When last did you take a good, long, hard look at your company’s logo? Or your overall brand? It’s easy to “stop seeing” the things that you see every day (ask many long-married couples…). The question is, if you actually had to sit back and critically look at where your brand is now, does it still work for your business and the current market? Things change so quickly year on year, it is highly advisable to ensure that you keep your brand’s identity current and marketable.
This is not to say you need to start from scratch – not at all. In most cases, this wouldn’t be advisable (unless there have been significant changes to your company and a rebrand is necessary), because you have already established your name in the market and your brand is (hopefully) widely recognised in your industry. Sometimes all it takes to breathe new life into your logo are a few simple tweaks and adjustments, but done professionally, this can mean the world of difference to how people see your company.
Below are some of the times when relooking your brand will be for the benefit of your business…
When you just know
Has this been on your to-do list for the last two years but it just never seems to be ticked off? No time like the present. Refreshing your brand doesn’t need to be a time consuming chore for you – if you hire a professional creative, it is their job to take your brief and make what you want happen. No need for micromanaging the process. If your logo was designed in Microsoft Word in the 80’s and clipart was the go-to source of “cool”, you know it’s time. Take the plunge. You won’t be sorry.
When you need to be noticed in an already noisy market
Need a bit of a boost? Nothing says “we’re established and we’re here to stay” like relaunching your company to the market with a brand spanking new look and feel. Firstly, because you have been around long enough to warrant updating your corporate identity, and secondly, it ensures that your audiences know that you are and want to stay relevant to what you do.
After a significant change
Have you expanded your product offering? Have you changed ownership or made significant changes to your company culture? Then maybe it’s time to give your brand another look. Making these kinds of changes are important for your company, but what is equally important (and often overlooked), is letting your customers and potential customers know about the new direction your business is taking. Use the opportunity to stay on top of your game by launching a brand new look and feel to match your new shift in focus.
When your current branding is inconsistent
Do you have multiple people working on different marketing materials and platforms? Does your logo differ from your letterhead to your website to your building signage? Is your corporate identity manual outdated (or worse, never used), so that there are inconsistencies in how your brand is represented to the market? Then it might be time to consolidate everything into a proper brand book which will give all users a strict guideline as to how your company is represented, with everything from colour breakdowns to logo usage, typography guidelines to the correct imagery which should be associated with your brand. Nothing screams unprofessional like a company who doesn’t know who it is, let alone it’s audiences.
During noticeable (and lasting) trends
In no way am I saying you should chop and change your logo and brand with every trend that hits the market – you’d never keep up and would lose all brand integrity in a very short space of time. No, what I am saying, is if you have observed a long lasting trend that your brand no longer fits in with, maybe it’s time for a little tweak. Again, this doesn’t have to be a major change – it could just be a simple change from using three colours to two in your marketing material. Or removing the bevelled letters in your logo (please). But it will go a long way to ensuring your brand stays relevant and it shows your company is on top of current market trends.
But…don’t just change for change’s sake
Remember that over the years, your company has built equity in your brand and your logo. A brand refresh is not something to take lightly, but if it is needed, and it is done properly, it can mark a significant, positive change in your business, as long as it is in line with your overall business and marketing strategy. Be sure to incorporate elements of your current brand in your new identity to keep it from looking like an entirely different company (unless, of course, it is).
