Many factors influence a company’s decision to rebrand. Maybe your organization has evolved and there are gaps in your messaging or brand identity. Or maybe your business is facing tough competition and needs to reclaim its position in the marketplace.
Regardless of your motivation, it’s crucial to establish goals for your rebrand before you begin the heavy lifting. Identifying your desired outcomes will help you stay on track throughout the branding process and serve as criteria for evaluating the success of your rebrand initiative.
Establishing Goals for Your Rebrand
The first step of a rebrand is to establish goals and desired outcomes for the initiative.
Start by asking why you want to perform a rebrand in the first place. If you don’t have a clear business need, it will be hard to measure its effectiveness and ROI later. The time you spend considering the desired future state of your brand and your underlying motives will help you pinpoint the outcomes you want to achieve.
Consider the following desired outcomes for your rebrand, and determine which ones are most important and relevant to your business and its success.
Potential outcomes of your rebrand:
- Updated and streamlined messaging
- Improved brand recognition
- Appealing to a new audience segment
- A more unified company culture
- Increased engagement
- Relevance in the current marketplace
- Differentiation from competitors with similar offerings
- Brand consistency following a merger or acquisition
Approach this list as a starting point. The next step involves defining your goals using the SMART goals method.
Writing SMART Goals
SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. As you define goals for your rebrand, consider these elements:
Specific: Get granular and carefully break down your goal. For example, a desire to “increase audience engagement” isn’t specific enough. How much do you want to see audience engagement increase by and on which platforms?
Measurable: Use metrics and units to measure the effectiveness and ROI of your efforts.
Attainable: Choose ambitious goals you can actually accomplish — you need the right amount of challenge for optimal participation.
Relevant: Your goals should align with industry trends as well as your organization’s values and long-term objectives.
Time-bound: Set a realistic timeline for achieving your goals. Check in on progress throughout the project before jumping straight to the final results post-rebrand.
The SMART goals method is effective for setting goals because it provides a sense of direction and serves as a guide for your initiative.
Establishing well-defined goals can make or break your rebrand. To understand how this translates to application, let’s consider two real-world examples.
A Tale of Two Rebrands
First, let’s analyze Tropicana’s 2009 packaging rebrand. Tropicana wanted to position its brand in a more current and modern state. By adjusting the packaging design, Tropicana hoped to resonate with younger audiences. Unfortunately, the rebrand proved a failure for the business.
What went wrong? Well, it started with their goals.
Tropicana wanted to modernize its packaging to resonate with younger audiences. However, the rebranding team failed to properly address the “specific” and “measurable” elements of this goal.
To further build out the goal, the team should have decided if a packaging update was the best way to attract younger audiences. If preliminary research confirmed it was, they should have determined which elements of the original packaging were ineffective and how the packaging needed to update those elements to connect with younger generations of consumers. The team should have also considered whether other elements of the brand should have changed, too.
To make the goal measurable, the team should have included metrics. An example of this might be “increase the number of orange juice cartons purchased in-store by ages 15 to 25 by 5%.”
When you attach metrics to a goal, it’s easier to defend a rebrand in the event of backlash. After the launch of its packaging update, Tropicana received significant criticism. Because Tropicana’s goals were not fully defined, the team was unable to defend the results of its rebrand using metrics. In the end, the new design was rejected so harshly by consumers that Tropicana reverted back to its original version of the packaging.
Now, let’s take a look at a successful rebrand in which the business goals for the project were clearly defined.
Uber launched its rebrand in 2018, with the goal of becoming more accessible and relatable to consumers. What started as a luxury rideshare app soon transformed into a global mode of transportation. With the new brand, Uber hoped to make its identity more practical, functional and recognizable to consumers.
Guided by these principles, Uber set goals that aligned with the SMART goals method. The team’s goals were customer-first and specifically addressed the need to be more accessible and end its reputation as a luxury brand. The team carefully audited its logo typography, visuals, and voice and tone to appeal to a wider target audience instead of just the business professionals they previously catered to.
The actions and decisions related to the project were directly influenced by Uber’s goals. For example, the team wanted to showcase people of various ages and backgrounds in imagery on the Uber website. To track the success of this tactic in relation to the goal, the team watched for an increase in website views and clicks among diverse audience demographics.
By aligning its goals with the SMART goals method, Uber was able to take its vision one step further and define the best way to remain current in the market. Uber’s thoughtful process kept its team on track throughout the branding initiative and enabled Uber to use its goals to measure success.
Analyzing Metrics Post-rebrand
It’s also important to know how to evaluate metrics following a rebrand. Upon completion, review key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the initiative. We generally wait six to 12 months after a brand rollout before revisiting metrics to measure the rebrand’s success.
Clear metrics for a successful rebrand include an increase in customer demand, website traffic and other markers of engagement.
Brand image and perception are additional gauges of success that can be measured by a brand tracking survey. By conducting a brand tracking survey before and after a brand rollout, you can gain insight into changes to audience awareness and perception.
