In this post I am going to talk about brand rebranding. But to do so, we need to know what branding is. Well, branding or brand management is made up of a set of actions related to the positioning, purpose and values of a brand. Its objective is to create conscious and unconscious connections with the public in order to influence their purchasing decisions.
Rebranding, therefore, is based on the revision of these differentiating actions. Its approach responds to the need to adapt to changes in society. Since the user’s mentality and the market situation are elements in constant evolution.
But then, why modify all the branding work previously done on a brand? Large companies from all sectors have at some point opted for a modification or rebranding of their identity.
It is a well-studied process with a lot of work behind it, which helps the brand to differentiate itself from the competition, create links and strengthen communication with its target audience and reconnect with them. Let’s see why, with what intention, how it has been done and how this resource is necessary in many cases.
What is rebranding?
Brand rebranding, rebranding or identity redesign is a marketing strategy. It seeks to create a new name, term, symbol, design or combination of these in an established brand, with the intention of changing the image of a brand or product.
The main objective is to position a new brand image and connect or reconnect with the target audience. To develop a new differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, customers and partners, as well as to differentiate oneself from the competition.
It is necessary to talk about the difference between rebranding and restyling. In the former, as we have mentioned, a total or partial change is carried out, which may even involve changing the naming or brand name, while restyling is the adaptation with slight changes in the visual elements. Simply to update the brand image without it necessarily being in evolution.
Why and when to rebrand?
There are as many reasons for rebranding as there are companies in the world. After all, it is a strategic decision that can be driven by any number of reasons. Keep in mind that the logo is the most memorable part of a brand, capable of conveying a whole range of emotions. They may feel trust and familiarity or, on the contrary, they may even feel angry if they perceive that the brand image is negative. In this case, the company may well consider rebranding. However, there are many other reasons that can drive this decision.
Often the decision to rebrand is associated with a bad brand situation. Coinciding with its decline and as a solution to declining sales and profitability.
But the most advisable is to do it during the maturity stage. Mainly because this is when the brand is at its strongest and has the greatest capacity to generate consistent and innovative ideas. Good numbers and the availability of resources allow for in-depth research. That assesses all the possibilities in a planned way and without suffering the pressure that characterises the decline of the company.
Within the maturity stage, it can be interesting to rebrand when the company is facing the following situations:
The brand image has become obsolete or outdated.
When the brand has become obsolete, it is recommended to adapt to new trends in design and original branding through a new rebranding or restyling. This happens especially in companies with a long history or maturity, in order to adapt to the evolution of their target audience.
It is poorly positioned in the market.
In the event that the company has a bad reputation or has suffered a crisis, a rebranding decision can be taken to initiate a new phase of repositioning.
It has undergone a takeover or merger through commercial agreements.
Another reason for rebranding is when merging or buying another company, so that a new branding is created to reflect this new situation.
There is a need to expand into new channels, users or markets.
Sometimes brands rebrand to adapt to a new market they want to enter. They may even adapt the name of the company, as in the case of “Burger King”, which in Australia is called “Hungry Jack’s”.
The brand has evolved and is no longer relevant in the new context.
Sometimes the company acquires a new focus, incorporates new services or wants to link itself to other values. These changes can lead to a new rebranding that allows the company to enter a new phase.
This does not mean that the company is changing radically, but rather that it is evolving and adapting. Such is the case of “Gas Natural”, which, by incorporating electricity into its services, changed its name to “Naturgy”.
It needs to differentiate itself from the competitors.
Sometimes, a brand is rebranded when it needs to differentiate itself from the competition and stand out by highlighting its values with a different approach. Even on occasions, without the need to be a competitor of a brand, rebranding is done precisely to avoid being associated with another brand that would damage it by having opposing values.
Does rebranding bring any benefits?
Although deciding to rebrand can be a very important and risky decision, it incorporates a series of benefits for the company such as:
- Generates conversations around the company by announcing the change and generating relevance.
- Differentiation from the competitors in a situation where competitors look very similar.
- Impact on new potential customers who until now did not perceive attraction for the company or product.
- Renewal of the brand identity and the possibility of adapting to new trends.
Types of brand rebranding
We should also know that just as there are different situations in which a company rebrands, there are also different types of rebranding:
1. Total rebranding
As its name indicates, it is the change of all the components of the brand identity of a company, from the name to the logo and corporate colours. This type of rebranding is done when you want to break with the previous history. Start from the beginning with a new branding that responds to the company’s new plan.
2. Partial rebranding
In this case the change will occur in part or in some of the elements that make up the brand. Such as the logo, corporate colours or packaging.
This type of rebranding is usually related to the evolution of the company. Looking for new trends in the sector, the target public or the introduction to new markets or audiences.
Steps to follow for brand rebranding
If after weighing up whether your brand or business needs rebranding, before you start I recommend you follow these steps:
1. Analyse the current situation
You must know where you stand internally, analyse the sector, competitors, your audience and trends to be able to correctly assess whether or not you should rebrand.
