Rebranding: meaning - why - examples

Introduction

Almost every company or brand runs into it at some point: it's time to rebrand. There can be all kinds of reasons to revamp your brand. Perhaps you want to attract a new target group, the look and feel of your brand is no longer correct, or it has suffered image damage. Whatever the reason: a rebranding is an intensive process that requires a careful approach.

What is rebranding?

Branding is the identity of a brand. Rebranding or repositioning is the process of changing the name, positioning or corporate identity of a company, product or service. Often it is a combination of those three elements. Just addressing a corporate identity, for example, is not a rebranding, but a restyling. A rebranding goes further: with it, you build a new image for your brand.

Reasons for rebranding

There are several reasons to rebrand your brand. Common reasons for rebranding include:

• Your current brand positioning no longer matches what the market is demanding. You've stood still for too long and your brand needs a breath of fresh air.
• Your company's vision and mission have changed, making the current brand positioning inaccurate.
• Your brand's message is no longer unified and your branding needs to be tightened.
• Your brand name is not future-proof. This is the case, for example, if your company name is derived from one product, but you want to start selling other products as well.
• You want to expand internationally or conquer new markets. Your current brand name may not appeal to the new target market.
• You are going to merge and it is necessary to merge two brands.

When not to rebrand?

Rebranding is an intensive and often pricey process. Not only does developing your new brand take time and money, but you also have to roll out the new look in all your communication tools, from stationery to the stickers on company cars. Therefore, take a critical look at whether a rebranding is necessary. You might consider not doing it if:

• Your target audience is positive about your current image and appearance.
• Your brand name is so strong, it's a waste to change it. Possibly a restyling of your corporate identity will suffice.
• You are not 100% sure about the direction your company wants to take. In that case, it's better to wait until the business vision is clear.
• Your desire to rebrand is prompted by a PR crisis. Suppose your company made some blunders that generated a lot of negative press. It can be tempting to erase all those traces and start "over. That's not a good idea. In doing so, you will probably lose the respect of your customers permanently. It's better to fix what went wrong and go public with those fixes.

Successful examples of rebranding

There are several examples of companies that got their rebranding right:

• For customers, the Tupperware brand mainly evoked images of the Tupperware parties of the 1970s, and that did not align with the company's mission. More than the containers that keep food fresh, Tupperware is about empowering the women who sell and use their products. Tupperware chose a new slogan, confidence becomes you, and the brand underwent a visual makeover, with a bolder tone and modern look.
• McDonald's is another example of successful rebranding. The brand no longer wanted to be associated with pure junk food. The red in the logo was replaced with green to make the link with vegetables and health. The interior of the restaurants was also addressed and the locations now have a fresher look.

Rebrandings that didn't go well

Of course, rebranding sometimes turns out wrong. A well-known example is the rebranding of the soft drink brand Dr. Pepper. The company saw that the light version of their drink was not catching on and came up with a new campaign to improve sales. The campaign was aimed entirely at men, with slogans like "It's not for women" and "The manliest low-calorie soda in the history of mankind. Not the best idea, at a time when equality and diversity are such vital issues. Consequently, the campaign evoked many angry reactions from people who found the messages sexist. A bad move for Dr. Pepper's image.

How do you get a rebrand right?

You don't do a rebrand on your own. It is important to put together an internal team to think along with you and to use an agency that has extensive experience in rebranding and repositioning. Also, regularly test the progress with a small group of clients so that you can take their feedback into account when rebranding your brand.

From analysis to implementation

Begin the rebranding process with a careful analysis. What are your brand's strengths and weaknesses? What are the opportunities and threats? What kind of market are you dealing with? Who is your target audience and who are your biggest competitors? How do they market themselves? Based on this, a thorough plan of action can be made, with a tight schedule. You will then proceed step by step with the implementation:

• Devise and register strong brand name.
• Elaborate positioning, supported by the development of a corporate story.
• Have logo and corporate identity designed, plus the development of a corporate identity guide.
• Implementation of the new corporate identity in all communication tools.
• Create or have website designed and built.
• PR around the launch of the new positioning.

In short: rebranding involves a lot. But if you do it right, your new brand positioning can really move your business forward. If you are just starting out in business, or about to start, read our article on creating a branding strategy.