Thinking About Refreshing Your Brand? 5 Things Worth Considering.
From your logo to your tone of voice – your brand should be refreshed from time to time. But it’s not just about the small things. If you’re serious about refreshing your brand, you need to think about the big picture – not just the little details.
Why a Brand Refresh May Be Needed
If you’ve been around the marketing scene for a while, you may be familiar with the term “brand refresh.” It’s a term used to describe the process of adjusting a company’s branding, including its website, its social media profiles, and its marketing materials, such as ads and brochures.
The goal of the brand refresh is to update all of these things to make them more current, more relevant, and more attractive to potential customers and clients
Some of the most common reasons for a brand refresh include:
- New products/services
- New technologies
- New directions in the market
- New competitors
- New policies
- New industry standards
- New marketing tactics
- New target audiences
Sometimes a brand refresh is a natural progression, and sometimes it’s just a way to stay competitive and relevant. But it’s important to note that a brand refresh is not the same as a rebranding.
Rebranding vs Brand Refresh: There’s a Difference
Unfortunately, rebranding and a brand refresh are often used interchangeably, even though they are two very different concepts.
- Rebranding: is the process of completely altering the image of a company to create a new identity. It’s a huge undertaking that can take months or even years to complete.
- A brand refresh: is a smaller, more targeted update to a company’s branding, its marketing materials, and its website. It’s usually completed within a matter of weeks, and it’s intended to make a brand more current, relevant, and attractive to potential customers and clients.
In other words, a brand refresh is a much more targeted approach to updating your branding without shocking your current audience and still helping you attract newer members.
While one may seem easier than the other, it’s essential to remember that there is a time and place for both a rebranding and a brand refresh. It all comes down to your end goals.
5 Things to Consider When Thinking About Refreshing Your Brand
You’ve been working hard to build your brand. You’ve created a new marketing strategy, promoted your brand on social media, and even started a new business venture. You’ve built a great brand that stands on its own. However, if you’re not satisfied with the current branding, it’s time to refresh it.
Before you get started, there are a few things you should consider:
1. Is Your Branding Outdated? Or Is It No Longer Relevant?
Your brand is your company’s personality. It’s the face of your business, and it’s what your customers and clients see when they think of you.
As a business owner, it’s essential to evaluate your brand periodically. Your brand should be in tune with the times, so it should reflect the changes in your industry and your target audience. It should also be in tune with the needs of your customers and clients.
If your brand is outdated, it won’t be effective at attracting new clients. If it’s not relevant to your audience, it won’t be effective at getting them to buy from you.
So, what does it mean to be in tune with the times?
It means that your brand should be modern enough to appeal to the people of today. But it also means that it should be timeless enough to appeal to people in the future.
The best brands are always both.
2. What is Your Goal with Refreshing the Brand?
When considering a brand refresh, you need to take the time to outline what your end goals are. Essentially, this is the “why” behind your refresh.
- Are you looking to make your brand more current?
- Are you looking to build a new audience?
- Or are you looking to create a more relevant brand?
Take the time to outline your end goals of the refresh in detail, because it can dramatically affect your end results. For example, a company looking to build a new audience may want to create a new brand image. But a company that is looking to refresh the brand to make it more current may want to focus on creating a new logo and updated website that is more relevant to their existing audience.
3. Who Are You Trying to Reach?
One of the top reasons a company considers a brand refresh is that it wants to appeal to a greater audience. So, it’s vital that you know your audience.
Do they prefer a more casual brand or a more formal brand? Do they prefer a visual brand or a minimalist brand? You need to know this information to ensure that the refresh reflects the brand your audience prefers.
4. Have There Been Any Major Changes Within the Company?
Another good reason many brands decide to go through a brand refresh is due to significant shifts within the company. If there have been several major changes within your company, it may be time to refresh the brand to help your new direction.
For example, a company transitioning from one business model to another may want to refresh their brand to reflect the new direction. Or a company that is expanding and is looking to increase its audience may wish to perform a brand refresh to reflect its larger target audience.
5. Is Your Message Inconsistent?
A brand refresh is a great time to evaluate your messaging.
It’s essential to make sure that your brand messaging is consistent throughout your marketing materials. If you have inconsistent messaging, it can be a huge turn-off for potential customers and clients. So, it’s important to be aware of this when you’re doing a brand refresh.
Think about your messaging when creating new marketing materials, such as your new website, social media profiles, ads, and brochures. These things should all reflect the same brand messaging.
If you’re having trouble with your branding and messaging, you may want to consider hiring a professional to help you through the process.
Thinking About Refreshing Your Brand? Let Us Help!
If you’re ready to refresh your brand, you’ve come to the right place.
We’re a full-service branding and marketing agency that helps businesses re-imagine their brands, create a new one, or refresh an old one. We have years of experience helping companies grow, and we know how to do it right.
If you’re ready to refresh your brand, contact us today!