Whereas I’m not a enterprise proprietor and haven’t branded my very own enterprise, I’ve been an worker at corporations which have undergone large-scale rebrands.
Most just lately, Nickelodeon, the place I work full-time in advertising, pulled off a rebranding technique in 2023 for the primary time in 14 years.
We introduced again the “splat,” a form impressed by Nickelodeon’s iconic inexperienced slime, as a tactic to faucet into each children and their nostalgic mother and father who’re former 90s Nick Youngsters themselves. This was a part of an effort to place Nickelodeon as a model that brings households throughout generations collectively to take pleasure in high quality time.
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In my view, that is an instance of an organization rebranding accurately and out of necessity. In a aggressive leisure panorama combating for youths’ consideration, Nickelodeon knew we couldn’t hold doing extra of the identical.
Typically (however not on a regular basis!), among the best methods to maneuver ahead is by leaning on and adapting previous successes.
It’s not straightforward to know when is the suitable time to put money into a rebrand and find out how to deal with that rebrand efficiently, so I‘ve ready this submit to assist information the method, plus examples of different manufacturers who’ve efficiently rebranded their web site, identify, brand, mission, and goal.
Desk of Contents
What’s rebranding?
Rebranding is when your organization rethinks your advertising technique with a brand new identify, brand, or design, with the intention of creating a brand new, differentiated id within the minds of consumers and different stakeholders.
Understanding what rebranding is is just a part of the battle. Now, it’s essential to guarantee you have got the proper causes to rebrand.
The Proper (and Incorrect) Causes to Rebrand
Rebrands are sophisticated and carry large dangers.
Even large manufacturers aren’t immune — simply have a look at X, which is taken into account one of many greatest current rebranding fails. Elon Musk rebranded Twitter as X in 2023 by renaming and restyling your complete model.
Consequently, 78% of U.S. iOS customers gave the app 1-star opinions, in comparison with 50% two weeks prior. Many of the destructive opinions talked about disliking the brand new identify and brand.
Whereas it can take time to see the true long-term results of this rebranding, it’s clear that abrupt, random modifications to manufacturers with typically optimistic sentiments and long-standing reputations may be extremely detrimental.
That’s why understanding the dangers of rebranding may also help decide whether or not or not you are leaping right into a rebrand for the suitable causes.
If gross sales have been gradual or model consciousness efforts aren’t paying off, rebranding is probably not one of the best instant step.
These points can doubtlessly be solved with a new content material advertising technique or by conducting market analysis to establish the underlying trigger.
However for those who‘re contemplating a rebrand as a result of your organization’s imaginative and prescient, mission, values, and market are not mirrored in your model, then a rebrand is perhaps the suitable determination.
There are a couple of different main causes you would possibly contemplate a rebrand. I’ll display these causes utilizing my fictitious indoor biking enterprise, Psyched 2 Cyc.
4 Proper Causes for Rebranding
New Places
Psyched 2 Cyc began as a singular, native studio in New York Metropolis, so I chosen a punny identify that possible solely works in English.
After rising all through NYC and the nation, my enterprise is now trying to increase to non-English, worldwide markets that will not establish with the enterprise identify. This could possibly be a great time to think about a full model rename.
Market Repositioning
The identify Psyched 2 Cyc was chosen with younger health fanatics at coronary heart — therefore the abbreviated phrase “Cyc” and the usage of “2” as an alternative of “to.”
However I’d now like to focus on older shoppers desirous about bettering their health with a low-impact exercise like indoor biking.
Thus, I’ll must refresh my model identify (or contemplate rewriting it in full as Psyched to Cycle) to higher resonate with individuals of all ages.
New Philosophy
I began my enterprise as primarily an indoor biking studio. Thus, our mission, imaginative and prescient, and values all encompass the thought of health, well being, and wellness by way of the usage of an indoor bike.
If I wish to increase my enterprise to incorporate one other modality, corresponding to energy, yoga, or working, it is smart to wish to reevaluate my model. That means, I can construct new MVVs that align with the rising enterprise choices.
Mergers and Acquisitions
To develop my enterprise, viewers, and choices, I’ve partnered with a energy coaching studio, Sweat Energy.
