I start from the end: when it's necessary. Conditions a so awkward and
important process is undertaken have to hold good. They can consist in
a basic customers decrease, in a sales lowering or, for example, in a
new technology introduction. No matter what they are, you cannot make a
rebranding just for the fun of changes.
Granted that, and believe me that it was not obvious, I will now list a
series of mistakes many managers do, according to my experience.
Rebranding with no research. A new positioning can
be done only through a careful analysis of what you are compared to
your competitors but above all studying your clients.
The brand is basically a logo
This is a typical and maybe the most serious mistake among those listed
below. A brand is what consumers think about your company and what you
convey to them with your brand. It's a set of values that identify a
company, not simply a graphic sketch almost agreeable. Re-designing
your logo could be helpful to show a change in progress, but rebranding
is definitely something else.
Do not exploit the current brand equity
Why doing it. If we are on the market so somebody purchases our
products, it means that we are chosen for our brand values. Deny them
it means running against them, against our customers. We must ponder
our change extent, but we will return on this topic later, because in
my opinion it's our key issue.
Hanging on its own history
If from one hand it's true that it must not be a twisting, from the
other one we cannot stay still and apparently quiet for what we have
always been. Our brand idea was maybe based on market conditions not
existing anymore and denying means to deny what market demands.
Passing from doing to not doing, my current objective is to explain you how manage a rebranding process of your company.
Set your brand current position What makes the
difference from your competitors, how and what you conveyed to the
market. It means deeply investigate on reasons that move your customers
to purchase your products and not least, trying to analyze and describe
it as much as possible.
Assume a change not a revolution!
Having clear identification values, think of a re-positioning allowing
to pinpoint new ones without denying the old ones. As I mentioned
above, this is the secret of a wise rebranding: introducing changes
without loosing what is steady. It means to consider how much a brand
can change without loosing its constitutional power.
Unique and pivotal
Always confer to your brand peculiarities to distinguish it from other
market brands, in order to make it considerable for your target.
Interact with everybody!
Try to notify each component of your company and make them agree with
your decisions. Do your best to make the market aware of your new
values through products and communication.
Rebranding is a real step that companies need because of the market dynamism.
In one sentence I would say that it means to pass from how market rank our company to how market should rank it.
