Ultimate Guide to Rebranding

Therefore, the companies are torn between both the ideas as to which side to divert their time and efforts at one time.  Also, whether to rebrand or not becomes questionable too as changing the entire branding would make the previously worked upon logos, designs, collaterals obsolete and out of market and a passé. It also means the funds, the time, the expertise of professionals that has gone into making the current branding will have to be foregone. When the pressing issue is to find and locate clients and buyers for your brand, steering the whole approach of the company to rebranding seems unviable.  

Nonetheless, branding is considered and favoured as it is a main driver of business to grow exponentially. In the hindsight, when the company has introduced new products or changed its management, or entering into new market, or mitigating bad reputation then they think of Rebranding. Moreover, when they have recently been a part of merger or acquisition or a change in vision and mission of the company, then also a company can contemplate Rebranding themselves.  A contemporary reason could be to appeal to the youth and younger population and to increase the buyers’ market.

So, in crux, Rebranding officially, is a marketing strategy that involves changing a company’s logo, design, website, brochure, business and identity cards and not just that also covers mission, vision, values, market, approach and a new product line too. It is a vast terminology.

Reasons pushing for Rebranding-

1. New Locations- At the time of venturing out into new markets be it domestically or internationally, companies contemplate rebranding. To appeal to the locals and to reach out to the indigenous people in their regional language or understanding, companies have to rebrand themselves to establish connection with them.
2. Market Repositioning- When repositioning the brand to suit new market and demographics and especially the new set of customers, you need to establish a connection with them. In the process, you use price, product, promotion or place to have a mass appeal and a connection with the customers as it’s very vital for the customers to have a belief in your brand and product.
3. Example- The perfect example of a successful rebranding is VICCO. The FMCG that has been in the business for many years. It ruled in the 80s and the 90s. But with the advent of new products, generations and their choices, VICCO decided to become relevant and contemporary by collaborating with Alia Bhatt to appeal to younger segments too. They repackaged and rebranded themselves and upped their sales.
4. New Company Philosophy- A company’s primary philosophy lies in its Vision and Mission Statements. If there is a shift in these philosophies then it pivots the whole bandwagon and its connecting departments, approaches and whole set of efforts are to be redirected in the same direction. Hence, calls for a strategy to rebrand.
5. Mergers & Acquisitions- In the event when two companies come in alliance through either mergers or acquisitions, then to ensure it does not get messy or to avoid conflict of interest and to eradicate any impending battles within the newly formed association, rebranding becomes likely. The rebranding reproduces a common identity for both the organisations thereby eliminating any scope of confusion and ensure smooth functioning. 

Reasons to avoid Rebranding-

1. Attention-Due to a drop in sales, or when brand awareness moves are not yielding desired results, that time jumping to Rebranding is not the right decision. Such a big move when not backed by a strategy won’t be able to sustain the sales.
2. Boredom- There has to be a solid reason behind opting for rebranding. It can’t stem from monotony or boredom of old logos, websites, banners and current overall designing of the company. This often changing brand identity would confuse the customers and make the brand unrelatable to them.
3. Covering up a crisis- Sometimes companies make a rebranding move in order to create an eye wash for the people so that the controversies surrounding it can shrouded. But people these can clearly see through and it falls flat.
4. Ego Boost- In a bid to bring in new changes visually in the company when the going gets rough is not the solution. It is to be scrutinised whether rebranding will carry forward the same legacy or brand presentation or brand identity as it had earlier and it would not in any way flounder the sales. 

Total / Partial Rebranding At this stage by now, whether to go for rebranding or not, this decision must have been arrived at. After thorough speculation of all the criteria, it gives an understanding of going or not going ahead with the Rebranding decision.  

If it’s a YES, then to what extent should the rebranding be done- Complete or Partial. This decision is taken based on what is at stake for the company.

As it’s highly labour, time and cost consuming affair, it can be a face- off between a complete rebranding and a partial makeover. A complete rebranding is needed when there is a phenomenal shift in the whole mission, vision, values or the mergers, acquisitions and the entire foundational approach of the company. Then the need of complete rebranding comes.

Else can make do with partial rebranding also, its like a quick touch-up to the brand without disturbing the entire structure and brand design. In partial rebranding, you only shift your visual identity not the entire face lift is done.

Ready for Rebranding?

With the answer to rebranding in place and also the assessment of pros and cons of doing it is known. After all the scrutiny whether a partial or complete rebranding is to undertaken, the important question comes is which agency to choose for the job. That’s the time to get in touch with professional branding agencies like Vowels to get the job well done and become a trendsetter.