Combining our two manufacturers both implies that we conform to undertake the branding of one of many studios, or we should work collectively to provide you with a brand new identify, brand, and positioning that finest displays our new model.
Moreover, listed here are a couple of causes not to rebrand.
4 Incorrect Causes for Rebranding
Boredom
It’s been greater than twenty years, and I’m feeling uninspired by the emblem and slogan I chosen again after I first launched Psyched 2 Cyc. I’m itching for some change that can refresh my enterprise and make it look extra elevated.
Nevertheless, my clients (who see my branding a lot much less incessantly) would possibly love — or rapidly acknowledge — the signature colour and brand I’ve come to detest. I ought to contemplate how a sudden change to my branding may go away shoppers confused or disenchanted.
Masking Up a Disaster
Certainly one of my enterprise’s executives just lately acquired dangerous press that has mirrored badly on Psyched 2 Cyc. I’m determined for a giant rebranding shift that can assist us transfer previous this era of negativity.
Nevertheless, most shoppers and workers are good sufficient to see proper by way of my rebrand and acknowledge it for what it’s — a cover-up. It’s finest to deal with dangerous press with respect, authenticity, and actionable change.
Affect and Ego
I’ve just lately employed some new leaders who’re excited a couple of rebranding as they really feel they had been introduced in to assist clean up Psyched 2 Cyc’s model. They wish to refresh our mission assertion and values.
Nevertheless, the type of institutional change they wish to implement doesn’t justify a rebrand. It’s extra about them making their mark and producing radical change.
In search of Consideration
Lessons have been half-full at finest, and several other instructors have just lately give up. I’m tempted to execute a rebrand to carry life again to the model and encourage new instructors to wish to educate at Psyched 2 Cyc.
At finest, this may occasionally generate some short-term buzz with none gross sales and advertising technique to maintain it. At worst, I may lose model recognition and set again gross sales and advertising efforts much more.
For those who’ve decided a rebrand continues to be the suitable selection for you, hold studying to discover ways to devise a rebranding technique.
Rebranding Technique
To efficiently implement a rebranding technique, begin by figuring out whether or not the model wants a partial or whole rebrand. Subsequent, reestablish the model’s goal market by way of analysis to establish what demographic to draw with a rebrand. Lastly, redefine the imaginative and prescient, mission, and values, and use these new definitions as guideposts for the general rebranding technique.
Rebranding efforts might embody:
1. Creating a brand new brand.
One of many predominant methods of rebranding is creating a brand new brand. A brand new brand is a transparent signal to shoppers that your model’s id is totally different. A brand new brand can contain new colours, trendy typography, or a brand new icon that higher represents your model.
Professional tip: Use your model’s imaginative and prescient, mission, and values to encourage your new aesthetic. As an illustration, Pepsi rebranded in 2023 for the primary time in 14 years for its one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary.
The brand nonetheless makes use of the essence of the previous brand, which helps keep consistency and model recognition with loyal clients. Nevertheless, the brand new brand incorporates bolder colours and a classic look that ties again to the corporate’s lengthy heritage.
I additionally respect that the emblem is now extra compact, making it simpler to put on merchandise and adverts. Lastly, Pepsi has made its model identify a lot simpler to learn within the new brand, in all-caps and daring black font, relatively than the blue, wavy, lower-case earlier model.
2. Shifting model place.
Sadly, rebranding isn’t as straightforward as hiring an company to revamp your brand. It’s important to shift your model positioning.
The merchandise, companies, or content material being marketed want to speak a sure message, whether or not that is a mission, values, or imaginative and prescient.
That is one of the simplest ways to set your model other than rivals and attract shoppers aligned with these beliefs.
Professional tip: Chances are high, you may must reestablish a novel promoting proposition and take inventory of what distinguishes your model from the gang. This can make it easier to higher join with you target market and perceive your place out there.
In 2015, Gucci shifted its model positioning to enchantment to youthful generations. To do that, they pivoted from polished and provocative to quirky and up to date. Additionally they targeted extra on communication that may resonate on Instagram and adopted a progressive stance on gender fluidity.
These modifications considerably elevated gross sales with Millennial and Gen Z shoppers who had been capable of higher resonate with Gucci’s mission, values, and imaginative and prescient.
