Rebranding can be a powerful tool for businesses looking to refresh their image, reach new audiences, or signal a change in direction. In our article on rebranding successes we gave examples of successful rebranding. However, it’s not always easy to get it right. In fact, there have been many failed attempts at rebranding over the years, from high-profile companies to small businesses. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the dos and don’ts of rebranding, and draw lessons from some of the most famous rebranding failures.
The Importance of Rebranding
Rebranding is a process that involves creating a new brand identity for a business. This can include anything from changing the company’s name and logo, to redesigning its products, packaging, and advertising campaigns. The reasons for rebranding can vary widely, but some of the most common ones include:
1. To stay competitive:
In today’s fast-paced business world, it’s important for companies to keep up with changing consumer trends and preferences. Rebranding can help businesses stay relevant and competitive in their industry.
2. To reach new audiences:
Rebranding can be a way for businesses to reach out to new audiences, such as younger generations or international markets.
3. To signal a change in direction:
Rebranding can also be a way for businesses to signal a change in their business strategy, such as shifting from a product-based model to a service-based one.
The Four Dos of Rebranding
- Conduct Market Research
Before embarking on a rebranding effort, it’s important to conduct thorough market research to gain insights into your target audience’s preferences and needs. This can involve conducting surveys, focus groups, and other forms of market research to gather feedback and data on your brand’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Define Your Brand Identity
Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience and market, it’s important to define your brand identity. This involves creating a set of brand guidelines that outline your company’s values, mission, and visual identity. These guidelines should be clear, consistent, and reflective of your target audience’s preferences.
- Involve Your Employees
Rebranding is a process that involves everyone in your company, not just your marketing team. It’s important to involve your employees in the rebranding process and communicate the reasons for the change. This can help build enthusiasm and support for the new brand identity.
- Plan a Phased Rollout
Rebranding can be a complex process that involves many moving parts, from updating your website and social media profiles to redesigning your products and packaging. It’s important to plan a phased rollout of your new brand identity to ensure a smooth transition and minimize disruption to your business.
The Four Don’ts of Rebranding
- Rush the Process
Rebranding is a process that requires careful planning and execution. Rushing the process can lead to mistakes and missteps that can undermine the success of your rebranding effort. It’s important to take the time to conduct thorough market research, define your brand identity, and involve your employees in the process.
- Ignore Your Customers
Rebranding should be done with your customers in mind. Ignoring their preferences and needs can lead to a backlash and damage to your brand’s reputation. It’s important to gather feedback and involve your customers in the rebranding process to ensure their support and buy-in.
- Stray Too Far From Your Original Brand
Rebranding should be a way to refresh your brand’s image, not completely overhaul it. Straying too far from your original brand can confuse your customers and erode the trust and loyalty they have built with your brand over time. It’s important to retain some elements of your original brand identity, such as your company’s values and mission, while updating others.
- Underestimate the Cost
Rebranding can be a costly endeavor, and it’s important to budget for it accordingly. Underestimating the cost can lead to financial strain on your business and compromises on the quality of the rebranding effort. It’s important to budget for all aspects of the rebranding effort, from market research to design and implementation.
Lessons from Failed Attempts
There have been many high-profile rebranding failures over the years, from Gap’s failed attempt to update its logo in 2010 to Uber’s disastrous rebranding in 2016. While each of these failures had their own unique causes, there are some common lessons that businesses can draw from them.
Lesson 1: Involve Your Customers
One of the main reasons why rebranding efforts fail is because businesses fail to involve their customers in the process. In 2010, Gap attempted to update its logo to a more modern design, but the response from customers was overwhelmingly negative. This was because Gap failed to involve its customers in the design process and ignored their preferences and needs. By contrast, when Airbnb rebranded in 2014, it conducted extensive market research and involved its customers in the design process, resulting in a successful rebranding effort.
Lesson 2: Retain Elements of Your Original Brand
Another common mistake that businesses make when rebranding is to stray too far from their original brand identity. This can confuse customers and erode the trust and loyalty they have built with the brand over time. In 2016, Uber attempted to rebrand its logo to a more modern design, but the response from customers was mixed. This was because Uber strayed too far from its original brand identity and failed to retain some key elements, such as its signature black-and-white color scheme.
Lesson 3: Plan a Phased Rollout
Rebranding can be a complex process that involves many moving parts, and it’s important to plan a phased rollout to ensure a smooth transition. In 2009, Tropicana attempted to rebrand its packaging to a more modern design, but the response from customers was overwhelmingly negative. This was because Tropicana failed to plan a phased rollout, resulting in confusion and backlash from customers.
Lesson 4: Don’t Rush the Process
Rebranding is a process that requires careful planning and execution, and rushing the process can lead to mistakes and missteps. In 2018, Weight Watchers attempted to rebrand as WW to reflect a broader focus on wellness, but the response from customers was mixed. This was because Weight Watchers rushed the process and failed to communicate the reasons for the rebranding effort to its customers.
Final thoughts
Rebranding can be a powerful tool for businesses looking to refresh their image, reach new audiences, or signal a change in direction. However, it’s not always easy to get it right. By following the dos and don’ts of rebranding and drawing lessons from failed rebranding attempts, businesses can increase their chances of success and avoid common pitfalls. Ultimately, rebranding should be done with the customer in mind, retaining some elements of the original brand identity while updating others to stay relevant and competitive in today’s fast-paced business world.
Ready to take your brand to the next level? Let Sunnyday Consulting help guide you through a successful rebranding process. Contact us at support@sunnydayconsulting.com or call us at (+91) 79777 31552 for expert guidance and services.
To know more about the latest market trends, subscribe to our newsletter today!
FAQ
1 Why might a company consider rebranding?
There are a variety of reasons why a company might consider rebranding, including changes in target audience, updates to company values or mission, or the need to refresh a dated brand identity. Rebranding can help a company stay relevant and competitive in a constantly evolving marketplace.
2 Is it always necessary to completely overhaul a brand's identity during a rebranding effort?
Not necessarily. While some rebranding efforts involve a complete overhaul of a brand's identity, others may involve more subtle updates or adjustments to the existing identity. It's important to strike a balance between retaining some key elements of the original brand identity while also making updates to stay current and relevant.
3 How can a company ensure a successful rebranding effort?
There are a variety of factors that can contribute to a successful rebranding effort, but some key considerations include involving customers in the process, budgeting for costs, retaining key elements of the original brand identity, planning a phased rollout, and avoiding rushed processes. Working with an experienced branding consultant can also be helpful in navigating the complexities of a rebranding effort.
