When Do You Need to Rebrand?

There are many reasons for branding or rebranding your organization. Here are a few clues to let you know when it’s time to flip that switch.

1. You’re a brand new organization

This is the most obvious one. You’re new. You need to stand out. Don’t leave branding until you’ve been in business a few years. This is a crucial time to put a stake in the ground and let your customers or clients know who you are and what you stand for. Your brand can start this conversation before you’ve even said a word.

2. You’ve changed your name

A name change signifies a change in offerings, leadership, or vision. A rebrand is a great way to announce your internal change to an external audience. And help them remember you when they need your products or services in the future.

3. You’ve changed your offerings, leadership, or vision

If you’ve changed one or more of those things, even if you haven’t changed your name you might want to relook at your brand. Does it still represent you? Does it have the legs to take you into the future?

4. Your brand is out of date

A dated brand can portray your organization as old and stodgy. You want to make sure you’re staying up-to-date. However, don’t confuse your boredom with a dated brand. Just about the time you’re completely sick of your identity and color palette is when people outside your organization are starting to notice it. Changing your brand too often can cause you to lose momentum.

5. Your brand is not functional

Is your identity made up of 8 colors and multiple gradients? If you try to reduce it in size do you need a magnifying glass to read the locked up tagline? Have you lost the original art files and are you working with a scan of a fax of your logo? If you answered yes to any of these, you probably need at least a refinement of your identity.

Once you know you need a new brand, take the time to do it right. Review your mission, vision, and values. Identify your big picture goals and your marketing objectives. Take a look at your audiences and what messages will resonate with them. Base your new brand on what will represent your organization for years to come.