3. Creating new adverts.
As soon as the emblem and messaging are locked, it is time to create new commercials and content material with this messaging in thoughts.
These adverts ought to talk the modifications to your model and what they imply for patrons. This may also help attract a brand new demographic and attain bigger audiences.
Professional tip: New logos and messaging will solely go far for those who can put money into advertising to indicate the world these rebranding modifications. As an illustration, Eurostar rebranded in 2023 after merging with Thalys, a French-Belgian high-speed practice operator, as a part of a objective to succeed in 30 million passengers by 2030.
After updating visible components, the model, now Eurostar Group, created an advert marketing campaign across the slogan “Collectively We Go Additional,” involving a promo, out-of-home, and digital.
The marketing campaign highlighted the model’s key traits — European, inclusive, distinctive, and sustainable — to emphasise the thrill of discovering a vibrant world of journey by way of Europe.
The general rebranding technique resulted in route progress in 2023 in main routes, corresponding to Paris to London and Paris to Amsterdam, in addition to an enhance in on-line gross sales, web site conversions, and cellular app downloads.
4. Altering your model’s voice.
The final step of a stable rebranding technique is altering the model‘s voice.
That is the attitude from which you write all of your advertising content material. Your voice may be formal, informal, witty, or no matter tone finest displays your model. Change your model’s voice accordingly and announce your rebrand on this new tone.
Professional tip: Consider your model as an individual. Once they stroll into a celebration, are they cracking jokes and the lifetime of the occasion, or are they skilled and no-nonsense? Use your model persona to tell this model voice.
Duolingo started as a standard language studying app and has since advanced right into a foolish, humorously-aggressive model. Customers began creating memes in 2019 in regards to the evil owl mascot, Duo, who would berate them to observe.
The model leaned into this persona and tailored its model voice to suit this new persona.
The model voice is now very quirky, personable, and younger, and, at occasions, leans into the “evil Duo” voice which has made it ultra-popular on social media.
Embracing this model voice has aided Duolingo’s total rebranding technique, because it now leans on the voice to dictate its model id, advertising strategies, targets, and target market.
Not all rebrands are created equal, so let’s first contemplate whether or not a partial or whole rebrand is the best choice for what you are promoting.
Partial vs. Whole Rebrand
The extra established what you are promoting and model, the extra it’s important to lose from a rebrand. If what you are promoting is extra mature, a partial rebrand may also help you keep the model loyalty you’ve got constructed, whereas refreshing your picture to maintain up with the occasions.
Consider a partial rebrand as an adjustment targeted on visible model id to go well with new choices or markets, as opposed to an entire id disaster.
That‘s to not say {that a} partial rebrand can’t be efficient. Simply have a look at Pringles.
They redesigned their mascot, Mr. P, in 2021 with a extra easy, up to date look. This partial rebrand helped them keep their iconic model id whereas giving their mascot a daring, refreshed look.
Nevertheless, if the objective is an entire id shift involving your organization’s mission, imaginative and prescient, and values, a complete rebrand is perhaps essential.
This selection is often suited to conditions like mergers, product overhauls, and different equally foundational shifts.
If a partial rebrand is a fast touch-up, the whole rebrand is an entire makeover.
Check out the next 5 steps to efficiently implement a rebrand.
The way to Rebrand a Firm
- Reestablish your model’s viewers and market.
- Redefine your organization’s imaginative and prescient, mission, and values.
- Rename your organization throughout a rebrand.
- Rethink your model’s slogan.
- Rebuild your model id.
- Monitor model sentiment.
- Plan a profitable launch.
1. Reestablish your model’s viewers and market.
Let’s return to my fictional indoor biking enterprise, Psyched 2 Cyc. Once I acquired into this enterprise, I anticipated my target market to be of their 20s and early 30s, since that’s the most typical demographic for different biking studios like SoulCycle.
Nevertheless, after intensive market analysis, I spotted my goal market was totally different from what I had assumed.
Key analysis discovered that 50% of respondents spend lower than 10 minutes touring to biking lessons, and 92% full the journey in beneath half-hour. Meaning solely 8% of individuals are prepared to journey greater than half-hour to my studio.
This has modified my total philosophy because the neighborhood my studio launched in has a barely older demographic (30s-40s adults with households).
