When’s a good time to rebrand

First off, let’s ask the obvious question: what is rebranding? For Liven Creative, it’s a wholesale transformation of an established brand – from the name, to the identity, to the proposition and values, and the print and digital assets. At Liven Creative we’ve guided many organisations through some seriously successful rebranding exercises, so we’re sharing some of the key reasons it might be time to consider yours.

Liven Creative’s top five reasons for rebranding

1. You don’t seem yourself
Arguably, one of the main reasons you should consider rebranding is if your brand values no longer represent the heart of the business. Your brand will have evolved since you launched it – and that can happen fairly quickly, especially if your brand is fairly new and has grown fast. So your mission and values, and your branding, should reflect change. For example, maybe you’ve adopted sourcing and production techniques that are more environmentally and ethically responsible. In which case, it may be time to find a way to let this shine through in your branding, and better reflect where your business is today.

2. You don’t look yourself, either
Tastes and trends change – as do the possibilities that come with design technology and techniques. It may be that your look and feel is of a time that’s passed, and it shows. You’ve changed, too: your products and services are ‘in the moment’, but your outward appearance is dated. You need a makeover. Nothing too drastic, as chances are you’re recognised in your market, but you can always build on your brand’s strengths and revitalise it with rebranding. Maybe a re-working of your logo, a new font and colour palette, a fresh set of values, and a tone of voice to reflect your audience’s tastes and expectations. It’s amazing what fairly simple rebranding can achieve.

3. Your audience has changed
Maybe it’s because you’ve changed, and are aiming for a slightly different demographic or sector. Maybe it’s because your audience’s needs and desires have changed. It’s most likely a combination of the two…

The most effective brands focus on a specific target audience rather than trying to please everyone. A brand is far more relevant and relatable if it understands and communicates directly with a clearly defined audience – so if you’ve evolved to a point where this has changed, rebranding will help you resonate with your existing and new customers far more powerfully.

4. The playing field has changed, too
Rebranding is also an effective way to stay one step ahead of the competition – and react strategically to newbies in the market. Maybe a competitor has emerged that does what you do, says the same things as you do, and targets the same customers. Despite being irritating, and potentially confusing for your established audience, it might signal a good time to rebrand and show your customers and competitors you’re one step ahead of the game. Of course, learning from other brands is no bad thing – you might well be inspired by your competitors, as well as being clearly inspirational to them!

5. You did it wrong in the first place
If so, it’s better to admit it and move on, than to struggle on with a brand that’s not doing your business justice. Maybe your last branding exercise was rushed, or tackled by a well-meaning but inexperienced team. It matters not – if it’s not working, it’s time to fix it by rebranding.

Rebranding Experts
Liven Creative is a Surrey-based design agency in Surrey. Branding is one of our key strengths, and we’ve helped numerous businesses and organisations transform their fortunes by transforming their brand.