brand refresh presentation

How to Refresh Your Brand? Discover Our Strategic Approach

If you're wondering how to do a brand refresh, you've found the perfect place to learn about it.

As the name suggests, a brand refresh “refreshes" the elements of your brand. This includes the logo, slogan, typography, tone of voice, photographic style, color palette, among others.

But why do we need to refresh branding? Don't these changes just complicate tasks for your marketing and design team?

According to Varief Setyawan , Design Manager at 24Slides, adopting a brand renovation strategy is essential to connect with your target audience and generate awareness in the market :

“A well-executed brand refresh strategy can breathe new life into a brand, enhance its relevance, and strengthen its connection with customers, helping the company achieve its marketing and business objectives.”

However, he also notes that not all companies need a brand refresh ; there should be a reason behind the change. For this, it's crucial to start treating your brand as an asset, which requires investment and strategic decisions; in other words, decisions based on an action plan.

In order to give you a panoramic view of this type of brand management, we'll talk about different topics:

• Brand Refresh vs. Rebrand: What's the difference?

How do you know if you need a Brand Refresh?

• What should a Brand Refresh Strategy include? + Checklist!

Refresh Services: The best partners to lead your Brand Refresh Strategy

Want to update your presentations or templates after a brand refresh we got you, faq: frequently asked questions about branding.

Now, let's dive into the world of branding!

Brand Refresh vs. Rebrand: What’s the difference?

Brand Refresh , also known as "Brand Restyling" or “Brand Renovation”, involves updating your brand's visual resources or messages .

These alterations will improve your company's identity and the image you want to communicate to your audience. Its goal is to keep your brand up-to-date and appealing in today's fast-changing market.

On the other hand, a Rebrand involves a structural change to these resources by partially or entirely reinventing your brand identity .

A rebrand process is much more complex and, consequently, more expensive than a brand refresh. According to Varief, this is a bold move usually done when the company faces significant challenges, like a reputation crisis or the failure of some brand strategy.

So, in summary:

• Brand Refresh: modernization of the brand's visual identity and messages while retaining its core elements and values.
• Rebrand: a complete overhaul of the brand's identity and marketing strategies.

Example of Brand Refresh: Fiverr

Fiverr is a global marketplace that connects freelancers to people or businesses looking to hire. After more than 10 years in the market, they wanted to refresh their corporate design identity .

Alongside Koto Studio, they refined their visual identity by updating their logo, expanding their color palette, creating a new tone of voice, and modernizing their brand elements.

Fiverr's Brand Refresh Project aimed to showcase the brand's evolution without losing its essence , and we believe they made it happen.

Example of Rebrand: Airtm

Airtm is a digital wallet with a presence in 190 countries. Being part of a highly competitive sector such as fintech, the company wanted to stand out and establish a lasting impression on users' minds .

Based on their new ideal: “Liberating your global potential, empowering Latin America to ignite a fairer financial future”, they started a rebrand. In collaboration with Design Studio, they chose a prism and a beam of light as their main element, representing "the potential that got magnified" through the company.

This Airtm Rebrand is characterized by its bright colors, new custom typography, and 3D effects that set the brand apart from other fintech players in the market .

Keep reading, we have more to tell about this type of brand management!

Embarking on a brand refresh sounds and looks cool, but the reality is that, like any branding action plan, it must have a clear objective to avoid confusing your customers (or wasting money).

Below you will find some "warning signs" that might indicate your company needs a brand refresh strategy:

1. Lack of message consistency

Fiverr modernized its tone of voice to reach its target audience effectively. This is a highly strategic decision, as any company can face changes (internal and external), and it's necessary to reflect them in our brand.

The idea is that a brand refresh process can convey these changes through your communication resources , which can entail a complete tone of voice change or modifications to your key messages.

2. Seeking to boost social media engagement

Are your social media metrics not performing well? You may need to refine your brand's visual identity, or something in your customer journey is not working well.

Naturally, you'll have to evaluate whether a brand refresh suits you. But we must acknowledge that a company's social media presence will be more successful when its aesthetics follow current design trends and adapt to the characteristics of each platform.

3. Targeting a different audience segment

If you plan to reach a different audience segment, starting a brand refresh project can enhance your success. Moreover, there is the possibility that your current audience changes or expands, so your branding should follow those transformations.

As you may know, each audience segment has specific tastes and habits , so you need to evaluate whether your brand identity fits their current interests.

4. Planning to raise your prices

When a product raises its prices, there should be a good reason . The most common is when your product is related to values such as exclusivity and greater status.

Also improving your customer shopping experience can also be a factor for price increases. This can include your delivery service speed, an exclusive and catchy benefits program, a new eco-friendly packaging...

Keep in mind that "everything goes through the eyes" and, many times, your brand's visual identity and the experience you provide to your customers can be related to what they are willing to pay. There is when a brand refresh can play a part.

5. Declining sales and the need to resolve it

According to a study by NIQ , declining sales is the most common variable that prompts a company to consider a brand renovation . In fact, "65% of marketers identify this as one of the most frequent restage triggers."

If you've identified that your sales aren't performing as desired, refreshing your brand can be an influential action to improve your indicators. As mentioned earlier, you must evaluate whether this is the most appropriate route for your company or if it should be complemented with other actions.

6. Looking to stay relevant in the marketplace

An outdated brand doesn't capture attention . While a company might be very modern operationally, this should also be reflected in its brand identity. Therefore, to stay relevant in the marketplace, your changes must be comprehensive.

Note that your brand is your "calling card" to the world and the most accessible reference for potential customers. Don't forget that!

By this point, we can say that a brand refresh strategy not only expresses more professionalism through visual changes, but can also help you increase your market share and generate a higher engagement with your audience .

What should a Brand Refresh Strategy include?

A brand refresh project involves a substantial amount of strategy. Essentially, every change must be justified and linked to your company's objectives .

Below, we'll summarize the essential elements, from our perspective, to achieve a successful brand refresh process:

1. A good team in charge

A brand refresh strategy can be conceived, executed, and monitored by two different agents: your in-house design team or a specialized partner (agency, design studio, or freelancer).

If you decide that a third party should lead your brand restyling, there are some points to consider:

Research the specialized partner thoroughly

There are numerous branding services available in the market, so you'll need to research and find a match that aligns with your brand refresh objectives. Keep in mind that each service has its own conditions and working methods.

Request examples of their work

In order to execute a successful brand refresh project, it's crucial to review their portfolio carefully. This will allow you to analyze the reasoning behind each update and thus choose the ideal partner for your project.

Balance cost and quality

After looking up for different refresh partners, you'll need to balance cost and quality. Some aspects to consider include:

• The quality of their portfolio
• The feedback they have received from clients
• The prestige of their clients
• Their work methodology
• The flexibility they are open to show
• Their customer service

2. A deep brand audit

To establish an effective brand refresh strategy, it's crucial to identify your strengths and the areas that require improvement . In the world of branding, this process is called a "brand audit."

Usually, agencies or specialized refresh partners offer brand audit services. But if you want to undertake it independently, consider these points:

Questions about your current brand

• Does your mission and vision reflect what your company is now and what you want to be in the future?
• What brand image do you want to project?
• What is your current value proposition?
• What are your values?
• What brand archetype and tone of voice do you have?
• Who are your customers and what are their main characteristics?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of your brand?

Questions about your competition

• What branding actions have your competitors taken?
• What type of connection do your competitors generate with their customers?
• What makes you unique in the market and how can you boost it?
• What are the trends in your industry at micro and macro levels?

Questions about your website

• Is your brand information updated?
• Do your visuals communicate your current brand essence?
• Can you improve the journey of your customers?
• Is your social media visible at first sight?
• Does your website take time to load?
• Is your website responsive? (work well on every device?)
• Is your website optimized for SEO?

Questions about your social media

• Do your visuals adapt to new trends?
• Do you follow the new formats of each social media?
• Which publications stand out the most and why?
• Do your metrics perform well?
• What type of audience consumes each social media, and how does your content adapt to it?

Questions about your marketing assets

• Are the elements of your brand applied consistently?
• Do your marketing assets match the image you want to convey?
• Do your marketing assets have a fresh design that fits your curent brand essence?

Questions to be answered by your customers

• What do they think about your brand?
• Do they like your logo and other brand elements?
• What do they think about your customer service?
• Would they recommend your brand to an acquaintance or relative?
• What aspects would they improve on your brand?

The main objective of a brand audit is to identify which elements of your brand you need to refresh. This will be essential information to build the foundations of your brand refresh strategy.

Naturally, this process is going to take some time. In order to be successful, you need to work with clear goals based on data!

3. A brand refresh brief

A design brief is a document that you need to present to the creative team in charge. It will be their basic guide for starting working on your brand renovation and ensuring you're aligned as a team.

Are you wondering how to do a brand refresh brief? Here we share its main elements:

General information about your brand

• History of your company
• Mission and vision of your company
• Values of your company
• Main product or service and what problem it solves
• Differential in the market
• Profile of your clients or buyer persona
• Main competitors

Brand refresh project objectives

• What do you want to achieve with this brand refresh?
• Which elements of your brand do work and which don't?
• What kind of language do you want to use or refine?
• What is the archetype or personality you want to adopt?
• What attributes do you wish to be remembered for?

Brand refresh project deadlines

• What is the expected timeframe for this brand refresh?
• Are there specific deliverables needed? If so, what are the expected deadlines?

4. A holistic brand refresh launch

Now you have your brand refresh strategy on paper, but what's next? A company only needs to implement the changes, and that's all?

It's recommended to think about how to launch your brand refresh. Experts say this strategy needs to be gradual , so your audience can assimilate the changes better.

We know that launching a rebranding or restyling is not an easy task, thus here are some tips:

Update all your communication channels

During the implementation process of your brand refresh, you should always keep in mind to update each touch point in your customer journey .

This includes marketing assets (templates, brochures, flyers, etc.), website visuals, social media visuals, communication via email, physical signage, uniforms, among others.

Update and promote your new brand guidelines

Updating your brand guidelines (or brand book) is an action you cannot forget. This document will be useful for your internal operations , especially for your in-house design team or any team that generates content for your company.

After having your guidelines in a manual, it's crucial to verify their implementation in practice . For this step, Quality Assurance Managers (QAs) will assume a fundamental role.

Announce the changes to your audience

Making an official announcement of your brand refresh is also really important. It will raise awareness among your internal teams and stakeholders.

Remember that your employees are ambassadors of your brand , if they don't know about the changes, they won't know how to transmit it to your audience.

Here you will find an example of how Fiverr announced the changes after refreshing their brand:

5. A monitoring and evaluation strategy

When launching something as important as a brand refresh, you need to monitor the action plan and evaluate the results.

Some actions you can take are:

Perform a baseline

This information will help you compare the metrics before executing your brand refresh with the results obtained after launch. Your brand audit process is the perfect source of information for this endeavor.

Follow up on your action plan

Basically, you need to follow up on the relevant milestones or metrics established in your brand refresh strategy. That way, you can adjust or execute new branding actions when required.

Practice social listening

Social listening embraces the analysis of your audience's reactions following the launch of your brand refresh. Your social media is an excellent source of information that will help with this.

If you notice, this information could be used like a brand refresh checklist. Use it wisely!

Stay tuned, in the following part, you will discover the best brand refresh services available in the market. If you are considering outsourcing this process, you must read until the end.

The perfect brand strategy partner can be your in-house design team or a third party specialized in branding services .

It's also possible for both parties to collaborate, whether in the strategic aspect or in designing your visuals. It's up to you how you want to bring your brand refresh project to life.

However, Damilka Rojas , Design Manager at 24Slides, recommends that the best option for executing a brand refresh strategy is to outsource the service. She points out that:

"As designers, we tend to get 'inspired' or become 'visual sponges', so when we need to be innovative, we should explore new strategies that diverge a bit from what we know. A good way to accomplish this is by seeking another team or company to carry out such an important process for the brand, like a Brand Refresh."

Following Damilka's advice, we've compiled a list of the best agencies and design studios that provide brand refresh services:

Khula Studio

“We believe every small business owner deserves to have a brand image they can be proud of.”

Khula Studio specializes in leading brand refresh projects for small businesses. Their proposal is to create a complete digital experience, covering each contact point in their customers' journey.

• Services: Graphic Design, Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Web Copy and Messaging, Webflow Development, Website Migration, Customer Experience (CX), and SEO Fundamentals
• Clients: Trimble Group , Noko Solutions, Morris & Co
• Office: Vancouver, Canada

Koto Studio

“Optimists building brand and digital for the most impactful companies of today and the founders defining tomorrow.”

Koto Studio is a branding studio and digital agency founded in 2015. They promise to bring a global perspective to every project, building iconic brands that inspire the world.

• Services: Graphic Design, Brand Strategy, Digital, Art Direction, Product, and Motion
• Clients: Glassdoor , WhatsApp , Discord , Airbnb , Netflix , Fiverr
• Offices: Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin, and Sidney

Design Studio

“We create brands and experiences through radical collaboration.”

Design Studio stands out for its holistic working methods that promise three things: contagious energy, unconventional research, and bold leaps. In addition, they not only offer brand refresh services but also employee training.

• Services: Graphic Design, Digital Strategy, Brand Strategy, Brand Architecture, Brand Experience, Sonic Identity, Motion Identity, Content Creation, Interactive Experiences, Brand Launch, Employee Engagement, and more
• Clients: Olx , Eurostar , British Airways , Penguin Random House , Alipay , Airtm
• Offices: New York, London, and Sidney

FutureBrand

“We transform the future of businesses by changing how their brands behave today.”

FutureBrand is part of the McCann Group, providing consulting and branding services in more than 15 countries. They aim to achieve positive business transformation driven by your branding and the experiences they help co-create.

• Services: Graphic Design, Brand Strategy, Brand Research and Measurement, Brand Innovation, Consumer Branding, Corporate and Service Branding, Branded Environments, and more
• Clients: Peru , Bosch , Nespresso , Merck , Localiza , Motorola
• Offices: Lima, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, San Francisco, New York, Milan, London, Melbourne, Shanghai, and 10 more

Wolff Olins

“Creating brands that move organizations, people, and the world forward.”

For nearly 60 years, Wolff Olins has delivered strategy, design, and change to help organizations in moments of inflection. They work under the philosophy that brands have the power to move minds and improve our world.

• Services: Graphic Design, Brand Strategy, Product Design, Experience Design, and more
• Clients: Google , TikTok , GSK , McKinsey & Company , Enel , Orange
• Offices: New York, San Francisco, and London

“We define, design, and develop world-class digital products that people love to use.”

Clay is a full-service digital innovation partner specializing in brand identity and web design. They promise to scale your brand's communication and user experience to the next level, hand in hand with good storytelling.

