What is your brand image?

This is what a person sees when interacting with your brand. It is usually something an experienced graphic designer helps you with.

Your brand image typically includes your logo, the color palette you use for your website and marketing materials, the motto or slogan you use, and even the font you choose.

Overtime, you might realize your brand image is not working the way you want it to. Perhaps your company has grown in a new direction, or you want to convey a new message. If this is the case, a rebranding or a brand refresh could give you the new image you are looking for.

Rebrand vs. Refresh. What’s the Difference?

While a brand refresh and rebranding might sound similar, there are some key differences that make them very different. In simple terms, a brand refresh is like adding a new coat of paint, while rebranding would be tearing everything down and rebuilding from scratch. Rebranding is a much more dramatic change than a brand refresh.

A brand refresh might include the following:

• Choosing a new color palette
• Updating your brand logo - but not completely changing it
• Creating a new slogan
• Using a new font
• Releasing new marketing materials, with a new look

Rebranding, on the other hand, might include more drastic measures, like:

• Changing your company name
• Establishing your company in a new market 
• Finding a new brand personality
• Overhauling your complete brand image, and getting a brand new logo

Another key difference is going to be cost. A brand refresh will be much more affordable than rebranding.

How Does a Brand Refresh Work?

A brand refresh can be seen as a reaction to the market. If your business did well in the past, but is now struggling to reach the right customers, you might need to adjust your image. Sometimes a brand refresh can be as simple as updating your colors, fonts and website, while other refreshes may need more work.

You can easily find evidence of brand refreshes from major brands over the decades. Take Starbucks for example. Its original logo from 1971 was brown and the mermaid logo had a rough, carved look. The logo was refreshed in 1987 with a green color and a smoother looking mermaid. Another refresh happened in 1992 with an even closer look at the mermaid’s face. The most recent change was in 2011. With this logo, we only see the mermaid and Starbucks completely dropped the name branding around the circle. The logo is so ubiquitous that they don’t need the brand name anymore.

Source: https://www.ignytebrands.com/refresh-or-rebrand/

You can think of a brand refresh as a makeover for your company. It helps you keep up with modern design trends and ideas without throwing away everything that is already working for you.

How Can a Brand Refresh Help Your Company?

As ideas grow and evolve, standing still can leave you in the past. Your brand must continually look for ways to improve and keep yourself fresh in the minds of your potential customers.

You want your customers to identify with your brand. If your brand feels stale, customers will have no problem moving on to newer, fresher businesses.

Here are some of the biggest benefits to a brand refresh.

• It gives your brand a competitive edge.
• It keeps you at the forefront of current values and ideas.
• It showcases your evolution as a brand.
• It can improve your sales.
• You can attract new talent.

According to Hanover Research, 75% of brands have gone through a refresh or rebrand since 2020. This shows that a brand refresh should be something that happens regularly.

Examples of Rebranding

When your business first got started, you had a good understanding of your goals. If those goals have completely changed, and you are not reaching the right customers, you might need a complete rebranding.

One example of a very successful rebranding is Old Spice. For decades, the brand was seen as an aftershave for old men with little to no appeal to younger generations. However, in 2010, the brand took a dramatic step forward with its video ad “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” This viral sensation skyrocketed the brand in a new direction and doubled its body wash sales within a few months.

While Old Spice kept its brand name, other companies completely cut ties with their old selves. This is frequently done to distance companies from negative responses. For example, the tobacco company Philip Morris changed its name to Altria Group in 2003. Another example is Kentucky Fried Chicken changing its official name to KFC because of negative associations with the word “fried.”

When Do You Need a Brand Refresh?

Before you start a brand refresh, you need to do a thorough investigation of your company. These steps can help you get started.

1. Do Some Self Assessing 

Take a serious look at your company and how your customers perceive you. Ask yourself questions like:

• Is our brand fulfilling its mission?
• Are we accomplishing our goals?
• How do our customers view our brand?

To answer these questions, you can send anonymous surveys to your employees. You should also ask your customers to let you know how they feel about you.

2. Analyze the Competition 

One of the best ways to determine if you need to reevaluate your brand is to check out your competition. Consider the following:

• What is the competition doing well/badly?
• How can your branding be improved to draw attention away from the competition?
• What can we do to make our brand stand out?

3. Create a Customer Persona 

Your customers are crucial to your brand development. You want your messaging to resonate with them and be attractive to new customers, too. Think about your customer base and ask:

• Is our current messaging targeting the right customers?
•  How have our customers’ priorities shifted?
• Can we expand our brand to appeal to new customers?
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Explore the Potential of a Brand Refresh with an Experienced Graphic Designer

Just like you have changed as a person over the years, your business has evolved, too. If you are feeling stuck and having trouble conveying the right brand message, a brand refresh may be just what you need.

ColorWorks Creative has years of experience helping brands design their images and create modern brand refreshes. If you are looking for the best way to spend your marketing budget in Texas, consider a thorough brand refresh with ColorWorks Creative.

Contact us today to explore the possibilities of a refreshed brand identity.