Based on this analysis and its results, you will be able to weigh the benefits of this change for your company and marketing strategy.
2. Define your audience and your objectives
Once it is clear to us that we are going to carry out a rebranding we must know what target we are going to address and what objectives we want to achieve.
At the same time we have to establish the mission and vision and all the components that will identify our company (values, tone, corporate colours, etc.) so that the rebranding is coherent.
3. Creation of the brand identity
It is time to create the new branding that we are going to implement, whether partial or total, we must make the changes clear, create a new brand book or brand manual, which will be used in all communications and which will help us to create the new brand image.
4. Rebranding communication
It is very important that once you have implemented all the changes and worked on them, you communicate them so that everyone understands the new positioning. Take advantage of all possible communication channels, both your own and those of third parties, and analyse the results achieved.
If the conclusions of these steps are positive, you are ready to launch a new brand identity.
Examples of successful brand rebranding
As you will see below, major brands occasionally give themselves a facelift to modernise and adapt to the times. The success they enjoy is that their logos are known practically all over the world and easily recognisable at a glance.
Want to know how they aligned their brand values with their visual identity? Here are 5 examples of successful rebranding:
BBVA
BBVA is present in 32 countries around the world. Until a few years ago, its visual identity was adapted to each of its markets with different variations in its logo. However, this caused them to lose a certain coherence in the brand discourse. In 2019, the bank announced the unification of the brand for all markets and a new logo that was to represent the company’s new philosophy: ‘We are one team’. The aim was to highlight the value of teamwork and the commitment of all employees to the banking project.
In addition, with this new logo, the brand aims to digitalise and adapt to the new media on which its platforms are found.
In terms of design, the change is highlighted by a new dry stick typography and a play with the alignment of the A. This elevation of the A is what characterises BBVA’s new image, which represents the ‘forward’ that the brand has always promoted, going upwards, growing, creating opportunities.
NIKE
Both the brand’s name and logo come from ancient Greek mythology. Nike is the name of the winged goddess of victory and the brand’s famous logo, known as the Swoosh, is an iconic representation of the wing of the goddess Nike.
Although today the Nike logo is one of the most recognisable designs in the world, its choice was not without controversy in the spring of 1971. The small board of directors of the new company held a competition, to which 35 graphic designers applied, to create an image that reflected movement. In the end, despite the initial reluctance of Phil Knight who said: “I’m not in love with the logo, but I’ll get used to it”, student Carolyn Davidson was chosen with her mythological wing of the Greek goddess.
APPLE
The Apple brand has undergone several rebranding processes since its foundation in 1976. Although that first design only lasted a year, as Steve Jobs found it too complex. Since its inception, Apple has championed the value of simplicity and intuitive devices. This was to be reflected in its logo.
What is clear is that, over the years, the Apple logo has evolved towards minimalism, as making computing simpler and more accessible to everyone has always been a goal for the company.
In addition, the brand name was changed from “Apple Computer” to “Apple”, which helped it to expand its market share. In this way, it could not only sell computers, but also other technological devices such as the iPhone. They determined their target with the idea of “Think Different” and their logo has been updated to continue to convey innovation as the main focus.
BURGER KING
Burger King opted for a process that combined retro and modern elements. The new logo featured a more classic typography, recovering elements of its historical design, while adopting a more contemporary style in line with today’s market demands.
The current redesigned logo evokes the brand’s history, while being adapted to reflect the freshness and innovation associated with the company. Burger King undertook the strategy to revitalise its image and differentiate itself in a highly competitive market.
The rebranding generated interest and conversation, contributing to a renewed and attractive image for the brand.
YOUTUBE
More than 1.9 billion users log on to YouTube every month, and these users watch more than 1 billion hours of video in total. Thus, this platform has become the most visited platform in the world and its usage continues to grow every year.
One of the best examples of rebranding is that of YouTube in 2017, which is the only one it has done since its creation. The YouTube Sans typeface was created for the new logo. It is distinguished by being more rounded and less condensed. In this way, it aids legibility and still retains its essence.
Also, the word “Tube” has been removed from the red box and joined with the word “You”, forming the complete word YouTube. In front of the word, they have included the play icon of their videos in a red box, more striking and more vivid in colour than the previous one.
Conclusion.
Rebranding a brand is not an easy decision to make, but it is undoubtedly crucial in the evolution of a business, allowing it to adapt to the changing marketplace and to better connect with potential customers. It is a strategy to reflect internal changes, correct misalignments, and revitalise the brand.
If your company is looking for an image that conveys your new vision of the project and breaks with its history or if you want it to reflect the evolution of your company in order to reposition yourself, rebranding is what your brand needs.
Hi, I´m Roberto Vidiella.
I am the founder and Creative Director of VIDI. I am passionate about graphic design, and through this blog, I try to deepen my knowledge and share what I have learned during my career. If you leave me a comment, you help me to keep learning and improving, and I’m really excited about it!