Now, I can re-establish my model’s viewers and market, understanding I’ll have essentially the most luck drawing in new members who dwell inside 30 (or ideally 10!) minutes of the studio.
Professional tip: Focus teams are an effective way to find (or re-discover) your goal market. You could be stunned to search out that your viewers isn’t who you thought it was.
2. Redefine your organization’s imaginative and prescient, mission, and values.
What am I doing? How am I doing it? Why am I doing it?
These are the three questions I’ll ask myself when reevaluating my imaginative and prescient, mission, and values for Psyched 2 Cyc’s rebrand. These messaging foundations will possible change as my firm grows.
New merchandise, priorities, companies, or stakeholders can fully undo what as soon as appeared like a given.
Right here is how I’ll analyze the next components to gauge which elements of my model will want some TLC.
Imaginative and prescient
Imaginative and prescient is the “What am I doing?” of the puzzle. It’s the North Star for each motion my firm undertakes, and it’s important to have a agency understanding of my imaginative and prescient earlier than shifting ahead.
Initially after I based Psyched 2 Cyc, I merely wished to construct a brand new biking studio because it’s a modality I really like. Now that I’ve established my model on this means, I can adapt my imaginative and prescient to be extra particular or forward-thinking.
I based the studio initially to focus on girls since girls are a big portion of indoor biking individuals. In any case, 67% of U.S. Peloton house owners are girls, and girls are the fastest-growing demographic in indoor biking in 2024, with a 9% enhance in biking actions.
Nevertheless, now that I’ve established my model within the eyes of ladies, I’d wish to rebrand to be extra inclusive to each women and men.
Simply because girls are a big proportion of indoor biking fanatics doesn’t imply there isn’t a spot for males right here, too.
Mission
The mission is the “How am I doing it?” part. That is my firm’s roadmap for the way we’ll obtain the imaginative and prescient of drawing in additional males to my model.
I’m desirous about including a digital part to my model since 26% of Les Mills survey respondents often attend digital indoor biking lessons. On prime of that, knowledge discovered that males usually tend to attend digital lessons than girls.
This could possibly be an effective way to attract in males who is probably not as inclined to take lessons in a dwell studio however can be desirous about doing so at dwelling.
My mission is to include digital lessons to focus on extra males in a predominantly feminine house.
Values
Values are the “Why am I doing this” ingredient. It’s why I’m working in direction of my imaginative and prescient and devoted to my mission.
Now that I’ve tailored my imaginative and prescient and mission, I ought to accordingly adapt my values to align with this new technique. For instance, I’ll incorporate the next new values:
- Increase the bar. That is each a play on phrases (because the handlebar is a key a part of any bike) and a dedication to repeatedly compete with yesterday’s efficiency.
- Room for all. This once more has a twin which means: as I embark on a journey to create a extra inclusive house for all individuals in a predominantly younger, feminine atmosphere, this worth can be important. However it additionally signifies that Psyched 2 Cyc will create a literal “room” for all; whether or not in our studio room or your room at dwelling taking a digital class.
Understandably, a few of my founding values would possibly turn out to be unsustainable. It’s more practical to prioritize new values relatively than cling to previous ones, which can restrict change.
Model Voice
Now that I’ve shifted my imaginative and prescient, mission, and values whereas rebranding, how I convey these features of my firm may also have to alter. What I’m saying is altering, so how I say it can additionally want to alter.
As an illustration, I’ve been utilizing a tone of voice that’s younger, trendy, and female. Now that I’m shifting to focus on a barely older demographic and males, I’ll wish to adapt my language to be extra engaging to those audiences.
3. Rename your organization throughout a rebrand.
Altering names is a giant endeavor and may price model recognition and natural search site visitors in a single fell swoop. I might solely rename Psyched 2 Cyc if it’s a dire want and I had a plan for restoration as a part of my post-rebrand technique.
As talked about earlier, I chosen the identify to draw a youthful viewers, which is why I used “2” as an alternative of “to” and the shortened time period “Cyc.”
Maybe, in desirous to rebrand to draw my barely older target market, I’ll rethink altering the identify to resonate higher with the residents within the surrounding space.
Ideally, one of the best plan of action is to maintain the identical identify to retain model recognition, but when I wish to higher align with my new firm id, I can return to the drafting board.
