Considerations for a Company Update
Companies choose to rebrand themselves for many reasons. The most valuable reasons include updating a corporate identity to better communicate the company’s mission or to better reflect the way an organization’s offerings have changed over the years. These types of projects, rooted in solid business acumen tend to pay off as long as the upfront work is done to ensure the new branding conveys a clear, engaging message of the organization’s purpose.
Regardless of the reason, rebranding is one of the most visible, opinion-generating projects an organization can undertake. Large corporate rebrands make national news headlines. For smaller organizations, a rebrand draws the attention of customers, industry partners and internal teams. All of these groups have an influence on brand perception and, ultimately, the brand’s performance. Creating a clearly communicated, positive connection between these stakeholders and the brand is the benchmark for success in any rebranding effort.
Anyone who has been part of a brand update knows that it is not a small undertaking. From a budget standpoint, not only is there the time and effort involved in actually repositioning the company, but the cost of changing the brand on websites, stationary, trade show booths and every other bit of company communication adds up quickly. So before we help clients proceed with such a big effort, our first job is always to determine whether rebranding or updating the existing company identity will achieve the objectives intended.
In our process of planning and carrying out a rebrand, developing the logo comes near the very end. Oftentimes, when entrepreneurs begin to build a brand from scratch, the name and logo are created very early in the process. While there should still be a good amount of pre-work to determine messaging and brand strategy even with a small start-up, the logo and name also help to solidify the concept for the start-up team as they communicate the idea and seek funding in the early stages.
Rebrands are different, because there’s likely an existing perception of the brand, which may differ widely between the brand’s leadership, its employees, as well as customers. We always start the rebranding process with extensive interviews with these and other stakeholders. Figuring out the brand’s culture, its mission and external perception allows differences to be addressed. We also take a close look at the competitive environment to ensure the new branding will put forth a unique perspective that will command attention. When we talk to clients, we often refer to the rebranding effort as an upside down pyramid. At the top lies all of the broad messaging, the corporate culture, the mission, perceptions, etc. As we work to define all of the existing information about the brand, both what marketing wants the world to see and what the world actually sees based on brand behaviors, we begin to craft an updated brand story that clearly communicate two things:
1. The brand’s offering
2. The brand’s emotional connection to its customers
Particularly in our industry, the deeper connection a customer makes with a brand ensures the brand’s success. Customers want to know the brands they choose to support share the values and “bigger picture” they believe in regarding nutrition and wellness. As nutrition industry marketers, we have it easy in this regard. Most of the brands we encounter have rich stories to tell about their mission, product sourcing and the effort they invest to go to market in a responsible way.
Once a brand’s messaging is reestablished, the path toward a new look and feel for the brand is much clearer. At this point, artwork and every other aspect of the rebrand should tie directly back to the new messaging.
As I mentioned before, rebranding is a high profile undertaking and opinions will abound once you get to the stage of redesigning a brand logo, website or any of the other visual aspects associated with rebranding. The upside down pyramid approach to rebranding ensures the thought and research behind a rebranding guides the selection of a new brand identity, as opposed to the subjective opinions of a few individuals.
When all of the pre-work is finished and the brand has a clear, refreshed direction in terms of messaging and the image they want to portray to the world, it’s time to design a new logo and other design aspects of the rebranding. As an agency specializing in communication, we typically guide our clients through the entire rebranding process while working closely with a design partner. There are a lot of talented design shops working in our industry as evidenced by many of the emerging and established brands known throughout the nutrition space. However, we make it a point to work closely with a select group of firms who do work across several industries. We choose to go this route for numerous reasons, but one of the most significant is to ensure we are working with the most creative thinkers and talented designers regardless of industry. If the strategy and messaging work on the rebrand were well crafted and there is industry-expertise leading the overall effort, the designers are free to think about the brand identity in new and interesting ways without being stuck in the well-worn norms of the industry. It’s already a crowded space, so we feel a fresh design approach is paramount.
While logo redesigns often come near the end of the rebranding process, they are often the most important design aspect of rebrand. Websites, ads and event booths change frequently over time, but a new logo has to serve as the enduring mark of the brand. We collaborate regularly with the design studio Art & Sons (artandsons.com), because their studied approach to design fits perfectly into the overall rebranding process we use with our clients. I reached out to Jerry Chapa of Art & Sons who offered advice to brands embarking on a logo update:
What guides your work when it comes to helping clients rebrand?
We bring a real human element to our work. Of course we listen to the value proposition and deliver on those points, but we also dig deep to find the heart and soul of an organization or product. Customers need more than promises from brands, they need substance. With so much competition in the market you need to reach your audience on an emotional level, not just a practical one.
What are considerations for a company intending to update its branding?
They should make sure the company’s business model or overall vision/mission are still the core messaging that is true to the company. They should also consider how much equity is in the existing brand? Are there ways to rebrand and hold on to what is working and still valuable? Or is the value in a complete refresh? The most authentic voice of your company is what customers will connect with, so make sure everything from the logo to the website to the way your sales team presents is in tune with that authentic message.
In terms of design principles, what are some considerations people should consider before they attempt to update a longstanding brand?
When it comes to rebranding via a new logo/identity, it is important to keep the designs timeless. The goal is to have a simple identifiable mark that can speak to your company’s heart and soul, but be careful not jam every bit of the story into the logo. Those ideas can come in supporting imagery and copy. The logo should be neutral enough that it can play well with campaigns as styles and trends change over time. A good example is the Nike swoosh. It feels comfortable in the latest ads just like it felt comfortable in ads featuring Andre Agassi’s mullet in the early ‘90s. The campaigns and messaging can evolve, but the logo should stay true and be your anchor.
In your experience, are there tangible benefits companies have realized after rebranding or is it more about needing to look more current to appeal to customers?
There are tangible benefits. When a branding system is in place that is easily and efficiently applied by every level of the company, it can be the glue that keeps everyone on brand and effective. If you stick with the ideas mentioned above, the logo should look like it could have been done today or 50 years ago. So it’s not necessarily about being current with the logo if it is already timeless in its appearance.
What are five things companies should consider when hiring a design agency to work on a brand update?
1. Are they prepared to interview and meet with stakeholders?
2. Do they have a defined process? Or are they more organic in approach? Ask yourself which feels right for you.
3. Does the agency have a distinct style that they will not derivate from?
4. Because a rebrand is so design centric, will you get access to the agency’s designers that are actually doing the work, or will you be separated by hierarchy and project managers?
5. Are they nice people to work with? That is the most important. Nothing great comes out of dealing with someone you cannot openly collaborate with.
Like most things, a successful rebranding relies on preparation and research. All of the foundational work that goes into defining a brand’s message and its ability to connect with customers leads to more than just a new logo. It creates a communications platform with the ability to engage customers in ways that are richer and longer lasting than simply relaying brand attributes. NIE
The Shelton Group is a boutique public relations and marketing agency working exclusively in the dietary supplements and natural products industry since 1990. Todd Pauli works with clients to develop comprehensive marketing strategies that integrate social media, advertising and content marketing. Prior to joining The Shelton Group, Pauli led marketing communications efforts for several well-known businesses, including NOW Foods, one of the largest supplement manufacturers in the natural channel. Contact him at [email protected].
