Time for a rebrand? How to know when the timing is right.

Rebranding, or updating your brand is often necessary to stay relevant in the market. It’s good practice to review your brand on an annual basis to ensure it’s still relevant. Here’s how to know when it might be time to consider a rebrand.

Updating your logo ​​

Logos don’t come with an expiration date. Your customers and the marketplace will be the judge of when your logo is past its “best used by” date.

Take a look at logo trends in your industry. Like fashion, graphic design does tend to change over the years. Is your logo starting to stand out like the bell bottoms you wore in high school? It may be time for an update. Don’t worry. Most brands need to make updates to their brand identity throughout the life of the organization. Logo updates can be as subtle as changing the color or font and as large as a complete overhaul of the brand mark.

Changing your company name and identity

Has your business expanded over the years and now you carry multiple product lines and offer a wide variety of services? Enhancing your service and product offering is great for growing your business but can change the way your brand is perceived.

When your brand name no longer describes your company, it might be time to consider a rebrand. Not sure if your name fits your company? Ask your customers. You can accomplish this by a survey or a focus group of your current customers.

Some companies avoid rebranding because of the investment involved in making updates to their facilities and creative assets. The cost of updating signage, uniforms, collateral, and websites can seem enormous. The investment that’s needed to effectively rebrand is certainly a consideration you’ll need to make. But you’ll also want to consider the cost of doing nothing. If you’re not investing the time and resources to keep your brand and services up-to-date, will your customers believe that you’re offering innovative solutions to serve them?

Choose the right partner to help

When you make the decision to rebrand, make sure to choose a partner that will add value to the transition. They should be invested in understanding the why behind your decision. Involve them in all aspects of your customer journey so they are truly integrated into your business and can guide you to make the best decision for the future of your brand.

Over the years, I’ve worked with several small businesses that acquire new product lines or offer additional services and recognized the need to change their names to adapt to their market. The task can seem daunting at first. But like any large project – when managed properly over time – has no interruption to normal business.

If you’re considering a rebrand and would like some guidance to ensure there’s little interruption to your business, contact us. We’ll guide you through the process of rebranding from customer research to design to implementation.

About the Author

Stacey Harrison is the lead brand strategist and designer at Heart & Hustle Brands and has provided creative direction for healthcare, industrial, and financial services brands for 20 years. She started Harrison Creative Group in 2017 to serve businesses that need a professional brand image on a budget. In 2021, the company rebranded to Heart & Hustle Brands to walk in the shoes of clients that experience a change of name or brand refresh.