The decision to rebrand can arrive for a number of different reasons. Perhaps your business has merged with another and you want to project a new image to reflect that. It may be the case that your branding has become dated and an update is required. Or it may even be that you are pivoting your business and changing your entire focus and, as such, need a new brand to signal your new direction.
Whatever the reason behind a rebrand, we all want to get it right as the memory of rebranding failures such as Consignia, New Coke and The Artist Formerly Known as Prince still loom large. What if my clients don’t accept the new brand? What if it drives away customers? These types of questions will naturally arise but our guest on this episode of the number one small business podcast says that we often worry more about these things than is necessary.
Last year, Kyle Wilkinson oversaw the rebranding of DMSQD to HACKSAW™ and so he has recent experience of this very topic. A lot of the doubt and uncertain that naturally comes up prior to a rebrand is due to us being too precious about the existing brand and what it means, or doesn’t mean, to our existing customers. It’s important to remember that people work with people and if you provide the same great products or services after a rebrand, your customers are going to continue working with you. A rebrand can rejuvenate your business both inside and out and even bring in more clients. Don’t be afraid to go in a new direction if you think the business needs it.
Kyle also suggests that putting something of yourself into the rebrand is the right way to go. By being emotive and honest, you can connect with clients, and those working in the business, on an emotional, human level. This is vitally important when trying to build ongoing business and colleague relationships.
You also need to be flexible and adaptive. Having too rigid an idea in mind for the rebrand doesn’t leave a lot of room to react to changes, improvise or be inspired further down the line. A rebrand is supposed to freshen things up and it can be difficult to predict what will be fresh several months down the line. Keep things unresolved, be yourself and go for it!
Issue Challenged in this Small Business Podcast:
How can I successfully rebrand my business?
About Kyle:
Kyle Wilkinson is a partner in, and the Creative Director of, HACKSAW™. The design, brand and web consultancy was previously known as DMSQD until October of 2015 when Kyle and the other partners spearheaded a dramatic and successful rebrand. As an agency, HACKSAW™ has worked with a diverse range of clients including Wired Magazine, the Art Directors Club and Immersive Rides, earning prestigious design awards in the process.
As a designer, Kyle has won coveted awards for his innovative furniture design and experimental design projects. He has also been featured as a contributing guest on the BBC and his work has been exhibited internationally.
Actionable Tips:
* Keep it unresolved. Don’t try and finalize everything from day one as you won’t allow yourself to evolve any further over time. The key to any rebrand is staying fresh in an ever-changing marketplace. Keeping things unresolved also allows you a little bit of room to react and change things if need be.
* Be emotive and honest. This creates a real bond with the audience and helps ensure longevity for the brand. People connect with emotive brands. Think of Coca-Cola and their Christmas adverts. It connects with people on an emotional level and can engender nostalgia. It takes courage to put some of yourself into your brand but the benefits can be enormous.
* Don’t be too precious. Don’t be afraid of making changes and going in a new direction. If you are worried about instances of your old branding out there,
