they changed to the more iconic Google was chosen. Where BackRub was targeted at a more techy audience who understood its connection to backlinks, a new name was needed for the company as they expanded. Google is related to the term “googolplex” which refers to a 1 with a googol of zeros after it. A googol is a 1 followed by 100 zeroes. That name reflected a new brand story --- this is how much data we get through to provide you with the best results.
When one brand expires on its journey to fulfill your mission, it’s time to move on to the next one.
It could be that your business was a pioneer of sorts in a particular industry and/or in your local area. If that’s the case, then your branding was likely a source of great inspiration to others. It may have influenced how others styled their own businesses, especially those who emerged to compete with you. When your original branding is looking a bit too much like the competition, it’s time for a change. A refreshed image keeps a brand ahead of the competition, and even sets the trend for others to follow. Once again, you place your business as a leader.
As brands become dated, the sense of pride that you may have once had in sharing it with others may start to wane. What was brilliant and visionary back in 2005 might now be looking old hat, even dinosauric. It can happen to many aspects of a business, from a shop’s front signage to the business cards employees carry, or the website clients land on when purchasing products or services. If you’re losing pride in any of these things, then it could be time for a rebrand.
What works in the early days of a business can quickly turn into a problem as the company grows. The need for a new business model therefore arises, which should prompt you to wonder whether your original branding is suitable for the new evolved business model. It might still work, depending on how big the changes were, but in many cases, it may be time to rebrand.
