Times have changed and so have your customers.
There is a huge difference between pre-covid and post-covid business. Companies now need to work longer and harder on communicating and establishing trust with their prospects and customers and need to do this from a distance. This means that brand, image, online presence (in all its forms) and other customer communications all need a careful review to ensure that they are achieving maximum appeal.
Your customers and their needs are always changing, but we have seen this happen faster in 2020 than at any previous time.
Splento has produced a free report on brand engagement, explaining what you can do to re-engage your customers in this post-pandemic world.
It’s completely free and is downloadable by clicking below:
Now is the time to scrutinise your brand with a critical eye and decide what changes may be needed. Often, a simple brand refresh can have as much of an impact as a full rebrand.
So – if you need to adjust your brand profile, then which should you be considering? A refresh, or a full rebrand? To help you decide, we will briefly compare the two, to explore the benefits of both.
Refresh vs rebrand – which is right for you? Use these checklists to help you decide:
Refresh
In simple terms, a brand refresh is exactly what it sounds like – a fresh look for a familiar image profile – something akin to repainting a room in a house and hanging a couple of new pictures on the wall. The room is the same, the furniture is too, but it feels new. You build on your existing customer base, goodwill, and reputation, whilst remaining relevant and up to date with current trends and styles.
Check off the following to help understand if you need a brand refresh:
- Your product range and customer profile are not changing
- You are reaching your target audience, but experiencing lower engagement
- You need to boost your social media
- You need to connect (or reconnect) with your market
- Your budget and/or time is limited
- Your design is slightly outdated
- You see conversion dropdown using the same marketing assets repeatedly
A refresh is a great reason to re-engage your existing customers and to generate excitement, energy, and interest with them and your employees.
What do you need for your brand refresh?
- Changing your colour palette.
- Redesign of marketing materials (as opposed to a rewrite).
- Refreshing your brand assets – photo and video galleries, banners design scheme
- New layout to your website.
- Updating your company slogan
Microsoft has gone through a number of brand refreshes over the years. Their logo and colour palettes have altered, but their products and market have remained largely the same.
Just two of Microsoft’s logos – Old (left) and new. Source: Microsoft
Rebrand
A full rebrand is a complete image makeover for your company. Rather than just a lick of paint, this includes throwing out all the furniture and replacing it, knocking down a wall and extending, or even repurposing the room completely.
Check all that apply to help understand if you need a complete rebrand:
- Your company vision has changed, or your company has outgrown its original mission
- You are launching into a new market, demographic or new product areas
- Your market segment has grown but your market share hasn’t
- You are willing to spend budget and time on a complete brand reset
- You need to reposition your business to pursue a different market segment as you’ve changed pricing, quality, or products
A rebrand will involve:
- Creating a new company profile (personality).
- A complete recreation of your image, from the ground up.
- New logo, new colour palette, new direction (even a new market).
- New background and story for the company.
- Essentially – relaunching a completely new business.
If your business is recreating itself, starting over, launching into a new market – or demographic or new product areas, then a rebrand may be more suitable.
Rebrands take longer, cost more and usually represent a defined shift in either customer base or market. They often follow a company takeover or merger and can be used to demonstrate to the world that there has been a paradigm shift within the business, such as a major shift in direction or focus.
Many companies have reinvented themselves over the years, as a part of an extensive rebranding process. You may recognise this one:
Source: Royal Mail
Which is right for you?
Most companies know that action is needed now, to redefine the terms of engagement with their customers.
For most businesses, a brand refresh is an ideal candidate for the reasons already described – it is fast, cost-effective and can powerfully impact market position in the coming months.
We’ve brought together some previous great examples of brand-refreshes to give you some inspiration for your own.
Alternatively, contact Splento today and find out how to take your own first steps to refresh.
Contact Splento if you are in need of:
