The downside of rebranding: can it go wrong?
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 3:55 am
While rebranding can be an effective strategy, it does not always guarantee positive results. Some reasons why it may not be beneficial for a company are:
Loss of brand identity – A radical change can alienate loyal consumers as they lose the emotional connection with the brand. Each element is a message, and replacing them with others can create a different connection of attributes in the image that is represented in the minds of customers.
Cost and risk of implementation : Implementing a rebranding can be costly and involves risks. If not executed efficiently, it can damage the company's reputation. To carry it out correctly, all elements that contain the brand must be modified; communication has to work properly.
Consumer confusion : A drastic change can create confusion among consumers. The brand is a company's most important asset (the most valuable) because it is precisely the element that carries all the attributes and recognition. Without that mental connection people have with a color, a figure, a name, they are less likely to choose your products or services, or to reach them (imagine what would happen if Coca-Cola changed to Pepsi's blue color).
In order to be successful in a strategy like this, a thorough study of the different factors surrounding such a modification is necessary. The following must be taken into account:
There is no constant rebranding; the new look must endure over time.
What identifies the brand must remain firm; the example canada phone number of Burger King is very positive, where the visual modernization of the logotype is profound, but it does not affect the core identity of the previous design, but rather gives it vitality. However, there are extreme cases where a change in the brand philosophy can turn the visual identity upside down, as in the case of Deezer .
Rebrandings are done to adjust a message, if not to update a certain design that seems obsolete and, therefore, carries negative attributes.
A successful identity change strategy aligns all communication elements; that is, if the iconography is rethought, the colors, fonts, shapes of each communication or device (such as packaging), and a new brand manual must also be rethought .
Buyer persona: a must for rethinking a visual identity
Rebranding can be a powerful tool to revitalize a brand and adjust to market demands. However, its implementation must be strategic and carefully evaluated, considering the potential benefits as well as the potential risks. A deep understanding of the company's identity, its audience, and the market context is critical to determining whether rebranding will be truly positive for the organization.
To correctly describe and define the audience, it is necessary to use a buyer persona template. These are ideal customer profiles, and can help define problems and even establish attributes to highlight in a rebranding.
Loss of brand identity – A radical change can alienate loyal consumers as they lose the emotional connection with the brand. Each element is a message, and replacing them with others can create a different connection of attributes in the image that is represented in the minds of customers.
Cost and risk of implementation : Implementing a rebranding can be costly and involves risks. If not executed efficiently, it can damage the company's reputation. To carry it out correctly, all elements that contain the brand must be modified; communication has to work properly.
Consumer confusion : A drastic change can create confusion among consumers. The brand is a company's most important asset (the most valuable) because it is precisely the element that carries all the attributes and recognition. Without that mental connection people have with a color, a figure, a name, they are less likely to choose your products or services, or to reach them (imagine what would happen if Coca-Cola changed to Pepsi's blue color).
In order to be successful in a strategy like this, a thorough study of the different factors surrounding such a modification is necessary. The following must be taken into account:
There is no constant rebranding; the new look must endure over time.
What identifies the brand must remain firm; the example canada phone number of Burger King is very positive, where the visual modernization of the logotype is profound, but it does not affect the core identity of the previous design, but rather gives it vitality. However, there are extreme cases where a change in the brand philosophy can turn the visual identity upside down, as in the case of Deezer .
Rebrandings are done to adjust a message, if not to update a certain design that seems obsolete and, therefore, carries negative attributes.
A successful identity change strategy aligns all communication elements; that is, if the iconography is rethought, the colors, fonts, shapes of each communication or device (such as packaging), and a new brand manual must also be rethought .
Buyer persona: a must for rethinking a visual identity
Rebranding can be a powerful tool to revitalize a brand and adjust to market demands. However, its implementation must be strategic and carefully evaluated, considering the potential benefits as well as the potential risks. A deep understanding of the company's identity, its audience, and the market context is critical to determining whether rebranding will be truly positive for the organization.
To correctly describe and define the audience, it is necessary to use a buyer persona template. These are ideal customer profiles, and can help define problems and even establish attributes to highlight in a rebranding.