• Services: Graphic Design, Brand Strategy, Brand Architecture, Brand Experiences, Verbal Identity, Visual Identity, Brand Guidelines, CX, UX & Interaction Design, Design System, Content Strategy, Software Development, and more
• Clients: Slack , Meta , JOKR , Stripe, Uber, Coca-Cola
• Office: San Francisco, USA

Landor & Fitch

“We exist to make a positive difference for our clients, our people, and the world around us.”

Landor & Fitch calls itself a "global brand transformation company." They use data-driven insights to connect your business strategy with your brand refresh strategy. They also track the results of each branding strategy to measure its impact.

• Services: Graphic Design, Brand Strategy, Brand Experience, Brand Expression, Brand Performance, Brand Management, and Brand-led Employee Experience
• Clients: Adidas , Walmart , T-Mobile , KitKat , Kelogg , Petbarn
• Offices: Mexico City, New York, Toronto, Barcelona, Cape Town, Paris, Milan, Dubai, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and 20 more

“The world's largest independently-owned design studio.”

Pentagram is a multidisciplinary design studio founded in 1972. They provide services in graphics and identity, products and packaging, digital experiences, exhibitions and installations, and even architecture and interiors.

• Services: Graphic Design, Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Naming, Typography, Advertising, Packaging, Editorial, Data Driven Design, Signage and Environmental Graphics, Campaigns, Sound Design, and more
• Clients: Nubank , Citibank , Waze , Lovevery , Find Your Voice , The FBI
• Offices: New York, Austin, London, and Berlin

We want to emphasize that a brand goes beyond its visual identity; a brand is built on strategic actions . That way, we recommend choosing carefully who will lead your brand refresh strategy.

Remember: Your brand is an asset of your company, treat it like that!

At 24Slides , we specialize in creating custom high-impact presentations.

But among our superpowers, we also update other marketing assets/marketing collateral that will allow you to refresh your brand comprehensively.

Here you'll find our available services:

• Custom presentations (PowerPoint and Google Slides)
• Branded master templates
• Social media visuals
• Display ads visuals
• Website banners
• Infographics
• Custom illustrations
• Branded documents (Word and Excel)

We'd like to encourage you to look at our website and explore our design styles . If you're looking for a more personalized service, feel free to try us for just $1 —yes, one dollar, you heard that right!

What is the best definition of a brand?

According to Insights Magazine , a brand is your company's personality perceived by your consumers . This perception goes beyond the logo and visual content, since its meaning also includes communication messages and marketing strategies.

A strong brand captures your company's mission and beliefs through different elements and channels. It also effectively conveys the emotions you wish to communicate to your audience in a coherent and integrated manner.

What are the 4 elements of a branding strategy?

The main elements of a branding strategy are:

• Brand Architecture. Referring to how you structure your products or services. For instance, you can opt for a Corporate Brand, governed by a single brand and identity, or a Product Brand, which creates different brands based on your products, generating distinct identities.
• Brand Positioning Statement. A sentence or paragraph describing your brand's position in the market. Consider elements such as the target audience, product category, benefits offered, and evidence (the reason to believe).
• Brand Personality. If your brand were human, how would it be? Humanizing your brand helps maintain a consistent tone in your communication messages and visual identity. There are popular brand archetypes that can serve as a starting point.
• Brand Promise. Referring to the commitment you make to your audience. To create it, you must deeply understand your audience, analyze their language and the aspects they value most. This promise should be reflected in your messages until your customer service.

How often should you refresh your brand?

If you are wondering how often you should refresh your brand, it may be a sign that it's already needed .

Since every company has unique stories and needs, generalizing a timeframe is unrealistic. Instead, consider these points to evaluate if you need a brand refresh:

• You want to improve message consistency.
• You seek to boost engagement on social media.
• You aim to reach a different audience segment.
• You plan to raise your prices.
• You face declining sales and want to solve it.
• You wish to stay relevant in the marketplace.

For more details, check out our section on " How do you know if you need a Brand Refresh? "

Want to know more about branding? These articles will help you:

• Why is Brand Identity Important in Presentations? Experts answered!
• How to Rebrand a PowerPoint Template after a Brand Refresh
• Rebranding Checklist: 5 Aspects You Should Consider
• Master Slides 101: How to Create and Use Master Slides in PowerPoint

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Strategy , Design , Testing

How to perform a data-driven brand refresh..

Jason Vaught is the director of content and marketing for SmashBrand. He has two decades of experience in the CPG industry as an omnichannel retailer and brand owner.

Through complacency, declining sales, or a changing market landscape, a brand refresh is a pivotal strategy to rejuvenate a company’s image and re-engage its target audience. But giving your brand a fresh look does not guarantee a solution to these problems. It could result in worse performance than your current branding offers. 

Even though refreshing a brand is less of an overhaul than a rebranding campaign , even subtle changes to your brand message and visual identity require careful consideration. This article aims to unlock what’s required for a successful brand refresh, helping you take the proper steps for implementing it as a part of your brand strategy. 

What is A Brand Refresh

A brand refresh is a nuanced modification of existing brand elements to remain relevant and appealing in today’s market. It’s not a complete overhaul, like rebranding , but more about finetuning the messaging, visual identity, and other aspects of your existing brand to better align with the preferences of your target audience.

When undertaken with strategic insight, it marries the essence of your brand’s tradition with the evolving demands of the modern consumer, ensuring optimization of brand awareness and recognition for current and new audiences.

Balancing Modernization With Tradition

Unlike the process of creating a new brand design, a branding refresh includes several steps to understand what the current brand identity must include with the new look. Many brands forego these pivotal steps, costing them significant brand recognition and resulting in a performance loss. 

Brands must consider the push and pull of evolving consumer preferences to ensure product loyalty before they push for greater brand awareness to a new audience. 

Why Do A Brand Refresh?

The most common reason for a refresh is declining revenues. Even if it is so tiny that it does not, your CFO barely notices a subtle decline in sales, which could be a sign of things to come. While revenue losses are the symptom, you must look for the root cause as to why brand performance is slipping. 

• Outdated Brand Identity: The visual elements like logo, colors, and design no longer resonate with the contemporary audience, leading to reduced purchases.
• Shift in Target Demographics: The core audience the brand initially targeted has evolved or shifted, causing a misalignment with current marketing efforts.
• Changing Market Dynamics : Introduction of new competitors or disruptive technologies in the market that have captured a portion of the brand’s customer base.
• Evolving Consumer Preferences: What consumers value or expect from brands may have changed over time, causing them to choose other products or services.
• Inconsistent Brand Messaging: Confusing or inconsistent messaging across different channels can reduce trust and decrease sales.
• New Product or Service Offerings: Introduction of new products or services that don’t align with the current brand identity, causing confusion or misalignment in the market.
• A decline in Brand Loyalty: Data shows that once loyal customers are switching to competitors or alternative products, it leads to lost sales.

Of course, the demand for a brand refresh isn’t always a result of doom and gloom. Brands who see a unique opportunity to align with a new audience may use a brand refresh to push themselves in the right direction to attract new customers.

Benefits Of A Brand Refresh

The job of a brand is to stay in tune with contemporary shopper behaviors without sidelining the existing customer base. A brand has to keep tabs on the modern trends that have a heightened consumer appeal. A brand refresh presents an opportunity to analyze these strategies, where you improve the look and messages to increase your digital and physical footprint.

Refreshing a brand can save you from being delisted or help you strengthen your current position in the market. When taking a new approach, a brand refresh can help you widen your reach, capturing the attention of a new audience through a more refined position.

What Elements of Branding Can You Refresh? 

While every design element can be enhanced, a refresh focuses on specific presentation categories. Key areas that often benefit the most from a refresh include: 

• Website Design: Ensuring user-friendly navigation, updated content, and a visual aesthetic that excites.
• Logo: Subtle changes can modernize the brand’s image.
• Packaging design: Attract consumers on the shelf or online for increased product trial and repeat purchases.
• Social media: Creating consistent, engaging visuals that connect with the target audience better. 

A brand refresh can create a cohesive and contemporary brand presentation across all touchpoints by zeroing in on these areas.

Steps For A Successful Brand Refresh

A successful brand refresh strategy is equal parts strategy, creative, and testing, which we will cover in this part of the article. It requires a unified alliance between the brand manager, creative director, marketing director, and a brand refresh agency to identify what’s timeless and the best way to move the brand forward. 

Customer & Shopper Engagement

A brand audit looks at the company and its products to establish a baseline understanding. Within a brand audit, we deep dive into the company, its current and target audience, its competitors, and the sales channels where it currently operates. Collectively, a brand refresh specialist will have a comprehensive understanding of the level of their brand equity and essence.

Tip: To effectively gather and analyze the necessary data for a successful brand refresh, consider partnering with a reputable data engineering company that can help you collect, process, and derive meaningful insights from various data sources, enabling data-driven decision-making throughout the refresh process.

At SmashBrand, our brand strategists review all company reports and documentation, perform social media listening, visit retail stores, and leverage tools like surveys and consumer panels to gather invaluable insights. The audit is one of the most essential parts of a brand refresh process.

Positioning Through Brand Messaging

Effective brand positioning, where you streamline a narrative of the most to least important benefit, is how you cut through the noise of competitive shelves and listings. Since the words most accurately describe the brand story and showcase the brand voice, they are the first aspect of the refresh we change. 

Reimagining The Packaging Design

While strategy and testing create the opportunity for a data-driven brand refresh, exploring creative concepts is how you distinguish your visual design from competitors and infuse design elements that present the brand’s soul. 

You must explore various approaches to the brand’s position, finding the most impactful way to visually communicate the message in those 5-15 seconds when a consumer makes a purchase decision. 

Validating Through Brand Testing

An item that does not exist on most company’s brand refresh or rebrand checklist is consumer testing each aspect of the refresh. Our PackWords™ and PREformance™ testing ensures the brand refresh attracts potential customers while continuing to serve existing customers. 

Integrating Digital and Physical Touchpoints

We live in an omnichannel world, and for brand consistency to occur, you must ensure that your new refresh is broadcast accurately online and in retail stores. So, in a packaging refresh, your design team will need a set of current brand guidelines to ensure each piece of marketing material and digital collateral consistently represents the brand. 

Articulating the Refreshed Brand Vision

But it isn’t just your design and marketing departments that must be aware of the change. All team members must understand the brand guidelines for speaking visually and auditorially with the target audience. It may seem overkill, but inconsistency in brand colors, font styles, and tone of voice on touchpoints such as email signatures and phone support impacts the brand’s essence.

Incorporating Continuous Optimization

The real work begins when the refresh is complete. Like a successful rebrand, you only understand its impact over a period of time. And while certain aspects of the refresh are static and hard to change, others are more fluid and can be optimized as long as they remain within your brand theme. 

To continuously monitor feedback, employ real-time analytics, first-party data, social listening, and shopper feedback tools to finetune post-refresh. Yes, you will need to invest in these data sets and reporting tools continuously. 

Refresh Pitfalls And How to Sidestep Them

While the risks of rebranding may be more permanent and damaging to a brand, a company can experience a drop in performance after a refresh. Here’s what to look for and how to mitigate these potential brand refresh mistakes. 

Consumer Confusion

Risk: If abrupt changes are not communicated effectively, consumers might get confused about what the brand stands for.

Mitigation: Conduct thorough market research before implementing changes and ensure clear communication about the changes to the audience.

Dilution of Brand Equity

Risk: Too many changes might weaken the brand’s reputation and value.

Mitigation: Retain core elements that resonate strongly with the existing audience while making incremental changes.

Inconsistency Across Platforms

Risk: Discrepancies in brand presentation across different channels can confuse consumers and weaken trust.

Mitigation: Ensure all branding materials, both digital and physical, are updated consistently and cohesively.

Alienating Loyal Customers

Risk: Long-time customers might feel the brand they loved has moved away from its original ethos.

Mitigation: Engage with loyal customers, gather feedback, and involve them in the refresh process to ensure you hear their feelings and opinions on the change.

Inadequate Research

Risk: Basing the refresh on assumptions or superficial data can lead to misguided decisions.

Mitigation: Invest in comprehensive market and consumer research to ensure changes align with consumer needs and preferences.

Poor Execution

Risk: Even if the strategy behind the refresh is solid, poor execution can lead to unfavorable results.

Mitigation: Collaborate with experienced designers, strategists, and communication experts to ensure flawless implementation.

Lack of Internal Alignment

Risk: If company employees and stakeholders are not on board or informed, they might not represent the refreshed brand correctly.

Mitigation: Conduct internal workshops and training sessions to ensure everyone understands and aligns with the new brand direction.

Refreshing A Commodity Category

In the fiercely competitive realm of bottled water, the allure of package design branding becomes paramount to captivate consumers. Evamor, initially a regional contender in the bottled water scene, approached our agency with aspirations to carve a niche on the national stage. Despite boasting a top-tier product, their brand imagery failed to command the spotlight in the marketplace. 

Our team delved into crafting a unique brand position, weaving the brand’s narrative, and sculpting a visual representation that exudes refreshing vibes. This revitalized approach turbocharged Evamor’s brand appeal, surging purchase intent by a staggering 300%. Armed with this robust data, Evamor steps forth with renewed vigor and assurance as they venture into fresh markets.

You can learn from this brand refresh case study that no matter how commoditized the product category is, a brand redesign can significantly impact sales performance. Design psychology contributes to all products, whether selling them online, offline, or both. 

Data-Driven Brand Development That Can Guarantee Sales Performance.

If you need a refresh with performance predictability, we can help. SmashBrand is a brand development agency that researches, designs, and tests all products to ensure peak shelf performance. Book a time to discuss your project with our team.

The Only Agency To Guarantee A Retail Performance Lift.

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Your Brand Refresh in 2024: How to Plan + Execute

Is it worth doing a brand refresh this year? Is a brand refresh the same as a rebrand? How do you plan a brand refresh? We’ve got all the answers.

Over the past few months, many popular brands introduced new improvements to their brand identities. Some were subtle and some were long overdue. And it played a big role in maintaining and boosting the stock prices of those big brands.

Every business should consider doing a brand refresh from time to time. It’s not about making news, stock prices, or even making changes for the sake of it, it’s all about staying relevant in a rapidly evolving market.

Today, we will explore this topic further and discover what a brand refresh is all about. And we’ll also cover a brand refresh checklist to help plan and execute your refresh.

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Why Do a Brand Refresh?

For most brands, a brand refresh is part of its business strategy. Much like updating the pricing, packaging, or product lineup, they revise the brand from time to time to make necessary changes to stay up-to-date with current trends, as well as to grow with the market.

While making any change to a brand can be risky, it’s also necessary to maintain the brand’s authority and relevance. For example, Pepsi made a brand refresh in 2023, it’s their first refresh in 14 years and a long time coming.

