branding Essentials
A short reference guide to Branding.
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A Brand Refresh is a process of updating the visuals and messaging of a brand while preserving its core identity to reposition a business by revamping the brand identity, including a logo, brand voice, and products.
A refresh allows you to modernize your brand while retaining its identity to create a more cohesive and memorable visual experience and adjust your approach to better align with the current market and realign with your mission and values, which can help your business grow, increase revenue, and reach a higher price point by improving customer perception.
This process also generates buzz within your existing customer base, by showing them that you're growing and changing to continue to provide quality products and services, new visuals and messaging can also appeal to new demographics and increase your customer base.
Dunkin' Donuts repositioned and rendered down to focus more on coffee with Dunkin'.
Burger King moved away from its former plastic Y2K logo, to a modern 60's and 90's throwback.
New York took a hit and a miss with this move from its iconic logo to somthing more modern.
You connect with your target audience, but your visuals look dated or common.
If you’ve been in business for a while a refresh can help you stay relevant, and adapt to the current market, by getting rid of what's not working to make way for new tools and assets.
You are expanding your business, products, or services.
Your business is changing. If you have a new partnership, added offerings, or paired things down you need to reflect these changes in your branding so customers know what you're offering.
You want to retain or attract new clients.
All things change with time. Whether your audience's values and interests have changed, or expanded into new markets a refresh will help you meet them where they are now.
You need to refine your identity to be more consistent.
Consistency is key in business. If your visuals and language are different on your website, socials, and print materials a refresh can help you bring things together to be more cohesive.
Your visual identity needs to adapt to the current market.
If your brand isn’t as strong or memorable as your competitors, or your changing marketing efforts, it's time to reassess your branding and positioning to be more relevant in today's market.
Friedrich Nietzsche
The main function of a healthy mind is to be open to change, and a mind that cannot change might as well be dead. By defect your branding functions in a similar matter, if it does not grow with its audience and adapt to market changes it might as well cease to exist.
1. Audit Your Current Brand
Evaluate Brand Assets
Review your current logo, color schemes, typography, and other visual elements.
Assess Brand Messaging
Examine taglines, mission statements, and your brand voice.
Analyze Market Position
Compare your brand with competitors to identify gaps and opportunities.
Gather Feedback
Get input from customers, employees, and stakeholders to understand how your brand is perceived.
2. Define Your Objectives
Clarify Goals
Are you trying to reach new audiences, refresh your visual identity, or align with changing market trends?
Align with business strategy
Ensure the refresh aligns with your new business goals.
3. Understand Your Audience
Consider new demographics
If you’re expanding to new markets, research your new audience's preferences, needs, and pain points.
4. Revisit Your Brand Identity
Update visual elements
This can include refreshing your logo, updating colors, fonts, or website design.
Refine brand voice
Ensure your tone is consistent across all channels.
Create new brand guidelines
Document your new brand standards to maintain consistency.
5. Test Concepts
Develop mockups
Create updated versions of key materials like website designs, business cards, and social media graphics.
Gather feedback
Share initial ideas with internal teams or focus groups to gather input on the direction.
6. Update Brand Touchpoints
Website and Social Media
Refresh your digital presence, including your website, social media profiles, and online ads.
Marketing materials
Update brochures, business cards, email templates, and packaging.
Physical spaces
If applicable, update signage, uniforms, or branded spaces.
7. Communicate the Change
Internal communication
Inform your team about the new branding and how it affects their roles.
Customer communication
Explain the reasons for your refresh to your audience, including what's changing and how this benefits them.
Launch campaign
Plan a public announcement or campaign to unveil the refreshed brand.
8. Monitor the Impact
Track key metrics
Measure how the brand refresh impacts brand awareness, customer engagement, and sales.
Gather ongoing feedback
Monitor customer reactions and make adjustments as needed.
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