Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.
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Many people who don’t have experience in design often get confused when they see these terms. You see many successful companies change with time, adjusting their brands to the market, but what do they actually do? Is it called rebranding or refreshing? These terms indeed have a lot in common, however, they are also quite different if you look closer. A brand refresh isn’t a fundamental change, it’s mostly focused on the appearance of your logo and some minor details, adjusting them according to the current trends. On the other hand, a brand redesign involves more serious changes. A complete rebrand is aimed to change the message of your brand and its identity, which often means creating and implementing an absolutely new marketing strategy.
Brand refresh and brand redesign
You may need to refresh your brand if you want to update it and make it more appealing to your current audience. It will also be a good solution if you face a need to address certain market conditions, or if the connection between your brand and your offerings is lost. Refreshing may include changing your slogan, tweaking your logo and fonts, adjusting the colors, and updating marketing materials. If a brand is not completely outdated, companies often choose refreshing instead of complete rebranding.
This way, they can preserve the integrity of the existing brand while making it more relevant and reaching to a wider audience.This is an example of a good brand refresh. Dunkin’ didn’t change the iconic colors and font but made its name shorter and so easier to remember. The fresh brand also shows us that this company isn’t specialized in donuts only. The brand no longer belongs to a specific niche, so the customers shouldn’t wonder whether they can buy something other than donuts. Dunkin’ proves that sometimes, brands don’t need to change a lot or to start from scratch.
Rebranding
Rebranding is a much more complex process that requires serious preparation. It goes beyond changing the design of your website or logo. Rebranding is intended to completely change the image of your business. It requires you to come up with a new brand story and philosophy. Sometimes, rebranding also means targeting a new market. You may opt for a rebrand if you see that the current brand is no longer effective for the necessary audience, or if you fundamentally change your business.Obviously, rebranding is also risky. There’s nothing worse for your business than a poor rebrand. Your audience shouldn’t be confused. It’s important to deliver a new, clear brand message instead of messing up what you already have.
For instance, Uber approached the rebranding process carefully, conducting an audit and collecting all the necessary information on how people perceive the brand. First, Uber decided to change the logo. The logo is the “face” of the brand and it’s most meaningful part. The old logo was written in all caps and looked somewhat pretentious. At some point, the Uber team realized that their brand should be simpler and more approachable. The new logo creates a more positive image and also allows for better brand recognition.