The key is to maintain consistency with the brand refreshes and not wait until the business starts losing revenue to make the changes.

Brand Refresh vs. Rebrand

A brand refresh is not as complex as doing a rebranding. Refreshing a brand is about updating and improving the existing elements of the brand such as the brand identity, core message, and purpose to go along with the changing times and trends.

Rebranding is a much more elaborate process. It’s about shifting the brand’s focus and vision. It involves completely overhauling the brand identity, target market, and the overall brand strategy.

A brand refresh is something that should be done from time to time. A rebrand is for when you completely change your business and shift market positioning.

5 Great Brand Refresh Examples

The best way to understand what a brand refresh entails is to take a look at some of the real-world examples.

Pepsi’s brand refresh was one of the best ones we’ve seen in recent years. Pepsi is an iconic brand but it also badly needed a refresh to fit in with the current design trends and digital world. This brand refresh fits perfectly in the current market and audience perception.

2. Pringles

When Pringles came out with a brand refresh that changed its iconic mascot, most fans weren’t happy. However, the old branding did not look great on certain marketing materials. This new and minimal look is just what the brand needed to express itself better, especially on digital platforms.

3. 7-Eleven

7-Eleven refreshed the look and feel of its popular drink brand, Slurpee with a more colorful and vivid vibe. The main focus of this brand refresh was to attract the attention of the new generation.

Kraft Singles made a much-needed brand refresh by upgrading its packaging design, not just on the outside but also on the inside. It fits perfectly with modern design trends and looks more vibrant as well.

Reddit’s brand identity refresh was another great revamp we’ve seen recently. It gave a more 3D-like look to its avatar and refreshed the logos and brand elements to look more modern.

Brand Refresh Checklist

Creating a structured plan is the key to a successful brand refresh. Here are a few things you must have in your brand refresh checklist.

Step 1: Set Clear Goals

What do you want to achieve with a brand refresh? Start the process by asking this question. Then dig deeper to come up with specific goals that help your brand grow.

Take the 7-Eleven Slurpee brand refresh, for example. Their goal with the brand refresh was very specific. It was to reach a new, younger audience.

Step 2: Research Your Competition

Once you set clear goals for your brand refresh, look at your competition to see what they have done to reach those goals. Or, if you’re ahead of the competition, you could even come up with an angle to destroy the competition with your brand refresh.

Step 3: Find Inspiration From Current Trends

Keep a close eye on the current market and trends as well. Identify what the consumers are interested in these days vs what they used to like. Try to make projects to find trends that will last for a long time. Because most market trends come and go very quickly.

Step 4: Refreshing the Brand Identity

Refreshing the visual elements of your brand identity will make the biggest impact and attract attention. This is why some brands rush to do too many brand refreshes too soon, just to make the news and hype around the brand.

You can learn from those failed brand refreshes on what not to do. Instead, focus on enhancing the existing brand identity to make them better and more appropriate for modern times.

Step 5: Refreshing the Digital Presence

When doing a brand refresh, you should also make sure that the changes are suitable for both print and digital platforms. This includes considering the look of the website, social media presence, and even the SEO strategy.

Step 6: Putting It All To Test

Before going public with the brand refresh, test the market. Get a focus group, and do polls, and surveys to get an understanding of the public’s perception. Some brands would even involve the public in their brand refresh process.

Make sure to have all the right systems in place to analyze the metrics of your brand refresh.

Step 7: Plan a Successful Launch

Get your marketing team ready for the brand refresh launch. For your launch to go smoothly and make the biggest impact, start building hype weeks before the launch date. Create marketing materials and PR campaigns to go beyond just press release outlets and reach audiences across different platforms.

In Conclusion

Keep in mind that there’s much more involved in the process of doing a brand refresh. We only covered the basics and there are a lot more steps to creating a successful brand refresh.

Hopefully, our guide will help you understand what it means to do a brand refresh and if your brand needs one right now.

Also, it’s important to remember that brand refreshes are not just for big corporate brands. Even if you have a small local store, you could benefit from doing a brand refresh, especially to compete with the big brands.

5 Brand Refresh Examples That Got It Right

Brand Refresh by Huddle Creative

At Huddle, we know all about the impact a brand refresh can have on your business. We see it day in, day out, with branding clients of all shapes and sizes.

We know that a brand refresh is not just about getting with the times or giving yourself a facelift; it's a valuable opportunity to re-engage and reach out to new audiences while staying true to the core values of your brand.

That's why we've put together this guide, full of examples from brands who have managed their brand refreshes perfectly. From fast food to digital solutions, these companies have gone above and beyond in creating powerful logos, messaging, and visuals that connect with their customers on an emotional level – and drive bottom-line results.

Hopefully, these brand refresh examples provide some much-needed inspiration for your own brand refresh journey – so let’s get started!

What is a brand refresh and why does it matter?

A brand refresh is a holistic approach to tweaking or updating your company’s visual identity, messaging, and overall digital presence. It's more than just changing up logos and colors; it's about developing a new narrative that resonates with your current customers while also appealing to new ones.

Remember: it takes about 0.05 seconds for people to form an opinion about your website, so if your brand identity is off, you’ve lost people before they’ve even begun.

A strong brand refresh is a unique opportunity to re-engage with existing audiences and set the tone for future customers. By investing in a brand refresh, you can create an aligned and unified presence that truly reflects who you are – and stands out from the competition.

Don't just take our word for it. Branding statistics back this up, with brand consistency being seen to increase revenue by 33% , 77% of consumers buying from brands that share the same values as they do, and 46% of consumers stating that they would pay more to purchase from brands they trust.

From transforming outdated logos to modernizing messaging and visuals, the examples of successful brand refreshes covered later in this guide prove just how much power lies within a strong brand identity.

Refresh vs rebrand: a quick recap

The first question you're likely to be asking yourself is: do I need a brand refresh, or do I need a full rebrand?

In our rebranding vs brand refresh guide , we cover this in much more detail, but in short, a complete rebrand is a much bigger undertaking than a refresh - and usually requires more time, energy, and resources.

The process of a brand refresh is typically less comprehensive than the rebranding process; it involves small tweaks to the overall visual identity or messaging in order to give your brand a fresh new look without overhauling the entire thing.

It provides not a completely new brand identity, but rather a refreshed, modernized version of your current one.

With that in mind, here are some questions to consider in order to make the best choice for your organisation:

• Do you want to keep the same core values and mission statement, or do these need a complete overhaul to better resonate with your audience?
• Are existing customers already connected to your current branding, or is brand recognition low and in need of a total strategy redesign?
• Do you need to modernise your brand messaging and visuals, or do they already embody the values of your organisation?
• How many outdated elements need to be brought up to date in order to stay competitive? Just a few, or the entire brand?

5 brand refresh examples that got it right

Example 1 - how future platforms refreshed its website design for maximum impact.

One great example of a successful brand refresh is the digital solutions company, Future Platforms.

When Future Platforms approached Huddle Creative, they needed a refresh of their visual identity. The company delivers incredible, vibrant work, but neither its brand identity nor its current website design reflected this. Their credibility and position as industry trailblazers needed to shine through in their branding to a much greater extent.

Huddle's branding experts were tasked with ensuring that the new brand and website design clearly communicated the brand’s expertise and establishment in the industry.

So, we worked closely with the team at Future Platforms to develop a brand identity much more aligned with the business's status, including a redesigned logo and reimagined colour palette, followed by a UX and UI overhaul of the website design.

By updating their digital channels to match their industry authority, the team at Future Platforms was able to deliver maximum impact on these channels and increase their market presence.

Want results like this from your brand refresh? Brief us today to get started!

Example 2 - how burger king refreshed its brand positioning to stand out from the crowd.

In 2021, Burger King unveiled a simplified version of their previous logo and identity, updating it to take inspiration from their original, flat 1969 logo . They also developed a new typeface and colour scheme which creates more feelings of fun and warmth in their customers.

What simply works about this refresh is that the new logo reflects the retro roots of the company , helping the brand to truly stand out against a sea of sleek modern branding.

This works so well because it highlights Burger King's long-standing presence in the market, and reminds customers that there is a ‘history’ to the brand - not just a corporate marketing strategy.

Example 3 - How VibeIQ incorporated its current brand into every aspect of their business

Vibe IQ is an American tech company that offers collaborative apps and a cloud platform to help brands speed up their go-to-market processes.

Our task was to update the Vibe IQ brand by creating new style guidelines and designing a new website . We used WordPress as the CMS because it is the most flexible and scalable solution, allowing VibeIQ to incorporate its branding into every aspect of the business.

The website was designed around an existing brand colour palette and updated logo, which we integrated with modern design elements to ensure a professional, contemporary appearance that is in line with their brand values.

Thanks to our expertise, we have helped VibeIQ establish a consistent and clear brand identity through both visuals and written content. This strong foundation will contribute to the growth of their brand moving forward.

Want results like this? Brief us today !

Example 4 - how dunkin' updated its brand image to better reflect its offering.

As this brand refresh example shows, a brand's logo is much more than just a logo. It's the biggest communicative tool your brand has, and so it should always be kept up-to-date with your brand image , offerings and brand values.

To keep its brand messaging in line with its offerings, core identity and values, Dunkin’ launched its brand refresh in 2019 .

This refresh simplified the brand name (by removing ' Donuts' from it) and recrafted the logo by keeping its signature orange and pink colour scheme and rounded font, but adjusting the logo, utilizing the apostrophe and making it pink.

This refreshed new identity allowed them to better communicate with their target audience, showcasing their expanded menu, as they now served more than just donuts.

Example 5 - How Newcore Capital developed an authentic brand voice

As they entered a crucial phase of growth and maturity, Newcore Capital came to Huddle looking for a rebrand to stand out from their competitors. They needed their brand to be recognised, proven and respected amongst their key target audiences and investors, making way for a more impactful and authentic brand story.

They were looking for a brand refresh that would elevate Newcore Capital as a leading brand in the UK property fund management market while demonstrating its commitment to social value and sustainable development.

Our Huddle Hack workshops set the framework for a refreshed verbal and visual identity, ensuring a shared understanding of exactly where the brand was at that moment, as well as its desired positioning, core value proposition, values, and key audiences.

By ensuring an authentic brand voice, we were able to develop a distinct and recognisable brand identity that was built to stand the test of time. This included a bold new colour palette and typography, as well as illustrations and photography that had an authentic feel.

This allowed Newcore Capital to confidently communicate its core values while continuing to build relationships with key stakeholders.

Want results like this from your brand refresh? Brief us today !

The benefits of refreshing your brand identity, remain relevant.

If your brand is constantly evolving, a brand refresh helps you remain recognizable and relevant, giving you a true competitive edge in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Get in front of a new audience

Refreshing your brand strategy can help you reach out to and engage with new customers in a new market, giving them a clear understanding of what makes your business unique. New audiences also provide more opportunities for growth and customer engagement.

Realign with your brand's values

It's important to ensure that your brand identity reflects who you are as a company, and what values you stand for. A brand refresh allows you to redefine these values, helping customers better connect with your brand on an emotional level.

Fresh visual identity and focused message

A brand refresh helps you create a modern visual identity that will stand out from the crowd and reinforce your key messages. A visually appealing and focused message will generate more leads and allow customers to gain a comprehensive understanding of your brand in an instant.

Stronger marketing campaigns

Marketing materials that are fresh, modern and engaging will help you attract more attention and drive sales. A brand refresh helps you create compelling visuals and content that can be used across all platforms, increasing your chances of success.

Tips for creating an effective brand refresh strategy

• Set clear objectives for your refreshed brand identity.
• Work with branding experts who can provide invaluable guidance on how to effectively craft an authentic message through graphics, text and tone of voice, ensuring maximum impact when launching a refreshed brand identity.
• Make sure to define your brand values and mission statement, as these will guide the refresh.
• Do market research into competitors and customers so you can establish a unique position in the market.
• Create a visual language that aligns with your overall messaging, by using colours, typography and other design elements including illustrations or photography.
• Develop compelling content around your new visuals to help communicate what makes your business unique from its competitors.
• Use digital marketing campaigns to spread awareness of the new look while engaging with potential customers online, as well as through traditional channels such as print media.

Closing thoughts

At Huddle, we understand the importance of a strong and consistent brand identity. Using our branding services , we help your business remain competitive in an ever-changing marketplace while ensuring maximum impact through creative visuals and messaging.

By refreshing your brand identity, you can ensure that customers instantly recognize and identify with your company’s key message – giving them a powerful connection to your business and increasing your chances for success.

Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you create a refreshed brand identity that will truly stand out from the crowd.

Brief us today to get started!

The Inside Scoop on a Brand Refresh: What to Expect (And What You Need!)

Lauren noble.

• October 26, 2021

Table of Contents

With Tailwind’s 10-year anniversary this past week, we decided it was time for a brand refresh, and boy did it turn out even better than we imagined! Just take a look for yourself.

And want to know the best news? 

We documented every single step of the way to give all of you lovely individuals and business owners a behind-the-scenes look into the process. 

For this blog post, and mainly for all of you guys, I sat down with Justine Gab, a Tailwind Product Designe r and a key player in our brand refresh.

And together, we’re going to give you an inside look into the good, the bad, the easy, and the grueling aspects of planning, implementing, and launching a successful brand refresh. 

“I enjoyed the process. It’s both exciting and nerve-wracking because you want it to be great!” Justine Gab, Tailwind Product Designer

In this post, expect not only to learn how our massive brand refresh went but also what exactly a brand refresh is, why and when to do one, and how to pull it off.

We’ll be breaking it down and giving you all the info and resources you’d need to do your own brand refresh!

What is a Brand Refresh?

Simply put, a brand refresh is like a personal makeover for a company. Refreshes can be anywhere from a new logo (think new haircut or color), to a top to bottom aesthetically pleasing upgrade, and that’s what Tailwind did.

Go big or go home, right? 

A brand refresh usually includes visual updates with an overall revamp of a company’s style, tone, and presentation. It’s a chance to update outdated colors, themes, and graphics to reflect your growing and evolving company. 

Brand Refresh vs Rebranding – What’s the Difference?

A brand refresh and rebrand sound wildly similar and can seem interchangeable to anyone outside the design industry. But despite having familiar names, the two are quite different!

A brand refresh is more of an upgrade, like a makeover or a fresh set of paint. Brand refreshes help a company evolve and remain competitive in the marketplace while maintaining its core identity. With the constantly changing world of design, certain color schemes can look outdated within a few years, and brand refreshes are crucial to remaining relevant so they can keep growing. 

Social media gives customers tons of options for finding products and resources, meaning the competition will always be there. And who will your customers most likely choose to purchase from? A company with outdated branding, or the one that has evolved and obviously knows what they’re doing? Spoiler alert: It’s definitely the latter!

