Design Basics: How to Know When to Rebrand

Though your brand is more than just your business name, logo, and overall design scheme, these aspects are crucial to guiding public perception. If the thoughts and emotions that people experience when thinking about your business are not in line with what you want them to be, it might be time to rebrand.

Keep reading to get an understanding of why rebranding is so important for a growing business in an evolving market, and to learn about 6 reasons why you might want to rebrand.

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Differentiating Yourself From the Competition

If the market becomes too saturated and your business isn’t one-of-a-kind anymore, it’s likely time to rebrand. When you’re surrounded by competition, your brand can seem generic, ordinary, and uninspired. To differentiate yourself from your competitors, you have to make sure that your brand stands out, not just your products and services.

You know your business is better, but how do you make that clear to others? Don’t use generic design schemes, frequently used stock images, overused colors, or cliche messages. Thinking critically about the aesthetic qualities of your brand is essential when trying to stand out.

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Keeping up With Changing Times

Brands change constantly. Successful businesses know to keep their logos and other design basics up to date no matter what. Other brand-related details such as messaging also change depending on evolving cultural contexts and societal trends. If you don’t keep up, you’ll be left behind.

If you compare any major business’s current logo to the one they used 20 years ago, the differences will range from noticeable to drastic. Even the most successful and well-thought-out brands need to make small alterations to their designs and their messages over time as trends change.

Keeping your brand modern is essential, and if you haven’t done any rebranding in the past several years, it may be time to reevaluate what you’re displaying to the world.

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When Your Business Outgrows Your Current Branding

Maybe you started your business with a certain objective in mind, but your goals have recently expanded. Maybe you sell more products, offer higher-quality services, or maybe your intentions have changed altogether. In all of these cases, your current branding is probably not on par with what you expect for the future — this means it’s time to rebrand.

When rebranding, you don’t have to change every single aspect of your brand or entirely reimagine your visual identity. Most likely, there are many strengths in your current messages and designs, and only a handful of things will need to be adapted to better match your current aspirations.

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Reinventing Your Image or Leaving a Reputation Behind

People heavily rely on opinion formation through association, and if your brand has been associated with individuals, organizations, or causes that are currently ill-favored by the public, your business will not do well. It doesn’t matter if you encouraged this association or not, as the perception itself is what molds your brand, not your intention.

To disassociate yourself from things of the past, you need to consider how you want your brand to be seen going forward. Researching, strategizing, and critically thinking about your brand’s aesthetic qualities can help you make the rebranding transformation a success.

It is important to note that rebranding to change your image can apply to anyone that feels their brand isn’t representative of their business anymore, not just those that are trying to distance themselves from something negative.

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Growing Your Audience and Relating to New Demographics

Do you think that your products and services can benefit a wider range of people? Rebranding can be used to expand your audience and increase interest in people outside of your normal demographic. When you consider the effect that your current design aesthetic has on consumers, you can make the changes that are necessary to reach an entirely new group of customers.

For example: you sell power tools and your main customers have been men aged 40-65 for as long as you’ve been in business. You know that younger people have the need for tools and will benefit greatly from the new line of products you’re offering. To reach this audience, you will have to make your brand more palatable to the younger generation.

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When You’re No Longer Proud

If you aren’t a fan of your own brand anymore, you should rebrand. This is the only reason you really need, because if you don’t wholeheartedly believe in your brand and your business, how can anyone else? If you aren’t pleased to see your logo, hear your company name, or hand out your business card, it’s time to make some changes.

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The Bottom Line...

Reshaping your visual identity can seem daunting, as it may involve everything from changing your logo and website layout to completely reimagining your design basics and overhauling marketing materials. Rebranding can be a big change, but when the time comes, it needs to happen.

If you’re ready to rebrand, you can find more information about Design Basics in Module 8 of the Madak Guide. Want to know what you’re getting into first? Check out Module 1 of the Madak Guide today for free.