Like markets, rebrands are dynamic. Continue to push for excellence and evolve alongside the industry — just remember to regularly measure the success of your brand.
How do you know when it’s time to rebrand? Does your brand need to refresh its visual identity or create more focused messaging? Or is it time for a bigger change?
A rebranding initiative can take your brand to the next level, but it can also create certain risks. With so much at stake, it’s important to understand how to evolve your brand while protecting its core elements.
Reasons to Rebrand
Right out of the gate, you need to identify the factors that are motivating your organization’s decision to rebrand. Keep the purpose of your rebranding project top of mind throughout the process, and consider the reasons why your company is making this change.
Cultural shifts: Changes in societal norms can shift the way brands are perceived in the marketplace. Consider McKinsey & Company. McKinsey has always helped its clients chart a course for organizational change. But as the business evolved, McKinsey took it a step further: the organization now works with clients to turn their ambitious goals into reality.
McKinsey & Company had essentially outgrown its brand and needed a new brand that better communicated its collaborative approach and the impact of its services. So McKinsey implemented thoughtful improvements to its identity, including the implementation of a brand device they called the “Partnership Mark” to symbolize the agile ways McKinsey’s teams work together and with clients.
Many business leaders create strong brands, but neglect to stay relevant. As a leader, it’s important to evolve your business and brand to adapt to changes in the marketplace and world.
McKinsey & Company had essentially outgrown its brand and needed a new brand that better communicated its collaborative approach and the impact of its services. So McKinsey implemented thoughtful improvements to its identity, including the implementation of a brand device they called the “Partnership Mark” to symbolize the agile ways McKinsey’s teams work together and with clients.
Many business leaders create strong brands, but neglect to stay relevant. As a leader, it’s important to evolve your business and brand to adapt to changes in the marketplace and world.
New product or service: The launch of a new product or service is one of the most common reasons for a company to consider a rebrand. In many cases, the addition of a product or service changes the value proposition for the business, which requires an update to how the brand is communicated to the marketplace.
For example, when Mailchimp expanded its services beyond email marketing, the company needed to adjust its visual identity and messaging to organize its offerings and reposition the business as the go-to digital marketing platform. While they needed to evolve, they also wanted to make sure the new brand stayed true to who they’ve always been. In a world of templated businesses, Mailchimp’s success told a story of growing up and staying weird.
During the rebranding process, Mailchimp created a custom and immediately recognizable illustration style to use across its marketing. The company also ran self-deprecating campaigns highlighting its expanded offerings, using headlines like “Bad at future-proof names. Good at more than mail.” The rebrand allowed Mailchimp to evolve as a brand while staying aligned to the values of its primary audience.
For example, when Mailchimp expanded its services beyond email marketing, the company needed to adjust its visual identity and messaging to organize its offerings and reposition the business as the go-to digital marketing platform. While they needed to evolve, they also wanted to make sure the new brand stayed true to who they’ve always been. In a world of templated businesses, Mailchimp’s success told a story of growing up and staying weird.
During the rebranding process, Mailchimp created a custom and immediately recognizable illustration style to use across its marketing. The company also ran self-deprecating campaigns highlighting its expanded offerings, using headlines like “Bad at future-proof names. Good at more than mail.” The rebrand allowed Mailchimp to evolve as a brand while staying aligned to the values of its primary audience.
Mergers and acquisitions: Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are a common reason to perform a rebrand, but they bring a unique set of challenges.
The union of two or more organizations can add new products and services to the business, resulting in a disorganized product architecture. Additionally, M&A rebrands often involve a large set of stakeholders that can make shared decision-making difficult.
Rebrands that follow M&A activity sometimes involve a new company name, which introduces a new set of challenges to the process as the organization works to retain brand equity while moving in an entirely new direction. For example, when Raytheon merged with United Technologies, they renamed the company Raytheon Technologies to retain the brand equity associated with each company.
The union of two or more organizations can add new products and services to the business, resulting in a disorganized product architecture. Additionally, M&A rebrands often involve a large set of stakeholders that can make shared decision-making difficult.
Rebrands that follow M&A activity sometimes involve a new company name, which introduces a new set of challenges to the process as the organization works to retain brand equity while moving in an entirely new direction. For example, when Raytheon merged with United Technologies, they renamed the company Raytheon Technologies to retain the brand equity associated with each company.
4 Tips for Maintaining Brand Equity During a B2B Rebrand
Your organization’s brand is special and unique. It has elements that define it and make it stand out in the marketplace. But there’s always room for improvement. A rebranding initiative that retains key elements of your existing brand equity can give your business a new look that helps you achieve growth on the shoulders of your past success.
1. Define core elements familiar to customers
Begin by auditing your brand. You can determine the equity of your brand by identifying the elements that are immediately associated with your brand and drive positive associations.