Now, let’s go over rebranding. Rebranding is, in a sense tearing everything down and starting again from scratch. While a brand refresh is more changes/updates to the presentation, rebranding is a complete transformation. 

In a nutshell, a brand refresh is like an episode of Queer Eye , whereas rebranding is like an episode of Extreme Makeover – a transformation to become something or someone else entirely.  

Since it may sound a bit drastic, let’s discuss why rebranding is good for certain circumstances. 

Mainly, rebranding is the perfect chance to reset your brand. Whether your direction or products have drastically changed or the company has been restructured. Rebranding is an opportunity to influence and change customers’ perceptions of your company. 

When to Rebrand: 1. Audience has changed 2. Marketing new services or products 3. Marketing methods aren’t working 4. Current identity is out of date 5. Industry or competition have changed

Alright, now that we’ve thoroughly gone over the difference between the two, let’s jump back into Tailwind’s brand refresh right meow. 

Why (and When) to do a Brand Refresh

Now that we know what a brand refresh is, let’s go over why a company may need one, when to do a brand refresh, and why we choose to refresh the Tailwind brand!

So, why do a brand refresh?

As I mentioned earlier, the market is constantly changing, and if you’re not remaining relevant by evolving too, you’ll fall behind. 

An updated brand can significantly increase your marketplace credibility and help establish authority with both old and new customers. Investing in your brand also makes you appear much more professional and allows customers to take you seriously. 

Brand refreshes can also help you appear at the top of your industry with new cutting-edge colors and designs that will catch people’s attention and make you stand out.

Should you refresh your brand? Let’s take a looky-loo and find out. 

When to do a brand refresh :

• Are your colors and logo stuck in the past? Those outdated color schemes may be preventing you from growing and reaching new people. In marketing, your brand’s appearance is nearly as important as the product. 
• Does your brand messaging reflect who you and your company have become? Do you need to re-emphasize what your brand is and what it stands for?
• Being inconsistent with color schemes and logos can confuse your customers about who you are. A refresh with newly defined colors and designs can help give you the direction to stay consistent and predictable.
• As your brand has evolved, your audience may have too, and your current visuals could be preventing you from reaching and connecting with your new target audience. And a refresh can help you narrow down how to find and connect with them. 
• If your company has gone through changes to support new growth, then it may be time for a brand refresh. Whether your products or services have evolved or you want to take a new route in marketing, a brand refresh can help you get there.

And for the sake of transparenc y, one of Tailwind’s internal values, let’s go over why we decided to do a brand refresh. 

Tailwind launched ten years ago, and while we were learning, tweaking our products, growing our team tremendously to over 50 current employees, and adding new services, the one thing we needed to do was refresh our brand.

And we knew we weren’t the exception. To stay relevant, we needed to refresh.

“There were multiple goals going in, but the biggest goal was that we all change a lot in ten years, and our brand is no exception. We wanted to update our look to reflect all the ways that Tailwind has expanded to help marketers do better marketing .” Justine Gab

We also needed some guidance regarding updated colors for marketing purposes and to stay relevant to our customer base of cutting-edge business owners.

Tailwind Transparency Value: Before vs. After

“We’re making changes to be more modern and more user-friendly, because those are things that are important to consumers. Especially when you’re serving a market of small business owners, the people who are going and using these tools all the time.” Justine Gab

As a business that prides itself on being a small business and an entrepreneur’s marketing team, it was vital that our designs show how relevantly current we are to re-establish the authority we used to blaze into the marketplace back in 2011.

And not to be biased, but our new colors and logo have done just that, launching us into 2022 and beyond! 

But we aren’t done yet! Next, let’s go over a brand refresh strategy. 

How to Do a Brand Refresh (From Start to Finish!)

So, what all goes into a brand refresh, and how long does it take? The project can feel intimidating, and refreshing a brand can be pretty extensive, especially if it has been over five years since you last updated your company’s look. So, where do you even start?

In this section, we’ll answer your burning questions by sharing parts of my interview with Justine as we discuss the various steps and stages of how to refresh a brand. From finding and working with an agency, what you need to provide, and what to expect. 

How long does a brand refresh typically take ?

“It depends on the scope of the project. This one [Tailwind’s] is probably going to be about four to six months total. But a lot of changes are happening, and there’s a lot of ground to cover. There’s a lot of updates to be made in a lot of different places. What we did was going to be about four to six months, maybe even longer for some pieces that are low touch point pieces. But I mean it can be a couple of months to a year, two years. It depends on how large the brand is .”

Now, let’s introduce you to Tailwind’s internal dream team who represented our company and took on the massive task of refreshing our brand.

Assembling the Team

One of the most important parts of the process is choosing which members to represent your company and advocate for your brand’s identity. 

You’ll want members who work well together, have been in the company a while, know the foundations really well, and are organized.

It’s also a good idea to have a member of each department to make sure everyone is getting a say in its new direction.

I was the Creative Manager and Visual Designer on the marketing side, and then Sam Provenza was the UX Manager on the product side. We represented the company designers in the mix. Then there was the VP of Product, Product Marketing Manager,and the Director of Marketing also on the team.” Justine

Justine mentioned in the interview that no one on the brand refresh team had ever been part of a project like this before, and had to figure it out together. However, we had product, marketing, and leadership closely involved making sure the process ran smoothly and successfully.

The process was time-consuming and tedious, but Tailwind’s brand refresh team worked together to represent our company and hired an outside agency to make our vision a reality.  In the next section, we’ll discuss how Tailwind found the agency we worked with and what it was like working with one.

Finding an Agency

One of the game changers for Tailwind’s brand refresh was using an agency to help our dream team piece together a strong vision now and into the future. 

While choosing an agency to help your vision come to life can help the process become much easier, finding an agency that’s a good fit is another big task. Along with that, you’ve got to organize your wants, needs, and asks. Because the clearer your vision, the better they can get it right.

Using Tailwind’s experience as an example, Justine will detail what all went into finding and choosing an agency, along with what it was like working with one.

Step 1: Deciding what to include in the refresh.  

“A big part of me being on the team was building out a document saying these are the things that need to be refreshed, this is why we need them refreshed, and this is who would benefit from this refresh or who would use these new designs or elements, right?”

Narrowing down what you need to do and why it is necessary is imperative for a company’s leadership team to sign off on the task and put together a budget. 

This brings us to the next section!

Step 2: Plan a budget.

I created a list of the table stakes and the nice to have options . We had a budget from the beginning, with a little bit of flexibility, but you absolutely need to look for someone who’s within your budget . Some of these companies might have a minimum, like a certain amount, before they would even consider working with you.

Having a budget you can afford will greatly help you weed through agencies and make sure you find one that’ll be a great fit and can keep the whole refresh team happy.

Step 3: Set a timeline.

“The other thing that was important for us to some extent was the timeline. There might be an agency out there who says they’d love to work with you, but let’s say they can’t start work until two months down the line. That wasn’t going to work for us.”

Setting a proposed deadline and timeline helps an agency know if they can work with you or not, depending on if they can make your timeline work.

Brand refresh agencies have multiple projects going at once, and if you have a strict timeline, like Tailwind, for example, we wanted a brand refresh to coincide with our 10th anniversary, then that can be a huge deciding factor. Your refresh team should calculate the timeline before meeting with agencies.

Step 4: Narrowing down agencies based on your non-negotiables.

“We made a list of five agencies. And in that list, we made sure the pricing was aligned, they were going to fit our budget, and they had experience in the SaaS industry . We really wanted to work with an agency that had worked with other companies like us. It’s so important to work with someone who understands your industry . That’s key.”

There was also a lot of research going into making the list of agencies. Our internal brand refresh team scoured past projects of agencies using Dribbble , a step Justine highly recommends.

A great way to narrow down agencies is by looking at their portfolio to see if they have experience with similar businesses in your industry. Seeing relatable examples can give you confidence that the agency will understand your ask and allow you to see how the execution will look.

That related experience will save you time from beginning to end! 

After deciding on possible agencies, you schedule meetings with the chosen ones to share what you’re looking for and determine if you may be a good fit. 

Step 5: Meet with the agencies. 

“We met and formed a list of agencies who we would like to work with, reached out to them, and then set up meetings and basically gave them all this information of what we want to do, what our budget is, and our timeline. And then they came back with a proposal.”

Meeting with an agency is a chance to feel each other out while sharing your vision, timeline, and budget.

Next, the agency puts together a proposal that will show you how well they understood your ask and determine which agency is the right fit. And if there are multiple offers you find amazing, I recommend a quick game of eenie-meenie-miney-mo . (KIDDING!) 

Then, you get to pick the one you think best matches what you’re looking for. 

“We went with an agency called Bruno . And in their proposal, they outline how they’re going to help us achieve these goals, get a new logo, get all of those things. And we had a cadence of meeting once a week with them.”

 And now we’ll be detailing the experience we had hiring outside help.

Identifying Work to Be Done

After choosing Bruno, it was time to plan and strategize the brand refresh and everything that needed to be done. 

Table Stakes: 

The bare minimum of what we need with this refresh. So it included things like the logo, color palette, typography, visual style guide, and iconography. 

Nice to Haves:

Things that can elevate the brand but weren’t necessary for the agency to deliver on. Things like that would be an animated logo, color system proportions, abstract UI elements, and more complex graphic elements. 

Ultimate Wishlist:

That was stuff like a video style guide, animated icons, custom iconography, animated illustrations. Things that are just really cool to have but probably aren’t going to happen, which is dependent on budget.

Having everything so detailed and laid out is a sure way to make sure you get exactly what you want and that no one will waste their time putting together something you may or may not like. This way, everyone is a winner.

Once the brand refresh team laid it all out to Bruno, they took the ideas and made it into a mood board, which brings us to the next part. 

First Impressions and Discovery

This was Bruno’s first attempt at visualizing and piecing together who Tailwind is, our personality, and the visual direction we were hoping to head in. (And this part was Justine’s favorite!)

The team put together a series of mood boards for Tailwind, helping identify what we liked, didn’t like, and what felt in line with the brand.

“And then they went back and created a specific mood board, which is just another iteration of the general mood boards but getting closer to what we would want. And then, based on our feedback, they went and created designs, a color palette, and basically, everything you see today. But it just starts to get a little more polished along the way.”

Below is the specific mood board Bruno put together for Tailwind!

Getting the Deliverables 

Once Bruno and the whole brand refresh team narrowed down who Tailwind was and what our persona looked and felt like, it was time for Bruno to get to work and put pen to paper. Or, Apple Pen to iPad, or something like that.

The Brand Book

The brand book is a 90-95 page book with our new company design rules to stay within the brand. It goes over our image, personality, and every detail of who we are. 

“Oh gosh, the brand book. It’s amazing. It’s just visual delight and goodness. I think creativity thrives in spaces where there are parameters, rules, and guidance. The brand book took all of the work that had been done over the past four months and turned it into a  finished product. It’s the deliverable that’s delightful to look at. It’s beautiful to share. It’s inspiring. It’s invigorating.”

Having a brand book makes it easy and cohesive for the entire company to remain within the same parameters for representing Tailwind’s image. The brand book is something our entire company can refer to for years to come regarding any questions related to who and what Tailwind is. 

One of the main changes in our brand refresh was updating and revitalizing our logo. 

A logo is what customers see first and is one of the most important, if not the most crucial part of a brand’s visual identity because it introduces who you are, what you do, and how you can benefit them. 

Having a fresh and updated logo is especially important in a SaaS business that primarily deals with social media’s ever-changing world.

“Tailwind’s eight-year-old logo needed a refresh and modern design to reflect the evolution of the brand. And a logo that allowed for sub-branding was also a plus. And you kind of need to remind people, hey, we’re still around. ”

Another design element Bruno helped us narrow down was Tailwind’s approved font. Our new font, Studio Feixen Sans Bold, is described as being friendly and simple, which felt perfect for our brand’s personality. 

Tailwind decided on five core colors which our entire company voted on, giving unique names. While some of my personal favorite name options didn’t make the cut, (*cough * “ shark” ), The names we did pick are quirky, fun, and somewhat short.

This is actually really important, for the sake of the designers that have to input them over and over again.

Our chosen color names are Jam, Sky, Sunflower, Salmon, and Smoke! Check them out below, and try not to get too jealous.

All of the deliverables far exceeded not only the brand refresh dream team’s expectations but the company as a whole. Shortly after the brand book was given to us, Justine and Sam hosted a company-wide meeting where they showed off the new exciting visuals, colors, fonts, and personality.

Everyone was oohing and ahhing at the new exciting and clear direction we were going in as a team. And at the new cutting edge colors, graphics, and animated logo.

Our new refresh is sustainable to launch us into the future while keeping us competitive in the workplace and showing who we are and what we are. These new guidelines will allow us to remain consistent throughout departments and give our design team clear guidelines and instructions.

Sage Tips from Justine on How to Do a Seamless Brand Refresh

Justine and the rest of the brand refresh team can no longer say they’ve never done a project like this before as they’re officially brand refresh seasoned pros! 

Now that Justine has some experience under her belt, she has some tips for anyone else embarking on the journey of refreshing your brand, and ways to make sure this is the best move for your company. 

1. Resources

“I think it’s important to understand if you have the resources to accomplish something like this. And I’m not just talking about financial resources. There’s also the reality of getting something great back and then finding out you don’t have anyone to execute on updating these things. So I think understanding resources is crucial.”

2. Be Realistic

“I think being realistic about it is important, especially when it comes to resources. Know the resources you have, both financially and in terms of manpower. Because it is a lot of work. It’s months and months of work. And it can easily get derailed or get pushed back if no one is there to kind of keep pushing it forward.”

3. Know What You Want

“You have to know what you want. At least it will make it a lot easier to know what you want. Like I said earlier about making the list of, ‘these are all of the things that we want or need to be updated in order to make it worth it.”

4. Have a Rollout Plan

“I think something that is overlooked is a rollout plan. And really, a rollout plan should be thought about in the beginning because it comes back to resources and manpower. Timing is crucial for something like this. You can have the perfect new brand and the perfect new visual identity. But if it’s not being rolled out, or if it’s being rolled out in a way that’s either slow or not fully thought through – like maybe some places get the rollout, other places don’t – it can be a failure. And it would be due to lack of planning and resourcing.”

5. Trust the Process

“It can be hard for non-creatives in the mood board phase to understand what will come out of this. That process can feel chaotic in some instances. So I think just trusting the process and trusting the company [if you work with an outside agency] to do great work. And give them candid feedback will help guide you to the end result.”

