Published: October 31, 2022
One of our favorite things to do at OC is helping companies through a rebrand. Thing is, we won’t always advise that you go through with it. There are good and bad reasons to rebrand, and while we’re thrilled to talk with you about it, sometimes there are other solutions. Keep reading to see some good reasons to rebrand and some not-so-good reasons. Maybe it’s time you had a change! Of course, maybe not.
We’re going to start with the positives. Here are the good reasons to take on a rebrand, as we see it. On to the good!
Growing Into Your Role
Early logos can be cringeworthy, looking back, but you have to start somewhere, right? As your business or organization grows, opening new locations or offering new services, that old logo may not express what you do or where you do it anymore. When that becomes the case, it’s a good idea to refresh your brand to more accurately express what you do. Makes sense, right?
Refocusing Your Lens
Maybe you decided to take another look at your company’s mission and vision and found that it doesn’t necessarily align with what you’re doing now. There’s no shame in that. Sometimes you just need to refocus that central doctrine to more closely reflect what your organization is trying to do. When you do that, you could find that your branding doesn’t jive with the new vision. Again, there’s nothing wrong with that! It just means it’s time to give your brand a shine up to match!
Making the Big Merge
Mergers happen. It’s a fact of business. Whatever the reason, acquiring or being acquired can be a great time to rebrand. Maybe your new addition has an area of focus that your company didn’t. Maybe they serve a different sector of the population. Look at what your combined identity has to offer, and work together on some new branding that more clearly encapsulates your identity.
Alright, now that we’ve tackled some good reasons to rebrand, let’s look at some bad reasons to rebrand. We wouldn’t recommend a rebrand in any of the situations below.
Leaving Your Mark
Do you remember when a company renamed the Sears Tower in Chicago as a sign of their commitment to the city? Changing the name of a beloved landmark to their own name still feels like the action of an overinflated ego rather than a gesture of goodwill. Sometimes a new boss wants to make their mark on a company. Don’t follow in the footsteps of the Willis Group. Make your name by being different from previous bosses, making smart choices that embrace the future of the company, listening to your employees, and strengthening the brand. Rebranding isn’t the way to go when all you’re doing is stroking your ego.
Growing Bored
We all get tired of things we see every day. Logos, company colors, taglines. But you have to remember that not everyone sees your branding every day like you do. Just because you’re bored with something doesn’t mean others are. I’d imagine Nike designers are tired of the swoosh some days, but they’d be crazy to move to something else just because they’re bored of it. Instead, maybe take a long look at your branding and see what made you fall in love with it in the first place. Sometimes just looking at it deeply is enough to shake you from complacency.
Sweeping it Under the Rug
We won’t name names, but we all know at least one company that got itself into some hot water and tried to rebrand as a way to make people forget anything was wrong in the first place. Adopting a clean new image doesn’t hide the fact that there’s a lot of rot under that fresh coat of paint. In fact, it can come across as disingenuous and downright dishonest. A better solution would be owning a mistake and making amends honestly and openly. That sort of behavior will do much more to clean up your image than any rebranding could.
Good, Bad, or Otherwise
There are as many more good reasons to rebrand as there are bad. Just be sure that if you decide it’s time for a change you make the right call. Or just call OC and we’ll walk you through your options. From logo and website to business cards and vehicle wraps, we know the ins and outs of refreshing your image. It should go without saying that we’d love to be a part of your new look!