Professional tip: It may be troublesome to start your brainstorming session. Some starter concepts for the renaming course of are:
- Make a brand new phrase
- Use an outdated phrase in new methods
- Say what I do (actually)
- Modify a phrase’s spelling
- Add a prefix or suffix
- Look to different languages
- Deliver two phrases collectively
- Create an acronym
- Use a location
4. Rethink your model’s slogan.
slogan is catchy and can seize my firm’s mission and imaginative and prescient. In contrast to altering names, altering slogans is slightly simpler for my advertising efforts, so I received’t lose sight of my current clients tied to the Psyched 2 Cyc model.
That doesn’t imply I received’t nonetheless contemplate this fastidiously and guarantee I’m altering the slogan for the suitable causes.
Repetition builds recognition, and I don’t wish to change too many features of my model that individuals have come to like and keep in mind.
An concept for a brand new slogan for Psyched 2 Cyc that may higher symbolize my new mission and imaginative and prescient can be “Spin, Your Means.”
This highlights the aim (an indoor biking studio) and emphasizes that we are attempting to be extra inclusive and that there’s house for anybody, no matter age, capacity, or class type choice.
Professional tip: Slogans may be equally as troublesome to provide you with as model names. Some methods to find new concepts for slogans are:
- Make a declare
- Get metaphorical
- Use poetic language
- Present directions
- Leverage labels
- Praise clients
5. Rebuild your model id.
The tangible components I exploit to speak the Psyched 2 Cyc model have been in play for a number of years, which has given me loads of time to rethink their strengths and weaknesses earlier than deciding to switch a few of them.
Refreshing a number of the visible elements of my model could possibly be an effective way to rebrand with out altering one thing as drastic as the corporate identify or slogan.
I can contemplate redesigning my brand, utilizing new colours in my model materials, and even creating new model tips.
Emblem
Once I chosen my preliminary brand, I had little funds and couldn’t make investments {dollars} into hiring an exterior company to design some choices. As an alternative, I had the assistance of an artist good friend who designed my concept for me.
Sadly, I don’t assume my brand has an actual impression on clients. It’s very generic and doesn’t mirror what is exclusive about Psyched 2 Cyc. So, I’ll return to the fundamentals of what makes a great brand to assist me get it proper this time.
- Keep easy. Jamming as a lot symbolism as doable right into a brand typically does not work properly and may turn out to be too complicated or complicated for patrons to grasp. Now that my model is extra established, I can present confidence with a easy, clear brand.
- Make an impression. Whereas it’s necessary to be easy, I nonetheless wish to make my brand memorable. There are a whole lot of indoor biking manufacturers on the market, and I need my brand to be daring sufficient to face out amongst rivals.
- Be adaptable. I didn’t initially contemplate the constraints of my unique brand. Now that I do know all of the locations my brand lives — digitally on my web site, app, and social media; in print on merchandise like health attire, water bottles, and our biking sneakers; and in an enormous, neon signal within the studio — I can hold these channels in thoughts through the redesign.
- Purpose for applicable. I designed the emblem for a youthful, feminine viewers, and now that I’m increasing my goal market, I’d need a brand that higher attracts this viewers.
- Look to the long run. This rebrand will possible price me some huge cash, so I don’t wish to do one other one anytime quickly. Due to this fact, I’ll contemplate my imaginative and prescient, mission, values, and goal to make sure my new brand can help them in the long term.
- Keep through-lines. The brand, whereas not as a lot because the identify, continues to be one in all my model’s most memorable elements. I wish to keep away from dropping model recognition by sustaining the elements of my outdated brand that labored.
Check out the Nickelodeon brand change from 2023 under. We retained the identical iconic orange colour and font however re-incorporated the “splat,” which might be memorable with mother and father.
Shade Palette
I do know colour could be very impactful in branding — some colours at the moment are synonymous with the manufacturers that use them, like McDonald’s yellow. Nevertheless, choosing the proper colour may be troublesome, so I’d contemplate altering the colour to mirror Psyched 2 Cyc’s rebrand.
For instance, our model brand is presently crimson, which I selected since crimson is a vibrant, highly effective colour that displays health properly. Nevertheless, I now see what number of rivals even have crimson logos, corresponding to CycleBar, and wish to select a brand new colour that may stand out.