6. Know When to Pick Your Battles

“Know when to pick your battles. Because inevitably, you are going to disagree with someone else who you are working with about something. And understanding that, is that a hill you are willing to die to push that issue further ? Or is it inconsequential in the long run? Because you can’t fight everything. It’s exhausting, and people aren’t going to want to work with you. It’s good to concede on some points if you either don’t feel strongly about them or they’re inconsequential. It’s okay to let those pieces go and fight for what you believe in when that time comes.”

So now you know how to pull off a successful brand refresh and what the process looks like from a company perspective. While there were many parts to juggle, the changes were needed and welcomed by our company as a whole.

And now we all get to be part of the big reveal, right on the heels of our tenth anniversary!

Thank you, Justine, Sam, Bruno, and the rest of our brand refresh team for the tremendous work you’ve done making our brand look great!

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• Refresh Your Brand: A Step-by-Step Guide

At Jennergy, we’re well-versed in giving brands a refresh , so we’ve outlined our essential process to transform any brand. Following these eight steps will overhaul your brand so it’s relevant and appealing in the current market.

If you’re curious if your brand is due for a refresh, you can take our quiz here .

Ready to give it a go? Here are our steps to take to begin your brand refresh:

• Discovery and Research: Start by evaluating your current brand for its strengths and weaknesses, how it is perceived by both customers and competitors, and the brand elements. Conduct market research to gather insights about current trends, customer needs, and competitors.
• Establish Goals and Objectives: Define what you want to achieve with the brand refresh, such as increasing brand awareness, reaching new target audiences, or repositioning the brand in the market.
• Target Audience Definition: Reassess, define, and evaluate your current target audience, as well as potential new audiences you would like to consider in the future. Consider how you speak to each audience, how you can help them, and what type of visual brand personality they would value and trust.
• Competitive Analysis: Analyze competitors’ branding elements (taglines, logos, marketing materials, and digital presence) to help establish how you can differentiate your brand in the marketplace.
• Brand Positioning and Messaging: Develop key messages that highlight your market position, and address the needs of your target audience while showcasing what makes your brand unique.
• Logo and Visual Identity: A brand refresh doesn’t necessarily mean a complete redesign of your logo . It may involve looking for ways to explore different type treatments, color palettes, photography styles, messaging, and other brand elements to refresh the design while leveraging existing brand equity.
• Brand Guidelines: Once a refresh is complete, all brand guidelines will need to be updated to maintain the consistent use of your brand across all marketing touchpoints.
• Brand Activation: Congratulations on finalizing your brand! Now it’s time to strategically implement your new vision across all marketing materials and touchpoints, while also focusing on measuring outcomes. Coordination with internal teams and external partners is essential for clear communication and a cohesive launch. Additionally, consider the optimal timing in the market, engaging users, updating marketing deliverables, and utilizing cost-effective strategies.

These eight steps outline our essential approach to a successful brand refresh. Follow this guide and you’ll be on your way to a refreshed brand that stands out, resonates with your target audience, and differentiates from competitors.

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What is a brand refresh? Here’s how to get started.

If you have not yet considered a brand refresh, now may be the time to do. Changes will likely be subtle in any one given area, but collectively, they can make a huge impression.

Design is the silent ambassador of your brand. Paul Rand

You need to LOVE your brand. Each element needs to feel right and when it doesn’t, a few tweaks may be in order.

At SketchDeck, we understand great design, but we also know when something isn’t quite right.

In the past, one of our previous brand iterations was having challenges. The design team was struggling to work with its complicated instructions—something was amiss. We loved a lot of the elements of it—the bold black background color and awesome new logo, so we embarked on a brand refresh.

The refresh tweaked our color palette, brought a new illustration style everyone could enjoy “doodling” and developed a bunch of previous ideas further. The result was that in no time at all we had a brand we really loved and could implement well in all our work.

Are rebranding and brand refresh the same?‍

Companies are constantly evolving based on market trends. For those who are not overly familiar with the wonderful world of design, a rebrand and brand refresh strategy may seem one and the same. However, these two terms are like night and day.

Think of rebranding as a total teardown. As in starting again, from scratch. Perhaps you want to change your personality or overall values, develop a new backstory for your brand, reinvent your entire brand image, or even enter a new market. Depending on your objectives, this process can be risky and costly. After all, confusion may bring chaos.

In comparison, a brand refresh is more like a fresh coat of paint in terms of your voice and visual branding. It may involve tweaking your logo or color palette, testing out a new font, sprucing up your marketing material, or updating your tagline. Meaning, a brand refresh is far less dramatic (and less costly).

The bottom line—great design adds value .

Being a lot faster and cheaper, a brand refresh is essentially a makeover—a makeover that reflects your updated image. Whether you plan on reaching new customers (while tending to your preexisting customer base) or would simply like to inject new vitality into your company, a brand refresh is an excellent (low-risk) growth strategy.

In summary, a brand refresh:

• Is not an overly dramatic change internally or externally.
• Maintains the same core aspects of your business but aims to reconnect with your customer base, particularly in regard to the promises you make.
• Depending on the size of your company, a brand refresh could help realign your team so that everyone is one the same page.
• Allows you to reintroduce who you are to the market, potentially attracting a new audience, as well as new potential partners.
• Helps you showcase a more consistent brand image and message. ‍

How to successfully kickstart a brand refresh‍

Although the age of your company is often the number one reason to undergo a brand refresh, it’s not the only reason to consider this valuable journey.

Whether your design is outdated, your online and offline branding don’t exactly align, your vision lacks clarity, or your growth has flatlined, the following steps will guide you as embark on a brand refresh—or a visual update if you will. ‍

Step one: Complete a “brand audit”‍

It’s time to sit down and really think about your brand’s strengths and weaknesses. This is the “discovery” portion of your brand refresh journey. ‍

A brand audit will allow you to identify and address problematic areas. Perhaps your brand has recently reached a plateau and is starting to lose relevance—or you feel as though your customers aren’t as connected as they once were.

Related: What analyzing 50 brand guides taught us about building a lasting company ‍

Mind-mapping is a great tool, encouraging you to spill all sorts of information out of your brain, encouraging a more organized, analytical approach. Some of the areas to consider include:

• Your main competitors — how have they evolved recently?
• Potential points of misalignment — are you making promises that do not currently align with your brand?
• Your website — what are you currently using your website for, what’s the purpose, how does it look visually?
• The strengths and weaknesses of your brand’s image. This may refer to your website, marketing materials, or even your event booth .
• Current (and potential future) trends within your industry.

As you target various areas of your business, industry, and niche, remember to focus on a “brand refresh” strategy. Think visual elements and messaging in terms of your brand’s tone, look, and overall presentation. ‍

Step two: Conduct research‍

Once you’ve identified the “what” aspects of your brand refresh strategy, you’ll want to focus on “how” you’ll achieve your goals. Ask yourself, based on goals x, y, and z, what steps do I need to take? Take this time to research tools and services that will assist your efforts.

Some questions to ask include:

• What does your sales and marketing team like AND dislike about the current brand? What about your designers? Your customers?
• Based on your current brand, do you face implementation challenges? For example, is it hard to use your logo on a normal background because of its colors? The team at Slack changed their logo partially based on this reason.

It’s also important to consider the following:

• Your brand’s values
• Your brand’s personality
• The brands you like and dislike – what can you learn from these brands?
• What do you wish to achieve with this new brand? For example, do you need to create a brand that is capable of having many sub-brands for each product?

You will also want to conduct research in regard to your competitors. What are they doing differently, and more importantly, what can you do to stand apart from the pack? During your research, you may want to revisit step one. Your competitive analysis may make you rethink your current key messages, digital and social presence , content marketing, logo, style, etc. ‍

Step three: Alter your brand’s design‍

A unique visual identity is critical to your brand’s long-term success. While focusing on design elements, consider the following in order to convey the true essence of your brand:

• Your logo (likely no need to fully redesign)
• Fonts 
• Color palette

As you develop your brand’s refresh, it’s important to create a design that conveys the ideas and values of your brand. Leverage the research you conducted to help guide you before deciding on the overall scope of your rebrand.

How much time and money do you want to spend on your brand refresh? Do you simply want to focus on your website? Or do you need to redesign your marketing materials, product, and website?

Next, review each piece of your brand (e.g. logo, each color, fonts, illustration style, photo style, page templates, website pages etc.) to answer the following questions:

• Does it tell your story?
• Does it communicate your values?
• Is it liked or disliked?
• Is it practical to use every day?
• Is it working for you?
• Is it the best it can be?
• Does it inspire you and your customers? ‍

Step four: Plan your brand refresh roll out‍

Now that you figured out what pieces of the brand you’d like to change, it’s time to take action.

At a minimum, you’ll want to:

• Create an updated brand book explaining how the newly refreshed brand works
• Introduce everyone in the company to the brand
• Supply everyone with assets (e.g. new logo files, font files, etc.)
• Update templates (e.g. new PowerPoint slide template)
• Redesign major assets to fit into the new brand (e.g. redesign main website pages, any upcoming marketing/sales materials, etc.)

Depending on your budget, it’s more than reasonable to pick and choose. To decide what you should update, consider the following:

• How often is an item seen? For example, at SketchDeck, we did not re-illustrate old blog articles for our refresh. However, we did redo the header illustrations for the most popular blog articles.
• How badly is the item out of compliance? We decided to refresh our product UI’s brand in phases, starting with icons and basic colors, which is easy to update, then later the more subtle UI details (e.g. dashboard layout).
• What parts of the new brand are OK to break and what MUST be adhered to? E.g. we decided that the new color palette had to be adopted everywhere in website + web app CSS, but our previous illustration style could linger around.

In order to execute all of this, you’ll require professional assistance . We like to think we’re the perfect team for the task. We can quickly scale-up large volumes of projects, which would typically overwhelm an in-house team. We also offer a sharp team of Design and Quality managers who can make sure everything is perfectly aligned to your new brand.

Whether you require web graphics, branding material, infographics, presentations, logo support, illustration work, or custom design services for your brand refresh strategy, SketchDeck is your “always ready design team.”

Covering all the bases in regard to your sales, marketing, and communication needs, you can gain access to high-quality brand design assistance today! ‍

Check out our solutions for more info.

• Originally published on April 27, 2020

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How to Pull Off a Successful Brand Refresh

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A brand refresh could be one of the most valuable ways to boost your brand’s equity and reputation, increase sales, and remain relevant to your target audience. 

While consistency is important in branding (in fact,  68% of companies  say consistency has helped them boost revenue by 10% or more), that doesn’t mean your brand should never evolve. I’ve seen countless companies lose customers and market share because they fail to update their brands to adapt to changing market dynamics and customer preferences. 

If you’re not constantly evolving, you risk becoming outdated and falling behind your competitors. Working with a  branding consultant  on a brand or logo refresh ensures you can retain your competitive edge. Here’s how you can ensure your strategy drives results.

What is a Brand Refresh?

A brand refresh is the process of making strategic changes or updates to your brand’s identity or image. The changes you make should ensure your brand identity better aligns with your vision, values, and the preferences of your target audience. 

Brand refreshes are more common than you might think. In fact, most companies consider completely  rebranding every 7-10 years , with minor refreshes in between to stay relevant. 

A refresh can include everything from updating your logo and color palette, to your company’s tone of voice, messaging style, and website. The important thing to remember is that a brand refresh isn’t the same as a rebrand. 

Brand Refresh vs. Rebrand

A  brand refresh and rebrand  are two very different things. With a refresh, you simply update aspects of your brand identity while retaining aspects that still resonate with your brand. For instance, Mastercard took part in a “logo refresh” strategy and updated parts of its identity to make itself appear more modern to a younger audience.

With a rebrand, you make substantial changes to your entire brand identity. This could mean rethinking your brand values and positioning strategy, changing your name, and more. As an example, Facebook rebranded when it became “Meta”. 

While comprehensive rebrands are sometimes necessary when a company changes its focus, aims to  target a new audience , or needs to escape a scandal (like Meta), they’re expensive and risky.

If your brand already has a strong connection with your target audience and just needs a small update, a refresh is often the best option.

The Benefits of a Brand Refresh 

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Though a brand refresh or logo refresh is less expensive and time-consuming than a complete rebrand, it can be complex to implement. You’ll need to conduct extensive research to ensure you’re tweaking or updating your company’s presence in a way that resonates with your audience (without alienating existing customers). 

However, a successful brand refresh gives you an incredible opportunity to re-engage with your customers, connect with future buyers, and even outperform the competition. It can even help you  avoid negative PR  and improve your brand’s equity. 

Used correctly, a brand refresh ensures you can:

• Remain relevant:  Your company, customers, and target market are always evolving, and your brand should be, too. A brand refresh means you can stay relevant in your marketplace, connect more effectively with existing and new customers, and outshine competitors.
• Boost your reach:  Refreshing your brand strategy can be an excellent way to capture the attention of new customers. It allows you to refine your identity so you can showcase your value to new markets without alienating your existing customer base.
• Realign with your brand values:  Your brand isn’t just a logo. Your identity needs to reflect your values and vision as a company. Defining your brand clearly and consistently is vital, making sure you understand the brand definition that encompasses its purpose, mission, and values. If customers aren’t aware of your values based on your current branding, a refresh can boost your chances of forging emotional connections. 
• Increase sales:  Outdated and irrelevant brands naturally lose sales over time. In fact, according to one study,  65% of companies  refresh their brand specifically due to lost sales. The right strategy can boost your chances of sales and even help with repositioning your brand so you can charge higher prices for your products.
• Improve your marketing ROI:  With a brand refresh to update your visual identity and messaging strategy, you can create more impactful and engaging marketing materials. You can even align yourself with  thought leaders and influencers  to boost your reputation.

How to Launch a Successful Brand Refresh: Step by Step

An effective brand refresh requires a careful strategy, developed based on extensive research, and knowledge of your existing brand identity. Here are the key steps involved in pulling of a successful brand refresh without the unnecessary risks. 

Step 1: Conduct a Comprehensive Brand Audit

The first thing you’ll need for a successful brand refresh strategy is a deep insight into which parts of your brand strategy are working and which aren’t. This means conducting a comprehensive “audit” of your brand’s existing assets. Most branding consultants will be able to do this for you, but if you want to start independently, here are the key points to consider:

Questions about your brand identity

• What is your mission and vision as a company? Are they reflected by your current brand?
• What kind of image or identity do you want to project?
• Do you have a specific value proposition?
• Can you define a brand archetype and tone of voice for your brand?
• What are your current brand’s strengths and weaknesses?
• How do you compare to your competitors? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• What are the current trends in your industry?

Questions about your brand assets

• What are your current marketing strategies and channels?
• Is your brand website up-to-date and informative?
• Do you offer an excellent customer experience via your website?
• Is your  content strategy  up-to-date and optimized for SEO?
• How effective are your social media campaigns?
• Are the elements of your brand applied consistently to your marketing assets?
• Are you achieving a good return on investment with your campaigns?

