About once a month someone calls us and says “we need a rebrand.” Sometimes they’re right. But a lot of the time, what they actually need is a tune-up — and jumping straight into a full rebrand without doing the homework first is a great way to spend a lot of money and end up in the same place.
Here’s what we walk clients through before we touch anything.
Figure out why you want to rebrand
“Our logo feels dated” is a reason. “Our business has changed and our brand doesn’t reflect what we do anymore” is a better reason. “Our competitor just rebranded and it looks cool” is not a reason.
Be honest about what’s driving this. If you can’t articulate the problem clearly, you won’t know if the rebrand solved it.
Look at what your competitors are doing
Not to copy them — to make sure you don’t accidentally look like them. We’ve seen companies spend thousands on a rebrand only to end up with a logo and color scheme that’s almost identical to their biggest competitor. Spend an hour looking at everyone in your space before you start designing.
Ask your customers what they think of your current brand
This is the step everyone skips and the one that matters most. Your brand isn’t what you think it is — it’s what your customers think it is. If they love your current branding and associate it with quality and trust, a dramatic change could actually hurt you.
Send a simple survey. Ask what words come to mind when they think of your company. Ask if your website and materials match their experience working with you. The answers might surprise you.
Audit everything your brand touches
Your logo is just the tip of the iceberg. A rebrand affects your website, business cards, social media profiles, email signatures, signage, packaging, proposals, invoices — everything. Before you commit, make a list of everything that needs to change so you know the real scope and cost.
Set a budget and stick to it
Rebrands have a way of growing. You start with a logo refresh and suddenly you’re redesigning your entire website, ordering new signage, and printing new marketing materials. Know your budget upfront and prioritize ruthlessly. You can always phase the rollout — do the logo and website now, update the print materials next quarter.
The alternative: a brand refresh
Sometimes you don’t need to start over. You need to tighten up what you have — update the color palette, modernize the typography, clean up the website, make everything consistent. A refresh costs less, takes less time, and doesn’t confuse your existing customers.
We help clients figure out which one they actually need. If you’re on the fence, let’s talk — we’d rather steer you toward a refresh than sell you a rebrand you don’t need.