In response to the psychology of colour, inexperienced can symbolize progress, freshness, and well being, which resonates with health properly. It additionally has an adventurous, aggressive persona, which ties pretty properly with biking.
Due to this fact, I’d contemplate altering my brand to darkish inexperienced, particularly since I don’t know many health manufacturers with a inexperienced brand.
Earlier than making any drastic modifications, I’ll test how the colour exhibits up on-screen and in print to make sure consistency and that I just like the look.
Typography
I selected an expressive, regal font for my unique brand to assist it pop and seem elevated in opposition to rivals. Nevertheless, I now notice that it doesn’t symbolize my model properly — an excessive amount of sophistication could make the model come throughout as elite and inaccessible to the common particular person, which isn’t what Psyched 2 Cyc is about.
When reevaluating fonts, I’ll make sure the font is per my goal market and messaging uncovered within the rebrand. A extra conventional serif or sans-serif font could also be higher suited when attempting to draw a barely older demographic.
I may also be sure that the font is well accessible for internet design and affords varied weights and cuts for various channels.
Take the 2023 Minute Maid brand rebrand, as an illustration, through which they adopted a softer, bolder, and extra inviting new font.
Shapes and Imagery Revisited
Like brand, colour palette, and typography, my imagery and shapes play a significant function in Psyched 2 Cyc’s model id. In altering these different visible components, it is smart to rethink my imagery and shapes to maintain the whole lot cohesive within the rebrand.
Since I need my studio to be extra approachable to new demographics, corresponding to older individuals and males, I’d contemplate softer strains and rounder shapes that present a extra welcoming look to new clients.
After all, having the whole lot visually aligned isn’t sufficient. These visible components should help the core messages of my model, too.
Model Tips
After going by way of all the difficulty of making a brand new model id for my enterprise, I wish to use all these components accurately.
Having model tips will assist information me within the rebranding course of to make sure consistency on this new stage for Psyched 2 Cyc.
Model tips can be particularly important when showcasing my new brand. These tips will make it as straightforward as doable for patrons to see, acknowledge, and keep in mind my brand, making up for any misplaced familiarity from the unique brand.
When writing my brand tips, I’ll contemplate the next:
- Emblem components. What visible components make up my brand? When and the way are every of them used?
- Shade variations. What does the coloured model of my brand appear to be? What about black and white? When are every of those used?
- Clear house. Additionally referred to as padding, that is the house round my brand that forestalls overlap or obscuring. I’ll purpose for at the very least 10% of width always.
- Unacceptable makes use of. What can by no means be completed to my brand? What colour variations, rotations, scaling, and so forth. do I wish to keep away from?
These tips can be important for me to distribute to my workforce so everybody has the knowledge they should deal with the rebrand effortlessly.
It is going to be necessary for my workforce members and exterior businesses we rent to assist us with the web site and app redesign, constructing out our rebrand marketing campaign, and creating new advertising supplies.
6. Monitor model sentiment alongside the way in which.
Although a part of the rationale for my rebrand is to draw new clients, my present clients are loyal and trusted. Due to this fact, I’ll get suggestions from them on the rebrand components I’m contemplating.
I plan to conduct focus teams to see if the brand new branding photos and messages talk my new mission, values, and imaginative and prescient. If I do not obtain optimistic suggestions, I may have to return to the drafting board.
I do know some of the essential steps in rebranding is monitoring model sentiment earlier than, throughout, and after a rebrand launch, so I’ll have a look at model sentiment earlier than the rebrand to see what present or potential clients like and dislike about Psyched 2 Cyc’s branding.
Is it clear what our model affords? Is the branding constant? How does it evaluate to comparable indoor biking studios? What’s one thing about our branding that both drew them in or made them rethink becoming a member of our studio?
With these solutions in thoughts, I can conduct my rebrand strategically, including new messaging that aligns with my viewers. As a plus, this additionally helps my present clients really feel valued since their ideas can be considered.
7. Plan a profitable launch.
The rebrand will solely achieve success and significant if individuals truly understand it’s occurring. Due to this fact, I do know that I can’t merely change the colours, fonts, and brand on our Psyched 2 Cyc web site, app, and social media. I want to speak what the rebrand means and let individuals know we’ve made intentional progress.