Questions about your customers

• Who are your customers, and what are their key characteristics?
• Have your customers changed in recent years?
• What do customers say about your brand, and how do they describe you?
• Would your customers recommend you to friends and relatives?
• How recognizable is your brand to your intended customer base?
• Are there new markets you can consider exploring?

Step 2: Assemble and Collaborate with your Brand Refresh Team

Once you’ve answered all of the questions above, the next step is assembling the team you’re going to work with on your refresh project. The scope of your overall strategy will impact what kind of people you need to work with. For instance, if you want to do a logo refresh, and you don’t have an internal designer, you might need to  work with a freelancer . 

Start by defining exactly what you want to keep about your current brand identity and what you might need to change, such as:

• Your visual assets:  Your brand logo, color palette, font choices, and other imagery, such as graphics, videos, animations, illustrations, and brand photography.
• Your messaging strategy:  Your company’s tone of voice, editorial guidelines, overall personality, and marketing channels. 
• Additional assets:  Your product packaging, signage, offline advertisements, and anything else you use to promote your brand. 

Once you’ve established these things, the next step is to decide who’s going to be working on the refresh with you. Your team might consist of a rebranding agency , brand consultants and strategists, designers, copywriters, and critical stakeholders within your team.

Step 3: Create Your Messaging and Editorial Guidelines

If you’ve decided to update your messaging and marketing strategies with your brand refresh, then there’s a lot of work to do. First you need to assess your existing messaging strategy, and how the language or tone of voice you use resonates with your target audience. 

Think about how effectively your messaging draws attention to your unique value proposition, the personality of your company, and the values you promote. Ask yourself:

• What is your personality and tone of voice?  What kind of language do you use to connect with your audience? Do you want to be seen as fun, friendly, and playful, or authoritative and professional? How can you adjust your editorial guidelines to match your intended personality and target audience?
• What kind of content do you need to create?  Which additional content assets will benefit your brand during this refresh. Do you need to create new product descriptions, update the copy on your website, or change your social media and email marketing strategy? Should you be  creating new blog posts  and thought leadership pieces? 
• Which channels should you be using?  How are you going to reach your audience based on what you know about their behaviors? Should you have your own podcast or radio show? Do you need to design videos for YouTube or upgrade your social media marketing strategy?

Once you’ve answered those questions, create a comprehensive set of editorial guidelines that show your employees how to use your messaging across different platforms. 

Step 4: Work on your Visual Brand Refresh

Most brand refresh strategies will include an update to visual assets, such as your logo and color palette. When updating your imagery, it’s usually a good idea to work with a professional who can convey the values of your company in a modern, attractive set of assets.  

When it comes to updating your brand’s visual elements, some of the key factors to look at include:

• Your color palette:  What does your  current color palette  say about you? Colors have an emotional impact on people. We associate shades like blue with professionalism and red with passion and excitement. Make sure your color palette resonates with your audience. 
• Your logo:  Is your logo aligned with your brand’s identity and values? Does it look modern and up-to-date, based on the current design trends and standards? Does it work well across a range of platforms and different types of media, and what should it convey?
• Typography:  What sort of fonts and typefaces do you use for your online content, your offline assets, and your packaging? What do they say about your brand? Should you be conveying modernity with sans-serif fonts or authority with serif fonts?
• Other visual components:  Which additional assets will you need to update to match your new brand image, such as product photography, illustrations or icons on your website, images used on social media, and email marketing templates?

Just like when you create your messaging strategy, make sure you unify all of the information your employees and future contractors will need about your brand’s image into a set of guidelines. Outline everything from logo usage guidelines to color hex codes and photography styles. 

Step 5: Plan Your Brand Refresh Roll Out

A brand refresh can be an exciting thing, but if you overhaul your brand too quickly (without warning your customers), it can cause some backlash. Usually, it’s a good idea to update customers on  social media , your website, and via email, and let them know when the full refresh will be happening.

Tell them why you’re changing aspects of your brand, and reassure them that certain things will stay the same (such as your commitment to excellent customer service). To build hype and excitement about your upcoming refresh, I recommend pairing it with something for your customers.

For instance, you might combine your refresh with a limited-time sale, run a competition on social media, or give your existing customers something for free. Use your digital business card to share links to the competition or offer and enable all customers in your network to participate. This is a great way to boost your chances of maintaining engagement with existing customers. Plus, it gives you a great way to attract new potential buyers to your company too. 

Plan the stages of your brand refresh in a content calendar, complete with content you’re going to be posting on all of your digital channels in advance. Additionally, make sure you’ve updated all of the assets you’re going to be using going forward to maintain consistency. 

If you change your logo, your new logo and color palette should be present on your website, social media channels, packaging materials, and business cards before the refresh goes live.

Step 6: Monitor, Analyze and Adapt

Finally, a brand refresh strategy doesn’t end when you launch your new image or messaging strategy. You also need to pay attention to what customers actually think about your new brand. To evaluate the results of your campaign:

• Create a baseline and identify core metrics:  Identify the metrics you’re going to monitor to see if your brand refresh was successful, such as social media engagement levels, website traffic, or brand mentions. Create a baseline with the data you have about those metrics right now, and pay attention to how they change after your launch.
• Leverage analytical tools:  Take advantage of the analytical tools you have access to, such as Google Analytics, to see whether searches for your brand increase, or traffic on your website gets a boost after the launch.
• Use social listening to your advantage:  Take advantage of  social media monitoring  and listening tools to find out what customers are saying about your company. Look at how they’re describing your brand and what sort of comments they’re making. 

Be prepared to adapt if you discover that your brand refresh hasn’t had the right impact on your target audience. You may need to make small changes or revert completely to your original brand if you discover you’re actually losing customers. 

Examples of Successful Brand Refresh Campaigns

Now you have all the information you need to pull off a successful brand refresh, but sometimes it helps to draw inspiration from companies that have already aced the process. Here are some of my favorite examples of brand refresh strategies and why they worked.

Fiverr is one of the world’s  most popular freelance marketplaces , connecting people to companies looking to access specific skills. After about ten years in the industry, the company invested in a logo refresh, and an update to their visual identity. 

They expanded their color palette and created a sleek, more refined logo that still encompassed some of the elements of their existing brandmark, making sure they didn’t alienate existing customers. What made this refresh particularly impressive was the company’s decision to update its tone of voice, too, making the brand seem more modern and relatable. 

Fiverr managed to update its image without losing its essence or its existing position in the freelance marketplace landscape. 

2. Burger King

Burger King is an excellent example of a company that used a logo refresh to its advantage. In 2021, the company created a simplified, more minimalistic version of its brandmark, taking inspiration from a previous flat logo they used several decades before. 

What works about this refresh is the fact that it draws attention to the history of the company while ensuring it can resonate with a modern audience. The sleek design stands out against a sea of other fast food company logos, helping Burger King to maintain its impact in a crowded market. 

The new image feels contemporary and “retro” at the same time, ensuring Burger King can connect with a huge range of new and existing customers. 

Dunkin’s brand refresh was a little more comprehensive than some of the brand refreshes we’ve seen over the years. It included not just a change to the company’s color palette and logo but also its name. The update was intended to highlight the fact that Dunkin’ no longer focuses exclusively on selling donuts but offers access to a wide range of products. 

Notably, this wasn’t a complete rebrand because the messaging and identity of the company remained the same. Additionally, certain aspects of Dunkin’s visual identity remain consistent, such as the bright orange color in their palette. 

The refresh was successful because it enabled Dunkin’ to better communicate with their target audience, and highlight their expanding value proposition. 

Master Your Brand Refresh Strategy

Although implementing a brand refresh can be time-consuming and complex at times, it’s an excellent way to ensure your business doesn’t lose relevance in an ever-changing market. As customers and industries continue to evolve, your brand needs to adapt, or it risks becoming outdated. 

Refreshing your brand identity gives you a chance to maintain your relationship with existing audiences and expand your reach into new markets. All you need is the right strategy.

If you need help implementing a brand refresh campaign,  contact Growth Collective today  to be matched with one of our brand consulting or graphic design experts.

What is the purpose of a brand refresh?

A brand refresh gives you an opportunity to update certain aspects or elements of your brand’s image or messaging to retain relevance with your target audience. It involves making simple changes to your brand identity without overhauling your entire strategy. 

What should a brand refresh include?

A brand refresh can include everything from making updates to your imagery, color palette, and brand logo, to updating your messaging and communication strategy. Make sure you have clear guidelines in place for all of the assets you update to ensure consistency.

How much does it cost to refresh a brand?

The cost of refreshing your brand identity can vary depending on the scope of your project. You may need to hire graphic designers, create new marketing campaigns, and even work with brand consultants to conduct research into your competitors and target audience. 

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If you’re not moving forward in business, you’re falling behind. This truth hits hard for brands.

It’s essential to stay fresh and relevant.

That’s where the choice between a brand refresh and a complete rebrand comes in. It’s a big decision that can redefine your business’s future.

What is a brand refresh?

A brand refresh is a set of small but strategic changes to your brand's look and style to keep pace with current trends. This can include updating your logo, tweaking your color scheme, or revamping your marketing materials. It's about staying fresh and relevant without changing your brand's core identity.

Take Apple in the 90s: struggling in the tech race, they made a bold move. They ditched their old-school rainbow logo for something sleek and modern. This wasn’t just a new look; it was a statement – Apple was here to play a different game. And it worked. Now, they’re a tech giant known worldwide.

But it’s not just tech giants who’ve mastered this art. Look at Old Spice. Once seen as your granddad’s aftershave, they revamped their image with edgy marketing and fresh scents, targeting a younger, hipper audience. The result? A dramatic turnaround in perception and sales.

So, what’s the best route for your brand? This guide will help you decide between a refresh and a rebrand. We’ll use real stories, like Apple and Old Spice, and clear, no-nonsense advice to help you decide. Whether you’re a startup or an established business, understanding how to evolve your brand skillfully is key to staying ahead.

Let’s get started.

Brand Refresh: The Ultimate Guide

Brand refresh vs. rebrand Ten key reasons for a brand refresh Brand refresh strategy Brand refresh checklist Brand refresh case studies

Brand refresh vs. rebrand

A brand refresh is about subtle updates to your brand’s look and feel to stay in tune with current trends and customer preferences. It’s like updating your wardrobe with a few contemporary pieces while keeping your signature style. Your brand’s core identity remains unchanged; it just gets a more modern presentation.

For example, over the years, Coca-Cola has tweaked its logo and packaging to stay modern and appealing. Yet, the fundamental design and brand identity have remained consistent, preserving its iconic status.

Starbucks updated its logo by removing the brand name and focusing on the siren image, making it more minimalist and adaptable for digital use while maintaining its recognizable identity.

McDonald’s refreshed its store interiors with a more contemporary and comfortable design. This change updated the customer experience while maintaining their core branding elements, like the Golden Arches.

Crowdspring refreshed its logo five years ago with a more contemporary and unique design. We also updated some of our brand colors.

A rebrand is a comprehensive transformation of your brand. It involves changing major elements of your brand identity, such as your company name , logo, messaging, and possibly your business values and target audience . This is usually done in response to significant shifts in the market, company mergers, or to shed a negative image.

For example, once known as a brand for older men, Old Spice rebranded with new scents, a new marketing campaign targeting younger consumers, and a completely revamped brand image.

Burberry rebranded to shed its old image associated with gang culture in the UK. They updated their product lines, marketing strategies , and brand messaging, successfully transforming into a high-fashion label.

Airbnb rebranded with a new logo focusing on belonging and unique experiences. This shift was visual and targeted a new positioning in the market.

Ten key reasons for a brand refresh

The ability to adapt and stay relevant is key to business success. A brand refresh, distinct from a complete rebrand, offers a powerful strategy to revitalize your business’s image, align with current trends, and resonate more deeply with your audience. Here are ten key reasons why a well-executed brand refresh can invigorate your business and help you compete better:

• Staying relevant to market trends. Keeping up with evolving market trends ensures that the brand remains appealing and contemporary. A clothing brand can update its visual identity to echo current fashion trends, attracting trend-conscious shoppers. An online gadget retailer can revamp its website with the latest UX trends, improving navigation and customer satisfaction.
• Attracting a new customer base. Refreshing a brand can help attract new demographics or market segments. A traditional bookstore can introduce a modernized logo and host community events, appealing to a younger audience. A gaming website can be redesigned with a cleaner, more sophisticated look to attract older, more affluent gamers.
• Differentiating from competitors. A brand refresh can help a business stand out in a crowded market. A local cafe can adopt a unique artisanal theme in its branding, distinguishing itself from chain coffee shops. An e-commerce fashion store can revamp its branding to focus on sustainable fashion, setting it apart from fast-fashion websites.
• Aligning with evolving business goals. As business objectives evolve, a brand refresh can realign the brand’s image with these new goals. A family-run restaurant can refresh its brand to emphasize its new organic menu. An online investment platform can update its branding to reflect its shift towards ethical investing.
• Boosting brand perception and value . A refreshed brand can enhance perceived value and prestige. A local electronics retailer can update its brand to a more premium look, attracting high-end customers. An online course provider can revamp its branding to emphasize elite, expert-led courses, enhancing perceived value.
• Rejuvenating company culture. A brand refresh can reflect and reinforce changes in company culture. An office supplies company can update its branding to mirror its new focus on eco-friendly products. A remote team collaboration tool can revamp its brand to reflect a more dynamic, innovative approach to teamwork.
• Improving customer loyalty and retention. Refreshing a brand can renew customer interest and loyalty. A local grocery chain can revamp its brand with a focus on local community engagement, deepening local customer loyalty. A subscription-based music streaming service can introduce a more user-centric brand image, enhancing user retention.
• Enhancing marketing and advertising efficiency. A modernized brand can make marketing efforts more impactful. A boutique hotel can update its branding with a more visually appealing logo and themes, improving its advertising appeal. An online pet supplies store can revamp its branding with vibrant, eye-catching colors, increasing ad click-through rates.
• Expanding to new markets or regions. A brand refresh can facilitate expansion into new geographic or demographic markets. A regional health food store chain can refresh its brand to appeal to a national audience. A language learning app can update its branding to be more culturally inclusive, aiding its international expansion.
• Modernizing the brand for digital compatibility. Ensuring the brand is suited for today’s digital landscape is crucial. A traditional watchmaker can introduce a digital-friendly brand identity to boost its online presence. An online news portal can revamp its branding for better readability and engagement on mobile devices.

