We get a lot of inquiries from companies looking to rebrand. Many times, the client doesn’t even know what they want, but they know what they don’t want, and that is their current brand. We’ve taken some great points from David Brier and expanded them to give you 17 questions that every rebrand needs to ask.
1. Why are we doing a rebrand?
This question should be fairly simple to answer if you are seriously considering changing your branding. Refer to #2 below.
2. What problem are we attempting to solve?
Is it your logo? Color? Tagline or slogan? Are you just outdated? If you’re B2C, is it product packaging? Or is it a deeper problem like brand personality or focus/direction of the brand? These are some basic things to consider when rebranding.
3. Has there been a change in the competitive landscape that is impacting our growth potential?
And if so, how is rebranding going to fix this problem? What are we going to focus on so that we’re still relevant not only in the near future, but also long term, so we don’t have to keep rebranding?
4. Has our customer profile changed?
Age, demographics, and psychographics are three main categories to review when considering your customer profile and where you should position your brand to effectively resonate with that audience.
5. Are we pigeonholed as something that we (and our customers) have outgrown?
When deciding on your brand’s positioning, make sure not to pigeonhole, or focus too much on one area and potentially segregate part of a market. A simple example of this might be a traditional “advertising agency” rebranding as a marketing agency, with an expertise in advertising. Since the traditional term “advertising” has started to dissipate, it will allow the company to expand to reach a broader audience while still focusing on adverting.
6. Does our brand tell the wrong (or outdated) story?
Think of Yahoo’s old “You’ve got mail” campaign. Does your brand employ an equally outdated slogan, colors, or positioning?
7. What do we want to convey? To whom?
Confidence? Integrity and class? Are we the funny brand? Once you’ve figured out how to differentiate yourself, the colors, slogan, and design of your brand will come more naturally. But first you need to decide your message, and tone of your brand.
8. Why should anyone care about our brand?
Look at Snapple, who essentially sells juice. When most people think of Snapple, they don’t think of the juice itself, but rather the fun “real facts” on the inside of the cap. Snapple has even created a “real facts” page on their website for devoted fans. Be more than your product. Add some character & value.
9. Have we isolated exactly who should care about our brand?
Consider broadening your brand, as explained in question #5.
10. Have their needs, or the way they define them, changed?
Kodak is a great example of a brand that had to completely shift their branding and, really their company because of the pace of technology in the 21st century. Kodak quickly realized a gap in the market between the needs of consumers and supply of their disposable cameras, and shifted. Kodak has since shifted their branding, and now is the “world leader is retail photo kiosks and dry lab systems.” Evolve as the market evolves.
Stay Tuned for Part 2 of our “Do You Need to Rebrand” Series, coming tomorrow
Thanks for reading, and as always, you can contact us by phone at 630-868-5061 or email at info@IDeasbig.com. Are you looking to rebrand?
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