First, I plan to run a advertising marketing campaign involving digital show banners, print adverts, and a brief promo that may run on TV and social media.
I may also arrange a press launch to announce the launch of our rebrand that can sit on our web site and social channels. This enables me to share precisely why Psyched 2 Cyc wanted a rebrand and what it means for our future.
This would be the excellent means for us to reset and stay constant and on-brand in all advertising efforts shifting ahead.
We’ve misplaced our means over the previous few years as priorities modified to membership retention, however I consider a stable rebrand will assist redefine our branding.
Now that we‘ve explored varied features of rebranding concerning my fictional model Psyched 2 Cyc, let’s check out some real-world examples for additional inspiration.
Rebranding Examples
- 7UP
- LG
- Jell-O
1. 7UP
7UP’s new id was impressed by the soda itself. The corporate wished to create a brand new visible id that captures the soda’s effervescent essence whereas modernizing with altering occasions.
They first dealt with this with a brand new “UPliftment” positioning, based mostly on its historical past of being loved in joyful moments with family members. This new technique guarantees to “supply mild reduction from the mundanities of day by day life.”
To feed into this “UP” motion, the model angled its new brand up to deal with upward motion. 7UP additionally wished to embrace its world viewers, so the packaging brand was designed to be translated into varied languages for worldwide unification.
These modifications, and the brand new citrus colours within the palette, have helped 7UP create a bolder, brighter, extra assured, and “bubbly” persona, whereas nonetheless staying true to its inexperienced colour. This rebrand has been extensively applauded for its simplistic, minimalistic, and trendy execution.
2. LG
LG first hinted at its upcoming rebrand in April 2023 with the debut of its new and improved brand — sustaining the identical icon however transitioning it from 3D to 2D. The brand new brand can also be animated and expressive and may carry out eight motions (together with nodding and winking).
Past the emblem change, LG launched a youthful and extra playful look in August 2023 with new model characters, Pleasure and Ryder, that showcase LG’s enjoyable facet whereas taking part in into the corporate’s heritage and Korean tradition.
So as to add much more vitality to their rebrand, LG additionally built-in a brighter, bolder shade of crimson into their colour palette.
They even included new values, corresponding to “Heat to Energy a Smile,” and made their “Life’s Good” slogan extra outstanding in advertising. These modifications had been a part of an effort to draw Millennial and Gen Z audiences and redefine the model as revolutionary, trendy, and people-centric.
3. Reddit
The largest change in Reddit’s 2023 rebrand was bringing their iconic mascot Snoo to life with a brand new dynamic 3D look. Snoo is much less robotic and extra a playful creature who can carry out eight motions, corresponding to spinning.
The model repositioned Reddit as “the guts of the web” to focus on its function in society as an area for communication and discourse. This repositioning can also be evident within the body round Snoo and the “d” within the Reddit brand, which at the moment are speech bubbles to emphasise the identical level.
Reddit’s new model id additionally entails 4 pillars: “inherently eclectic”, “positively totally different”, “delightfully absurd”, and “genuinely candid”, which assist tie all these modifications and refreshes collectively.
The rebrand was completed to modernize Reddit’s look with modifications corresponding to 3D design components, a simplified colour palette, and new typefaces, whereas re-emphasizing what individuals already know and love Reddit for — being a hub for neighborhood and dialog.
4. Jell-O
The 2023 Jell-O rebrand concerned a change in brand and packaging for all merchandise. The objective was to draw youthful mother and father and children with playful, easy, colourful imagery and produce again a number of the “jiggly enjoyable and…marvel” that has all the time been related to the model.
This new positioning performed into the brand new designs by incorporating a contemporary aesthetic whereas showcasing the various enjoyable flavors Jell-O has to supply. The brand shifted to a blockier sans serif font in opposition to a white background for a 3D impact, with the “O” resting barely above.
The packaging additionally now consists of cartoonish photos of pudding swirls and jelly fruit as an alternative of the extra lifelike photos beforehand proven. This helps the model goal youthful mother and father with fruit photos that reveal more healthy choices whereas making the packaging extra eccentric and light-hearted.