Brand refresh strategy

Here’s how to approach a brand refresh:

1. Assess the need for a brand refresh

Before jumping into a rebrand, determine if a refresh is more suitable. Consider:

• Is the brand’s image slightly outdated but still recognizable?
• Are there minor misalignments with the market trends or audience expectations?
• Is the company undergoing small-scale changes in product lines or services?

A local cafe might refresh its image with a new interior design and updated packaging to appeal to a younger crowd without altering its well-loved brand identity.

2. Brainstorm

A successful brand refresh is a collaborative effort involving the whole team to infuse new life into your brand’s future. Here are ten key elements to consider:

• Logo . Modernize your logo to make it unique and memorable. A logo that stands out can set the tone for your brand identity.
• Font . Choose a font that is professional and aligns with your brand’s personality. An accessible and distinct font can significantly enhance brand recognition.
• Color palette . Use color theory to pick a palette that reflects your brand’s values and appeals to your target audience. Colors can evoke emotions and associations that resonate with customers.
• Brand slogan . Craft a slogan that speaks directly to your audience’s needs and aspirations. A well-thought-out slogan can encapsulate your brand’s essence and mission .
• Writing style . Develop a consistent writing style across all your communications. This style should align with your brand personality and speak directly to your target customers.
• Website design . Update your website to be visually appealing, user-friendly, and reflect your updated brand image. Your website is often the first point of contact with customers, so it should make a strong impression.
• Social media presence . Ensure your social media profiles are consistent with your refreshed brand. This includes visual elements and the tone and type of content you post.
• Marketing materials. Revise all marketing materials – brochures, business cards , email templates – to align with the new brand look and message. Consistency across all materials reinforces your refreshed brand.
• Product packaging . If applicable, redesign your product packaging to reflect the new brand identity. Packaging is a tangible aspect of your brand that customers interact with directly.
• Customer experience . Consider how the refresh can be extended to the overall customer experience. This might include changes in customer service approach, store layout, or user experience for online platforms.

A retail clothing brand could modernize its website for a better user experience while maintaining its classic style in merchandise.

3. Leverage social media for engagement

Use social media for a soft launch of your refresh. Engage in social listening and consider audience feedback. Use platforms like Instagram and Pinterest for more visual engagement.

A beauty brand could tease new packaging designs on Instagram, encouraging follower feedback to gauge reception.

4. Address the audience’s emotions and desires

Connect with your audience to understand their emotional connection to your brand. Consider:

• Hosting focus groups or customer interviews.
• Conducting surveys to gather detailed feedback.

A tech company could host a customer feedback session to understand how users feel about their product interface, guiding updates in design.

5. Implement changes gradually

Start with minor changes and monitor feedback. For instance, introduce new product packaging before overhauling the entire product line. An office supply company could start by updating the design of its most popular product before revamping the entire range.

6. Monitor and measure impact

After implementation, closely monitor the impact on sales, customer feedback, and brand perception. Use tools like Google Analytics and social media insights for data-driven insights.

A bookstore could track changes in foot traffic and online engagement after refreshing its store layout and online presence.

7. Ensure team alignment

Ensure that your team understands and embraces the refreshed brand. Internal workshops or meetings can help align everyone with the new brand direction.

A consulting firm might conduct internal workshops to familiarize its staff with the updated brand messaging and visual identity.

Brand refresh checklist

Embarking on a brand refresh is an exciting but intricate process. To navigate a brand refresh successfully, you’ll need a good checklist covering everything from market research to the final rollout. Whether you’re refreshing an online platform or an offline business, these key steps will help ensure a smooth transition and a vibrant, updated brand presence.

Conduct market research and competitive analysis

You must understand market shifts and customer needs and analyze competitors .

A local bookstore can survey to understand changing reading preferences and analyze nearby bookstores to identify gaps in offerings. An e-commerce fashion retailer can use data analytics to track emerging fashion trends and study competitors’ strategies for engaging younger audiences.

Refine your visual identity

Update your logo, color palette, and other visual elements to be more contemporary while maintaining brand recognition.

A coffee shop can update its logo to a more minimalist design, keeping its iconic symbol but making it sleeker. An online learning platform can introduce brighter colors and a more dynamic logo to appear more engaging and accessible.

Revitalize brand messaging with emotional appeal

Craft messaging that resonates emotionally with your target audience, reflecting your brand’s values and ethos.

A fitness center can rework its messaging to emphasize community and personal well-being, not just physical fitness. A mental health app can update its messaging to focus on empowerment and resilience, connecting more deeply with users.

Audit and update content and brand collateral

Review and update existing content and marketing materials to align with your refreshed brand.

A boutique can update its in-store signage and brochures to reflect its new eco-friendly focus. An online gadget store can overhaul its product descriptions and blog posts to align with a more tech-savvy, modern tone.

Develop and execute an implementation plan

Plan the rollout of your brand refresh, ensuring internal and external communication is clear and consistent.

A restaurant can plan a phased introduction of its new menu and interior design and staff training to communicate the changes to customers. An online service provider can schedule updates to its website, social media, and email campaigns to introduce the new branding in a coordinated manner.

You should also consider the following ten additional elements (not all may be relevant to your business):

• Employee engagement and training. Ensure that your team understands the new brand elements and how to communicate them effectively. This is crucial for maintaining consistency and reinforcing the refreshed brand internally and externally.
• Customer feedback mechanisms. Set up channels to gather customer feedback throughout the refresh process. This can help fine-tune the changes and ensure they resonate well with your target audience.
• Digital asset management. Update all digital assets, including social media profiles, email signatures, and online advertisements, to reflect the new brand identity. You can use digital asset management software to manage your assets.
• Legal considerations . If your refresh includes significant changes to logos or slogans, ensure these are legally available and protected.
• Crisis management planning . Prepare for potential challenges or negative feedback that might arise during the refresh process and have a plan to address these effectively.
• Sustainability considerations. Consider how your brand refresh can incorporate sustainable practices or highlight your commitment to environmental responsibility if applicable.
• Community engagement and CSR. Align any community engagement or corporate social responsibility initiatives with your refreshed brand values and messaging.
• Monitoring and analytics. Set up tools and processes to monitor how the brand refresh is being received and measure its impact on key performance indicators.
• Ongoing review and adaptation. Plan for regular reviews of the refreshed brand to ensure it continues to align with your business goals and market dynamics.
• Post-launch marketing campaign. Develop a marketing campaign to promote your refreshed brand and communicate the changes to your audience.

Brand refresh case study: Gucci

Gucci’s brand refresh and revitalization is a prime example of how a well-executed brand refresh can reinvigorate a classic brand and make it relevant for a new era.

Before its revitalization, Gucci, while recognized as a luxury brand, had begun to lose its allure among younger consumers. The brand was perceived as stagnant and not in tune with the evolving fashion landscape.

Gucci adopted the following strategy for a brand refresh:

• New creative direction. Gucci appointed Alessandro Michele as the new creative director in 2015. Michele brought a new aesthetic to Gucci’s collections, infusing them with eclectic, bohemian, and gender-fluid styles. This shift was a radical departure from Gucci’s previous image but resonated strongly with younger demographics.
• Digital engagement. Gucci bolstered its digital presence, embracing social media and digital marketing. They engaged with younger audiences through platforms like Instagram and TikTok, showcasing their revamped designs and new brand personality.
• Inclusive marketing. Under Michele, Gucci’s marketing campaigns became more inclusive, featuring diverse models and breaking away from traditional luxury marketing norms. This inclusivity helped Gucci to appear more accessible and relevant to a broader audience.
• Collaborations and pop culture. Gucci embarked on high-profile collaborations with celebrities, artists, and designers, further embedding the brand in contemporary culture. Collaborations with stars like Harry Styles, who resonates with a younger audience, helped reposition the brand.
• Sustainability initiatives. Gucci is also committed to sustainability, an important value for the newer generation of consumers. This commitment was evident in their materials, production processes, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The brand refresh was a resounding success. Gucci experienced a significant surge in sales, especially among millennials and Gen Z consumers. The brand retained its luxury status while becoming more relevant, edgy, and inclusive. Gucci’s revitalization is now studied as a textbook example of how a heritage brand can reinvent itself for the modern market.

Brand refresh case study: BloomTech

Startups and small businesses can benefit from a brand refresh too. Most startups refresh their brand every 3 to 5 years. Let’s look at a fictional example. BloomTech, a startup specializing in smart gardening technology, initially positioned itself as a high-tech solution for experienced gardeners. However, they struggled with broad market appeal and needed to refresh their brand to connect with a wider audience.

They could adopt the following strategy for a brand refresh:

• Revise brand messaging. BloomTech can shift its messaging from being heavily tech-focused to emphasizing ease of use and accessibility for all gardening enthusiasts, including beginners. This approach can make the brand more inviting to a non-technical audience.
• Visual identity update. The startup can update its logo and color palette to reflect a more eco-friendly and approachable vibe. The new design uses earthy tones and a simpler logo, aligning with their mission of making gardening accessible and enjoyable.
• Enhanced digital experience. BloomTech can redesign its website for a better user experience by recognizing the importance of online engagement. They can include interactive features like a virtual garden planner and a blog with gardening tips, appealing to diverse users.
• Community building and engagement. BloomTech can initiate community gardening projects and workshops, fostering a sense of community. They can use social media platforms to share stories from these events, effectively using content marketing to build brand awareness.
• Customer feedback integration. BloomTech can continuously improve its products and services by regularly soliciting and incorporating customer feedback. This customer-centric approach can help refine their offerings and build a loyal customer base.
• Partnerships with eco-organizations. To strengthen its eco-friendly brand image, BloomTech can partner with environmental organizations and participate in green initiatives. This can reinforce their commitment to sustainability and increase their visibility among like-minded consumers.

BloomTech’s brand refresh can be instrumental in redefining its market position. They can attract a wider customer base by broadening their appeal and focusing on community and sustainability. The brand can successfully transition from a niche tech product to a beloved tool for gardeners of all levels, showcasing the power of effective branding for startups.

In a world of constant change, a strategic brand refresh is vital in securing your brand’s future. It’s about more than keeping up; it’s about leading the way and showing your audience that you’re evolving. This journey may take time, but the payoff in relevance, customer engagement, and market presence is substantial. Embrace this change, and let your brand’s adaptability become its most enduring strength.

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The Ultimate Guide to Brand Refresh in 2024

A brand is more than a name or a logo. It's the association and relationship your customers have with your company. Its a foundation to help you stand out from the competition. Its an opportunity to increase the value of your services.

Unfortunately, your business can easily lose the power of branding over time. If you don't feel your brand is working hard enough for your business, it might be time for a brand refresh. Managing this process is complex, which is why successful companies such as Optable entrust their branding efforts to professional agencies like RCCO . 

So what does it take to breathe new life into your brand?

This guide has you covered. We'll explore what a brand update entails and how it differs from a complete rebranding. Better yet, we'll reveal the most effective strategies to ensure your brand stays relevant and vibrant.

Let’s dive in. 

What is a Brand Refresh?

A brand refresh is essentially giving your existing brand a 'facelift'. It's a process of fine-tuning that aligns your company's evolving identity, values and market positioning with its outward expression without significantly altering the brand's core DNA.

We like to say a brand refresh can come in two categories - a brand evolution and brand revolution. The brand evolution is all about taking what exists and improving it, a brand revolution is pushing the boundaries and moving further into the unknown from the existing brand. Both are great options to pursue and often our clients will explore both routes.

The primary goal of a brand refresh is to re-energise existing connections while nurturing new ones. When a business wants to update its image due to shifting trends, it often updates:

• The logo and brand mark
• The typeface they use
• The colours they're known for
• The phrase or slogan
• The style and tone of communications

A brand refresh doesn't have to be a complete overhaul. It doesn't mean throwing out your old brand identity and starting from scratch. It can be a refined adaptation of what you already have—a slight shift in direction rather than a full U-turn. 

A brand refresh keeps your brand's essence intact while ensuring it doesn't get left behind in the race.

Rebrand vs Brand Refresh

In contrast to a brand refresh, rebranding involves a much more significant transformation, more of a revolution than evolution. It signifies a fundamental change in the company's identity, triggered by:

• Change in offerings
• Change in leadership
• A significant change in the customer base
• A shift in business strategy or market position

The rebrand might involve a new name, logo, design aesthetic, or even a change in the mission and vision.

Comparatively, a brand refresh is a lighter and less drastic option. While rebranding is like moving to a new house and starting from scratch, a brand refresh is more like redecorating your existing house. It preserves the core identity while updating certain elements to keep up with the evolving business landscape.

While both can invigorate your brand, they are different tools for different circumstances with different levels of risk and reward.

Why is a Brand Refresh Important?

A brand refresh plays a pivotal role in effectively managing a brand. Let’s look at some key reasons why it's crucial:

• Maintaining relevance : Brands must evolve to stay in tune with the shifting landscape of customer preferences, market trends, and societal norms. A brand refresh helps keep your brand modern and relevant.
• Connecting with new audiences : As your business grows, your audience may expand or shift. Refreshing your brand ensures you connect with these new audiences effectively.
• Reflecting business growth or change : Your business might diversify, pivot, or grow over time. A brand refresh helps align your brand with these changes and demonstrate your evolution.
• Staying competitive : In a fast-paced market, refreshing your brand keeps you in the race. It helps maintain your edge against competitors and attracts customer attention.
• Increasing quality : A brand refresh can infuse new life into your business and it can ensure your identity reflects the level of quality your service or business offers. It revitalises your team, reassures existing customers, and piques the interest of potential clients.

When is the Right Time to Consider a Brand Refresh?

Identifying the right time for a brand refresh can be critical to maintaining your business's success and relevance. Let's explore various situations that may signal it's time for your brand to undergo an update.

Your Brand is Outdated

With trends changing in the blink of an eye, an outdated brand can quickly lose traction. If your brand's visuals or messaging no longer resonate with current trends or your audience's evolving tastes, your brand may be perceived as outdated. 

It's more than a question of aesthetics; it's about whether your brand aligns with the trends and mirrors the realities and expectations of your customers.

Your audience's needs and wants aren't static. Your brand must adapt as tastes mature, technology advances, and societal norms progress. Whether it's a fresh, modern aesthetic or a shift in messaging tone, a brand refresh can help you stay in tune with the times and maintain a connection with your audience.

Your Brand is Inconsistent

Consistency is the hallmark of a strong brand. If your brand presentation is inconsistent across various channels and customer touchpoints, it dilutes your brand identity and confuses your audience. 

Consistency applies to visual elements like the logo, colour palette and typography, your brand's voice, tone, and messaging.

Inconsistency arises from a lack of a clear brand guideline or due to significant growth or expansion and can harm your brand's recognition and credibility. A brand refresh can help you establish a unified brand identity, creating a seamless brand experience that builds trust and loyalty.

