The difference between a rebrand and a refresh
Before delving in, we just wanted to clarify that when we talk about a brand refresh, we don’t mean a complete overhaul of your brand. This would be a rebrand.
Instead, what we are talking about is using your existing visuals and guidelines and upgrading them. Think of it as a business glow-up.
So when should you upgrade your business’s look and feel?
An anniversary of your company
As your business hits a big birthday, it might be time to consider a brand refresh. While we don’t recommend you do this after a year or even five, if you hit 15 or even 30, there are a few reasons why a refresh might be a good idea.
As time passes, markets and trends change and this can sometimes leave your branding looking old and out of fashion. A brand refresh on a significant anniversary allows you to ensure that your brand image remains relevant and resonates with contemporary audiences, keeping you competitive within the market.
Anniversaries can be a big milestone and should be celebrated. They bring renewed energy to the business as you set new goals and missions for the future. A brand refresh extends this, giving you a reason to engage with your audience, generate a buzz, and reignite interest in your products or services.
Finally, you will have achieved a lot in your time as a business, so this provides the opportunity to update your branding to reflect everything you have accomplished.
Company evolution
Your branding tells audiences your story, encompassing who you are and what you stand for. However, your company is likely to develop as you expand product and service offerings, reach new locations and employ more people.
You want your visual identity to reflect all of this because if you don’t, you risk being sidelined by competitors and not appealing to your audience.
A brand refresh will enable you to remain identifiable, keeping your business roots at the forefront of your brand. However, you will also be able to modernise, shift with market trends and show your growth.
If you have expanded into a new market, then your refresh can incorporate that, or if you have found a new audience, your brand could now include that. A refresh will allow you to visually express the changes that have happened in your company, helping you re-captivate your existing audience and engage a new audience.
Change of direction
It is not unusual for businesses to change direction. This could be that they are simply expanding into new locations and markets, or it could be a 180° in your services or products following market research or trial and error.
No matter the reasoning or the action, your brand will have been created to reflect the initial intentions. However, a rebranding might be a bit over the top because you might still be working in the same industry, pitching to a similar audience. Not to mention that your story and values will still be the same, so why waste all the hard work that has been put in so far?
Simply refreshing the brand enables you to keep the relevant aspects of your brand and utilise them to create a visual representation of your company that is now more relevant to what you offer.
Change of hands
Whether you have come to the helm of a business through an acquisition, merger or promotion, the situation often presents an opportune moment to refresh the company’s branding.
As a new owner, whether you have been in the business for years or are new, you will likely have fresh ideas and a new vision and strategic direction. A brand refresh will allow you to align the brand identity with your vision for the company, ensuring consistency between the brand and its strategic objectives.
Branding can define an era, so it isn’t surprising that many companies see a brand refresh as an opportunity to create a differentiation between the new era with a new leader and the old.
Finally, in some cases, a business may have faced challenges or negative perceptions under previous ownership. A brand refresh can help address any lingering reputational issues by presenting a fresh face to the market and signalling a commitment to positive change.
