The Importance of Corporate Identity Branding and Rebranding Services

Mar 16
08:44

2009

Margaret Winfrey

Margaret Winfrey

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Corporate identity branding and rebranding services, is an area which requires immense thought and great care. Aspects of corporate branding that may seem quirky or fashionable today may not appear so in five or ten years' time.Images, colors and even the style of artistry used in any logo or brand image will all prompt customers or potential clients to make assumptions before becoming familiar with it

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Corporate identity branding and rebranding services,The Importance of Corporate Identity Branding and Rebranding Services Articles is an area which requires immense thought and great care. Aspects of corporate branding that may seem quirky or fashionable today may not appear so in five or ten years' time. Identity branding is an aspect of any company's business plan which cannot be rushed into, and must be considered carefully with the future in mind.

One of the key considerations in terms of successful branding is the nature of the business, product or service. To a very significant extent it will be important to keep these aspects of your business in mind, and not simply seek an image that looks cool or modern.  Images, colors and even the style of artistry used in any logo or brand image will all prompt customers or potential clients to make assumptions before becoming familiar with it.

Whether these assumptions are accurate or correct is immaterial: your corporate identity branding will give rise to them irrespective of your own motivation for the way your business is branded. Colors and logos which appear vibrant and up-to-date may work today, but one needs only to look at those companies formed five or ten years ago to see that many of them already look tired and dated.

History and existing businesses can also have an impact on perception - or could make your business work.   As a simple example of this, an intended up-market eatery would undoubtedly fail with the name '"McDonald's Sushi Bar" - or would it?  Perhaps not, especially if that as your name, but market research would help to determine that. 

This is often why many businesses enter into a rebranding phase. Initial success could drift, or an image could become dated or worn.  There is no doubt that reviewing and updating your corporate image can prove to be successful, but it could also fail. There are two good reasons why corporate rebranding should not be undertaken too lightly.

The first is, of course, the cost. The branding of a company, no matter what its size, will necessarily cost a significant amount of the budget. The face presented to all of its potential customers must be right. This will involve artists, designers, marketing and consultants, not to mention a massive amount of printing, labeling and promotion.

Further to that, if your business already has a recognized brand image, then rebranding it can cause confusion. Many customers may not realize that the company has been rebranded, and believe that you are a new company. This is likely to cause many customers to reconsider their business with you, and compare the market for alternatives.

Rebranding can cause divide and instability if not treated carefully and appropriately. Using experts who are familiar with this process and the obstacles which can appear along the way is a very sensible idea. Perhaps anyone can sketch up a nice looking logo and decide on a couple of colors which look good together. It is quite another to manage the whole process smoothly and efficiently so that customers and clients do not feel unsettled, confused, or liable to consider that your company has changed as dramatically as the logo.

Of course, updating a corporate branding image can have many very positive consequences. That, after all, is almost certainly why you are considering undertaking such a process in the first place. Updating the image can be tailored to coincide with the updating of the company itself.

It is well worth being aware that, in the current climate, corporate branding is something very much on the minds of customers and clients. So many companies are struggling, being bought out, taken over, sold off and merged together that the number of brand names leaving the shelves, or changing in the high street is highly noticeable.

Your branding process should not give the impression to the customer that you are undecided, or covering up issues that might be of concern. You will need to think carefully about why you consider rebranding is necessary, and to some extent, justifying this to your customers.

Hurling a completely new logo, color scheme and image at your existing customers entirely unannounced will cause confusion, with many feeling that the company may have been bought out, and their details passed on to an unknown buyer. To avoid this it will be essential for you to communicate your intentions to your customers well in advance of putting them into practice.

This is where the services of experts who are experienced within this field can be of vital importance. They will be able to manage or advise the corporate branding process smoothly from beginning to end, ensuring that both the company and its clients are happy and understand what is happening. Just as importantly, your customers will be able to understand what is not happening too, such as the company being sold off or bought out.

If you are starting up a new company and are considering your brand identity for the first time, you might assume that these issues will not affect you directly. Whilst it is true that your existing customers are unlikely to be concerned, you will still need to ensure that your corporate identity branding ticks all the right boxes in terms of what customers expect and look for in a such a company.

Regardless of your company's experience in business or even in corporate identity branding or rebranding,  that is a field in which professionals can help you with professional job that you can't do yourself.