Strategic. Intentional.
These are two words you all hear from me often. I am a major fan of both and believe firmly that marketing can’t be successful without these two key elements.
But, like the dentist who eats candy or the doctor who smokes…. We weren’t following our own rules. We were hypocrites who failed to practice what we preached and it drove all of us nuts!
We were immersed in other company’s marketing and their branded imagery. We neglected our own image and honestly just felt really bad about it. The more I combed the website, the more I realized that our mission and vision have changed, like most businesses. The way we operate has changed and the methodology behind everything we do has evolved.
So we finally did what we should’ve done two years ago…… we went through the branding exercises we’ve put so many of you through.
YES, we did the 4-hour meeting with dualistic questions we just know you LOVED!
We asked the hard questions, we looked at about a hundred color palettes, design styles, etc., etc., etc. until everything felt like us.
Then we spent another month writing content…. and rewriting content…… until it felt just right.
And truthfully, we’re thrilled with the outcome!
4 Reasons You Should Consider Rebranding
1. Everything you put out looks and feels dated and old
This is probably the most common reason companies decide to rebrand, and the primary reason someone comes to us. They look at their logo or their website and realize it hasn’t been touched in 20 years, it looks awful and is repugnant to everyone else around them (ok maybe not repugnant, but definitely not appealing).
In 2018, Big Brothers Big Sisters did exactly that, following a national call from local chapters to modernize their image. The image they portrayed for the world to see was viewed as “irrelevant” and they found themselves unable to attract volunteers and donors.
A great statement on their rebrand can be found here:
https://www.bbbs.org/news-item/2018/10/big-brothers-big-sisters-unveils-modern-new-brand-aimed-volunteer-recruitment/
2. Bad press or lackluster results among your core demographic.
There is a fascinating case study regarding Walmart’s rebrand in 2008 here: https://www.brandsonify.com/resource/walmarts-2008-rebrand/
Many of you may remember the old “rollback” language they used with the western whip and iconic Walmart yellow rollback guy.
Walmart had to pivot when they realized they were being beaten out by their competitors because people didn’t trust them as a corporation and believed their products were inferior to other major retailers.
3. Lack of consistency in branded collateral
This is incredibly common when companies or nonprofits go through lots of changes over time, mergers, or acquisitions. Old logos and collateral can linger for years, which can be incredibly problematic when you’re trying to achieve the 4 C’s (clear, consistent, compelling, cohesive).
This was the case recently with Raytheon Technologies due to their merger with UTC.
Though it’s difficult to say how internal these brand changes have become, this article details the changes to the logo, their rationale, and usage: https://1000logos.net/raytheon-logo/
4. Your mission and vision are no longer a reflection of who you are now
This has to be the most common reason a company decides to rebrand. Often in the preliminary stages of a company, there is a lot of dreaming with very little basis for execution. As the years progress, the vision of who you are, your primary services change based on a variety of factors; the most common of these being a more narrowed and focused understanding of what nets you the highest return. For nonprofits, this may be a refocus dictated by program effectiveness.
The point here is, changes are inevitable and good. In a capitalistic society, the ability to adapt and evolve often helps companies survive amidst changing buying patterns and client demographics.
Here is an excellent example of a nonprofit organization that invested real time and money into a rebrand because they realized this lapse impacted how donors saw them and gave to them: https://www.fastcompany.com/90205206/how-this-nonprofits-reimagined-brand-helps-it-serve-its-mission
If you’re reading this, and feel like we’re speaking directly to you, I swear it’s not intentional. But if it’s resonating, there’s a reason.
Let’s talk.