Rather than making assumptions, perform primary research by conducting customer focus groups or surveying your customers. Once you pinpoint the core elements that are valuable to customers, decide whether you want to carry them over to your updated brand and discuss ways for maintaining them as your brand evolves.
When Walker Sands kicked off a branding initiative with Hub Group we closely examined how the brand had grown over its 50-year history. A core element we knew we wanted to retain was the equity Hub Group had built through its green color scheme. The company owned hundreds of thousands of green shipping containers worldwide and in the existing competitive landscape they owned the color green, making their containers immediately recognizable.
Begin by auditing your brand. You can determine the equity of your brand by identifying the elements that are immediately associated with your brand and drive positive associations.
Rather than making assumptions, perform primary research by conducting customer focus groups or surveying your customers. Once you pinpoint the core elements that are valuable to customers, decide whether you want to carry them over to your updated brand and discuss ways for maintaining them as your brand evolves.
When Walker Sands kicked off a branding initiative with Hub Group we closely examined how the brand had grown over its 50-year history. A core element we knew we wanted to retain was the equity Hub Group had built through its green color scheme. The company owned hundreds of thousands of green shipping containers worldwide and in the existing competitive landscape they owned the color green, making their containers immediately recognizable.
2. Communicate the reasons for the rebrand
Earlier we mentioned several reasons why a company may rebrand. Maybe your organization is experiencing one of these changes, or maybe you have a different motivation. Regardless, don’t leave key audiences wondering about the rationale. Instead, express how the rebrand will improve their experiences.
For example, Hub Group had built a reputation for its intermodal capabilities. Despite several acquisitions to expand their services, they were still not recognized as an end-to-end supply chain solutions provider. With redefined product architecture and messaging, Hub Group was able to communicate their expanded services and technologies as the catalyst for the rebrand.
Transparency and authenticity are growing increasingly important in the relationship between brands and their customers. Although it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing exclusively on the business during a rebrand, make an effort to keep your customers in the loop and communicate how the rebrand reflects changes that benefit them.
Earlier we mentioned several reasons why a company may rebrand. Maybe your organization is experiencing one of these changes, or maybe you have a different motivation. Regardless, don’t leave key audiences wondering about the rationale. Instead, express how the rebrand will improve their experiences.
For example, Hub Group had built a reputation for its intermodal capabilities. Despite several acquisitions to expand their services, they were still not recognized as an end-to-end supply chain solutions provider. With redefined product architecture and messaging, Hub Group was able to communicate their expanded services and technologies as the catalyst for the rebrand.
Transparency and authenticity are growing increasingly important in the relationship between brands and their customers. Although it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing exclusively on the business during a rebrand, make an effort to keep your customers in the loop and communicate how the rebrand reflects changes that benefit them.
3. Engage target audiences to retain loyalty
One way to keep customers front and center during a rebranding initiative is by encouraging them to engage with your brand. Rather than ignoring these customers throughout the process, get them involved with your rebrand and show them how much their support matters.
You can invite your customers to participate in the rebrand through surveys, email campaigns and social media. You’ll find there are many ways to creatively and strategically interact with your customers. But whatever form they take, these interactions signal to your customers that you care about their needs and opinions, and the process will ultimately strengthen your relationships with them.
One way to keep customers front and center during a rebranding initiative is by encouraging them to engage with your brand. Rather than ignoring these customers throughout the process, get them involved with your rebrand and show them how much their support matters.
You can invite your customers to participate in the rebrand through surveys, email campaigns and social media. You’ll find there are many ways to creatively and strategically interact with your customers. But whatever form they take, these interactions signal to your customers that you care about their needs and opinions, and the process will ultimately strengthen your relationships with them.
4. Maintain unique elements in niche markets
As you assess your business at a high level, don’t overlook your presence in niche markets. Although you may be expanding your business’ offerings or audiences, remember that you can’t be all things to all people.
Protect your organization’s existing brand equity by retaining the elements that set it apart from competitors. Focus your efforts on what is ownable and where your business can succeed. And don’t give in to pressure from competitors or the marketplace. Instead, stay true to your brand and your core customers.
As you assess your business at a high level, don’t overlook your presence in niche markets. Although you may be expanding your business’ offerings or audiences, remember that you can’t be all things to all people.
Protect your organization’s existing brand equity by retaining the elements that set it apart from competitors. Focus your efforts on what is ownable and where your business can succeed. And don’t give in to pressure from competitors or the marketplace. Instead, stay true to your brand and your core customers.
Were My Efforts Successful?
After your new brand identity is launched, you need to measure the success of your B2B rebrand and gauge the effectiveness of your work.
Monitor your target audience for changes in behavior, usage and purchasing habits, and compare pre- and post-rebrand results. Additionally, measure changes in audience awareness and intent in relation to your brand and its products and services.
By identifying the elements that are core to your brand and engaging with key audiences, you can evolve your brand in a way that strengthens and grows your organization’s brand equity in the marketplace.