Rebranding process

Rebranding studies the best way to make a brand evolve. The process encompasses the name, the design and what is around. Marketing and concept are the hidden parts but perhaps the most important. Rebranding tries to reflect better the actual situation of the company or product.

In those cases, concepts like innovation are very present. Some firms ask for “avant-garde,” innovation, and technology.

The brand is useful if it reflects the real situation of the company. It gives better results in the long term. The new logo should be a good illustration of the firm’s current conditions. At the same time, it is good if it projects the most realistic illusions. The goal is to communicate the company to customers and providers. Sometimes an impressive design is not the most honest representation of the business.

Logo design and more

Logo design is the central point. We build the other elements around that. But to create a brand, we need design and much more.

Before thinking about the form, it is a good idea to study the marketing background:

- The present situation of the firm.

- Targets or illusions related to the future.

- The market, or context in which it moves. Other logos that already live there. The positioning that we want to have in this environment.

Marketing helps the company communicate the right image and reach the defined goals. The design is only part of this process.

Rebranding. Brand again

It is necessary to see the logo design and the new relations with a changing product and environment.

The best brands are those that know how to condense the basic concepts. The present and the illusions of the future. It is great when the user can perceive the company’s core values at first sight.

The first step is to represent the current circumstances. I think this must be the starting point: be honest and explain things as they are. Highlight the positive aspects, but never portray a better situation than reality.

It is common to see images that try to transmit concepts related to technology and innovation. But sometimes they do not have a definite relation to the reality they want to represent. Soon users will notice that.

Promote renovation

The first goal is to provide information about the current situation of the company. But, it is also necessary to know about the direction that is going, its illusions, and its projects. The renewal of a corporate image can be a big shake-up in the company. It is a fundamental element that leads change in other fields. A firm with a new logo is telling its customers and providers, "We are changing. We are adapting to new things that are coming."

Unified image

Branding goes far beyond the logo. Graphics and the name of the company are the most visible part, but they are just the starting point.

It is necessary to present a coherent image outside. Coordinate logo, brochures, catalogs, website, mobile, and advertising. A unified strategy and design has more impact and requires fewer resources. It conveys safety and confidence to the user.

Create basics

Good logo design will not directly increase sales. However, it is one of the central elements in creating a sound basis for all marketing activities. If you have a nice logo, it is much easier to develop a website, mobile app or brochure. The logo has the basic concept. Later we can use the other forms to improve it.

The logotype summarizes the essential values of the company or institution. The other image elements can "explain" that core concept later with more details.

Sometimes it is better to have a small website or brochure but with solid foundations. You can assign part of the efforts and budget to create the corporate image.

Progressive change

A new design should not represent a sharp break. There must be a plan for continuous enhancements.

There is a direct relation between the intensity of the change of the design and the image perceived as a hole. A new logo can make some people think that there are new owners. Others could speculate with problems or a restructuring.

The rebranding process could be small, continuous and progressive. In those case, some customers and providers will not even perceive the change. They will feel that the company is always up to date, but will not know precisely when the logo changed.

A more significant transformation can communicate that a different stage is starting. For example, the company has redesigned the headquarters or exports to more countries. This new image can be a reason to keep in touch with customers and providers.

The process of rebranding

The best rebranding is a process. Not a change in the time.

Many companies think about a new logo design every 6 or 8 years. Perhaps the question arises when there is a significant event. It could be a corporate merger or an absorption, for instance.

The best brands make subtle, little changes more often. It is great when the user does not even realize it. The goal is making it evolve at the same pace than the product/company and their environment.

Conclusion

The brand does not always need to communicate innovation and cutting-edge technology. The best image condenses the characteristic elements of the personality of the company. The present situation and the first projections toward the future.

Rebranding is a process to update the brand. It is necessary to redesign the logo to fit in modern times. But it is also essential to rethink the concept and marketing.

The brand is not just a drawing; it is a fundamental marketing element. It can be the primary structure to build a more general strategy for the company.