How do you know when it's time for a refresh and you might be due for a rebrand? I have a few tips that will help you decide.
Look out for these symptoms.
If your business model has changed recently, which often happens in response to the market, all businesses have to grow and evolve to keep profitable, then you might find that a brand refresh if not a full rebrand would benefit your business.
The strategic change might mean that you have introduced new product lines or services or entered new markets. Perhaps you are now using different sales channels and your target audience has changed.
Keeping you visual identity up to date with what your brand stands for helps communicate your offer to your clients or customers.
If you have recently brought a new business partner into the business or your business has merged with another business this is an obvious time to think about whether your branding needs updating. Consider whether the best way forward is to adapt your visual identity to reflect the changes to your business and brand or to continue under two brands and create a brand coherence that communicates the merge or partnership.
Maybe when you originally had a logo designed you never got a full branding package and all you have is a jpeg or pdf of your logo. You may have had different people dealing with promoting your brand through different channels and this has led to an inconsistency in colour ways, fonts and the way your logo has been used.
The very minimum your branding package should include is:
Your logo
Logo files for print and files for web use (they are not the same) including transparent versions.
Tagline - if you have one.
Brand Guidelines
This should include:
If there are more than one version of logo, it should be explained when to use which.
How to use your logo and size guidance.
Your colour values for print and web
Your fonts and when and where to use them with size guidance
Your brand's tone of voice
Imagery style
Ideally your Mission, Vision and Value Statements
Your Target Audience
If your target audience is unclear on your offer and how you can help them they will choose a brand they understand and trust.
Can you clearly articulate why your brand is better and different?
If the answer is no, then maybe your customers or clients are struggling with this too.
A well designed new visual identity can help your brand stand out from the competition, BUT if you don't have up to date Mission, Vision and Value Statements this will not be possible. They are core information you really need in your company to help establish your brand personality - and this is vital information for me as a designer to take into consideration for designing the visual identity of a brand and communicate the brand personality.
5. Your business has outgrown your branding.
If your startup budget for branding was very restricted when the business was founded years ago and the business has now grown and evolved, you may now be in a position to update your visual identity to reflect the personality and professionalism of your business better.
A rebrand could help position your brand better in the mind of your customers or clients.
There could be many more symptoms to indicate your brand might be looking tired and would benefit from a rebrand.
I would be very happy to hear from you and chat through whether your brand might benefit from an update.
Email me: jane@hansesgaarddesign.com
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