This rebrand was well-received as shoppers noticed it as a solution to considerably modernize the branding whereas sustaining a few of its basic, beloved traits.
5. WhatsApp
As a part of the dad or mum firm Meta, which confronted vital backlash for its 2021 rebrand, WhatsApp has remained comparatively scandal-free. Thus, it appears the 2023 rebrand was aimed toward serving to set WhatsApp other than the remainder of Meta’s manufacturers.
The objective was to evolve the model from a social media instrument to a “safe, intimate product designed to provide anybody … the power to attach and enact change.” The workforce labored to additional the notion of “Ahead. Collectively” based mostly on WhatsApp being a trusted platform for protected, dependable world connection.
The colour palette aligns with varied product touchpoints, and new graphic modules enable for versatile storytelling. Additionally they seize the spirit of WhatsApp by visually showcasing how backwards and forwards communication seems to be.
Since WhatsApp has practically three billion world lively customers, the rebrand created a unified look that may resonate with individuals in every single place, no matter age, area, literacy, or bandwidth.
It efficiently established itself as a communication instrument whereas prioritizing model recognition with an unchanged brand and dedication to the model’s iconic inexperienced colour.
Dangerous Rebranding Examples
1. Comcast
Comcast has been recognized to have the most hated customer support in the US. So, the corporate modified its identify and rebranded its brand to Xfinity. Nevertheless, the corporate did not change its historical past of dangerous practices.
Whereas the corporate may have labored on bettering buyer help, they spent cash on a beauty improve, which did not assist them earn again the belief of their clients. Superficial updates like a reputation and brand change can’t assist an organization until adopted by model id and fame modifications.
Past this, the identify change itself is perplexing and, frankly, a waste of time and cash. Many shoppers had been confused about whether or not Comcast and Xfinity had been the identical factor, or if one owned the opposite. That is the precise concern in an abrupt model identify change — inflicting viewers confusion or ridicule which might result in a loss in present and potential clients.
2. Hole
Do not forget that checklist of causes to and to not rebrand above? Hole made the error of rebranding for seemingly no cause. The corporate modified its brand and brought about outrage amongst its clients. Simply six days later, the corporate returned to its unique brand.
The brand new brand did not talk something new in regards to the model and took the persona out of Hole’s brand. Moreover, clients had an emotional bond with the emblem, and altering it for no cause brought about upset clients.
Quite than instantly coming clear, Hole tried to justify the brand new brand as a deliberate transfer to crowdsource new concepts for a brand. As this was met with much more criticism, the model rapidly reinstated its unique brand and eventually acknowledged its error.
General, the urge to rapidly modernize a brand has been seen as a panic technique, relatively than one rooted in a real want to shift a model’s positioning or notion. If there’s nothing to again up a transfer this large (and costly), it’s greater than prone to obtain destructive backlash.
3. Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers modified its identify and brand to shift its focus from weight reduction and weight-reduction plan to wellness. Nevertheless, the brand new identify WW left shoppers confused. Folks didn’t know what it stood for, and it erased model recognition.
The rebrand was additionally dealt with relatively abruptly. There wasn’t sufficient lead time to arrange shoppers for the identify and technique change. So as to add to it, the “Wellness that Works” slogan didn’t inform shoppers of what was going to alter in regards to the model.
Whereas the reasoning behind the rebrand was optimistic, the follow-through left individuals wanting extra. Weight Watchers ought to have higher defined why it was making this shift and the way it might deal with this variation — ideally with new services or products choices.
Are you able to rebrand?
From the examples shared above, it’s clear that essentially the most profitable rebrands had been ones that had been centered round clients in a roundabout way.
Whether or not it was LG aligning with the pursuits of youthful shoppers or Jell-O returning to its playful roots, these manufacturers made essential modifications to restate their presence in both the identical or a brand new market.
The necessary factor to bear in mind if what you are promoting is able to sort out a rebrand is that clear intentions and model consistency are key. This submit taught me that you simply want reliable causes for seeing a rebrand by way of.
However you additionally want to have the ability to deal with the time and funds it can take to make all of the modifications and launch a advertising marketing campaign to disclose the rebrand to your viewers.
If you’re able to make these modifications, make them rely.
Editor’s word: This submit was initially printed in August 2014 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