The Market Became More Competitive

With new brands constantly entering the market, staying competitive is a never-ending battle. If you notice your brand is becoming too similar to others in the crowded marketplace, a brand refresh can be the tool to set you apart.

However, it's not about being different for the sake of being different. It's about defining and highlighting your unique value proposition—i.e., what sets your brand apart. A well-executed brand refresh will carve a distinct niche, highlight your unique selling points, and reposition your brand in the competitive landscape.

Marketing Campaigns Aren’t Working Well

Your brand serves as the foundation of your marketing campaigns. If these campaigns don't resonate with your audience or drive the desired results, it might signal that your brand needs a refresh.

• Are your marketing messages compelling? 
• Do your visuals engage your audience? 
• Does your brand voice echo your audience's values and aspirations?

If the data and metrics show the answer to these questions is no, it's time to reevaluate your brand. A brand refresh can revamp your brand and breathe new life into your marketing campaigns.

Your Brand’s Audience Has Changed

As your business evolves, so might your target audience. If your business is growing, you might start entering new markets, targeting a different demographic, or trying to entice more customers. 

The problem is your current brand may not be attractive to these new groups.

Understanding this new target market's needs, preferences, and behaviours is essential to capturing them. Armed with a strong grasp of these data points, you can deliver a brand refresh that speaks their language, aligns with their values, and appeals to their tastes.

Brand Refresh Strategies

A brand refresh is an exciting journey, but it is also one that demands a meticulous strategy. Let's delve into some effective strategies to help navigate your brand refresh process and set your brand up for renewed success.

Rebrand or Brand Refresh

The initial step in your brand refresh journey involves a crucial decision—will you opt for a complete rebrand, or will a brand refresh suffice? 

This choice should be informed by your brand's current state and your strategic objectives. 

A refresh may be the optimal solution if your brand is outdated but maintains strong equity. However, a rebrand might be necessary if your business strategy or target audience has drastically shifted. Take time to assess your brand's condition and your business's future direction before deciding.

If you are not sure, at RCCO, we can explore both routes for your business and you can decide once we have proposed some routes for your brand. Often we will run discovery workshops to better understand the requirements and make the decision clearer.

Competitive Market Research

Staying informed about your competition and industry trends is essential in a competitive market. A deep dive into the market landscape can uncover new opportunities, threats, and areas where your brand can carve a unique niche. 

This research could involve: 

• Analysing your competitors' branding strategies
• Understanding their strengths and weaknesses
• Pinpointing gaps your brand could fill

Utilise this knowledge to inform your brand refresh strategy and help your brand stand out.

Target Audience Research

A successful brand refresh necessitates a profound understanding of your target audience. As customer preferences change, your brand must evolve to meet these new expectations. 

Engage in comprehensive audience research to map out your customer personas, understand their needs, wants, and pain points, and identify how your brand can best resonate with them. 

Data-driven insights can guide your brand refresh process to ensure it resonates with your current and potential audience.

What to Update in the Brand’s Visual Identity

Once you've gathered your insights, determine which aspects of your brand's visual identity need an update. Visual elements like your logo, colour palette, typography, and imagery form a significant part of your brand's impression on your audience. 

While you want your brand to look contemporary and fresh, it's important not to go too far from what your brand stands for. Your refreshed brand should still be recognisable to your existing customers while appealing to potential new ones.

Appeal to Emotions in Messaging

Emotional appeal is a powerful branding tool. People connect with stories and emotions more deeply than with facts and figures. As you refresh your brand, consider how you can weave emotional narratives into your messaging. 

Stories of transformation, growth, resilience, or innovation can evoke emotions and forge stronger connections with your audience.

Do a Content Audit

A brand refresh isn't just about updating your visual identity; it should also include a comprehensive content audit. Examine all your brand touchpoints, from your website and blog posts to your social media content and marketing collateral.

Identify any inconsistencies and ensure all content aligns with your refreshed brand. A coherent brand experience across all platforms and touchpoints is vital in building and maintaining brand trust.

Communicate Through Social Media Channels

In the digital age, social media channels provide a direct line to your audience. These platforms offer a space to announce your refreshed brand, showcase its updated look and feel, and interact with your audience. Use these channels to engage in conversations, solicit feedback, and share your brand's renewed story. 

A brand refresh is a journey that your business takes with its customers. So, keep them engaged and invested in your brand's evolution.

Brand Refresh Examples

A practical way to understand the potential and impact of a brand refresh is to study examples from successful businesses. Here, we discuss several prominent examples of brand refreshes.

About the company : Paynovate is an e-money institution that aims to provide trusted, innovative, and secure financial solutions.

The challenge : Paynovate needed to maintain its reputation while updating its brand identity to increase awareness and clarity of its unique offerings.

The solution : RCCO designed a brand identity that encapsulated Paynovate's dedication to innovation, demonstrated through a custom logo and a newly designed website.

The result : The brand refresh succeeded in communicating Paynovate's core values across all touchpoints. It effectively distinguished Paynovate from other acquiring partners.

About the company : Starbucks is a global coffee giant known for its range of coffee products and related services.

The challenge : The company sought to reflect its evolution beyond coffee through a refreshed brand image.

The solution : Starbucks simplified its logo by removing the "Starbucks Coffee" text and focusing instead on the iconic mermaid image.

The result : The simplified logo symbolised Starbucks' expansion beyond coffee. It represented a broader range of Starbucks products and services.

About the company : Mastercard is a multinational financial services corporation known for its credit and debit card services.

The challenge : In 2016, the company realised the need to modernise its iconic logo and reflect its increasing global reach. 

The solution : Mastercard simplified its logo design. They are focused on a clean, minimalist look and move the brand's name below the circles in a contemporary sans-serif font.

The result : Mastercard's logo-only redesign facilitated global recognition and easy implementation across digital platforms. It also aligns with the brand's focus on simplicity.

About the company : Walmart is an international retail corporation known for its chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores.

The challenge : Walmart aimed to update its brand image to come across as a more friendly and approachable retailer.

The solution : The company swapped its angular logo for a rounded, friendlier design, introducing a bright blue colour and a stylised yellow 'spark'.

The result : The refreshed logo and brand image successfully presented Walmart as a more approachable retailer.

About the company : UPS (United Parcel Service) is a multinational package delivery and supply chain management company.

The challenge : In 2003, UPS needed to modernise its brand image to reflect its expansion beyond package delivery.

The solution : The company refreshed its logo by keeping the iconic shield but eliminating the package and bow imagery. The new logo adopted a brown and gold colour scheme.

The result : UPS successfully modernised its logo, maintaining its iconic badge shape while introducing new colours and shading. This refresh created a more 3D, engaging appearance that represents the brand's progression.

These examples illustrate how companies can approach a brand refresh by updating their logo, modernising their website, or changing their colour palette. A well-executed brand refresh can effectively redefine a brand's image while staying true to its core identity.

Final Thoughts

A brand refresh is more than a mere facelift. It's an investment in your brand's future, ensuring it remains vibrant and resonant with its evolving audience and market trends.

A successful brand refresh requires careful planning, strategic insight, and a deep understanding of your brand's essence and its audience. It's a delicate balance between retaining what works and what doesn't while introducing new elements that align with your brand's future direction.

As illustrated with Paynovate, collaboration with a seasoned branding agency such as RCCO can be instrumental in navigating this transformative process. RCCO's portfolio showcases a wealth of experience in helping brands refresh their identities while staying true to their core.

Take the next step in your brand's journey. Explore RCCO's past work and get in touch with us via the RCCO contact page . Let's collaboratively breathe new life into your brand.

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by Kati Vervack in Community Mar 21, 2024

Thanks to our friends at BB Agency for sponsoring this blog!

Imagine stumbling upon old photos of yourself, and you can’t help but laugh—or maybe even cringe—at what you once considered the height of fashion. Back then, it felt right, but looking at it today, it just speaks of a different, very distant era. It’s a feeling us creatives understand all too well when drawing parallels between personal style and branding. After all, the essence of branding is deeply rooted in the concepts of identity, character, or personality.

No matter if you’re spicing up your personal brand, carving out your freelancer identity, or revamping the face of your studio or agency—the core tenets of brand development and refresh hold true across the board. This article dives into key brand refresh strategies for those looking to revise their public persona, further illustrated through reflections on BB Agency’s recent brand refresh and website redesign.

Know Your Reasoning and Purpose

Pinpointing the rationale behind your brand refresh should be the starting point. This insight shapes every other aspect of the process, making it coherent and purposeful. In other words, a well-thought-out rationale breathes life into your brand, aligning any updates you make with your evolving narrative and strategic ambitions.

Speaking from our recent experience with the BB brand refresh , it was a strategic move to showcase our maturity and readiness for deeper partnerships. Our earlier branding, although functional, missed a sense of purpose that left it feeling a bit unremarkable. It just fell short in capturing the essence of who we’ve become, so it was time for an upgrade.

This shift aims to position us as an end-to-end partner for digital transformation, evolving from a service provider to a strategic ally. With this renewed focus, we infused our offerings with more motion design and reengineered our website on an updated WordPress platform. These changes reflect our commitment to adaptability and top-notch quality, mirroring our full-cycle capabilities.

Visual Identity Changes

Refreshing your visual identity is a powerful way to signal your brand’s maturity and fresh strategic direction. It’s about aligning your brand’s look and feel with its current positioning and future aspirations. Modifying your visual identity through logo updates, color palette revisions, and typography changes can greatly influence brand perception. Here’s how.

• Logo evolution: As your logo is often the first interaction people have with your brand, even minor tweaks can significantly impact brand perception. An update to the logo design can reflect your growth, new direction, or refined focus. Consider subtle changes that modernize your logo while maintaining brand recognition.
• Color palette revision: Revise your color scheme to align with your brand’s new positioning and aspirations. Color choices should not only boost recognition but also convey the emotions and values associated with your brand. The updated palette should be versatile enough for various applications while maintaining consistency across all brand touch points. Go for colors that offer stronger expression and test out combinations to see how they work across scenarios.
• Typography changes: Typography can significantly impact how your message is received. Choosing the right typeface can help convey your brand’s personality—whether it’s authoritative, playful, sophisticated, or [fill in the blank]! Except for aesthetics, consider the readability and accessibility aspects, too. Your chosen fonts should be easy to read on various devices and sizes. Besides that, it’s better to limit the number of typefaces used to maintain a cohesive visual identity.

What We Did at BB

As for the logo, we chose not to update our design, opting instead to maintain and further grow the legacy that has defined our brand since 2016. While we tackled different aspects of brand uplift with varying levels of intervention, we decided to keep the consistency in certain key elements, including our logo, which remains unchanged as a deliberate choice in our brand evolution.

In updating our color palette, we made some subtle but impactful changes. Realizing our signature BB Dark Green is overshadowing the client work in our showcase, made us rethink our approach. To ensure our portfolio took center stage, we shifted to a more subdued backdrop of pure Black and White, with some hints of color here and there. The update reflects our brand’s maturity and versatility, which improved our website’s clarity and gave more flexibility to our marketing materials.

As for the font, we kept the Lota Grotesque font across our website and communications, enhancing our typography use to match our marketing needs. It was the adjustments in typography usage, not the typeface itself, that marked our evolution. This geometric, approachable sans-serif font supports 219 languages, fitting our global agency profile. We’ve increased our website’s base text size from 20pt to 24pt for better readability and accessibility, adapting to industry trends. The shift to a pure black-and-white color scheme also boosts the clarity of our typography, infusing our presentation with both flexibility and a mature aesthetic.

Website Redesign Essentials

A well-thought-through website redesign is crucial for showcasing your brand’s growth. It should mirror your strategic development, level up user experience (UX), and incorporate contemporary UI design principles. Additionally, it offers a perfect opportunity to demonstrate your skills—emphasizing certain digital experiences, like motion and interactivity, to boost storytelling. Here’s how to tackle these key aspects successfully.

• UX Improvements: If you’re redesigning an existing website, by now you probably know your audience and have a good idea of what they interact with, where they spend the most time, where they drop off, etc. Use analytics, user feedback, and usability testing to inform the redesign process , simplifying navigation and ensuring the information architecture logically flows from one section to another.
• UI Enhancements: Your UI should reflect your updated brand identity, including your new color palette, typography, and logo. Consistency in these visual elements across all pages reinforces recognition. Rely on color, contrast, typography, and spacing to guide users’ attention to important elements and actions. A well-defined visual hierarchy enhances the overall user experience and facilitates conversions.
• Motion and Interactivity: Motion design and interactive elements need to be purposeful, not distracting. Use animation to enhance the storytelling on your site and guide the user journey, giving intuitive cues and engaging site visitors more deeply with your content. If motion design is part of your offering, integrating these elements into your website acts as a portfolio showcase. Consider the performance implications and ensure these elements are optimally integrated for smooth loading and interaction.

We’ve revamped our website to enhance user experience, making navigation simple and interconnected, and simplifying our blog’s taxonomy to improve readability and engagement. Highlighting our commitment to transparency, we’ve restructured our services into five core pillars—Research, Branding, UX Design, Interface Design, and Development—offering a clearer view of our capabilities. We also decided to introduce an “Achievements” page to showcase our successes, client testimonials, and project results, validating the effectiveness of our ways of working and building trust with potential clients.

In our UI revamp, we went for a more natural evolution, refining the existing structure with key changes for a subtle transition. We restructured most pages and content presentation, introducing a new fluid grid system for full scalability across devices. Our approach reflects an industry shift towards larger, more impactful visual presentations, balancing clean design with dynamic content. We believe these updates improve our site’s visual appeal and place our offering, results, and collective identity center stage.

Integrating motion design across our digital presence underlines our commitment to dynamic storytelling. This shift not only enriches the user experience but also aligns with our focus on being at the cutting edge of digital design and communication. We did experience a slight impact on performance but found the trade-off worthwhile.

Communication Style Evolution

Revising your verbal identity and overall communication style is another facet to consider to maintain relevance and resonance with your target audience—especially as your brand evolves. It’s about fine-tuning how you convey your brand story, values, and offerings. Here’s how to refine your tone of voice and content strategy.

• Tone of voice refinement: As the aspects of your brand personality evolve, so should your tone of voice. For example, you might be moving away from being formal to being more approachable, so your tone of voice should communicate the newly established attributes consistently across all platforms. Conduct a tone-of-voice audit across all your communications to identify any gaps and areas for improvement. Use these insights to create clear guidelines that include examples and scenarios for practical application.
• Content strategy adjustments: Review your existing content to ensure it aligns with your updated brand positioning and tone of voice. Your content should reflect your brand’s strategic shifts while making sure it provides real value to your audience. Beyond showcasing your work and capabilities, focus on addressing common challenges, sharing insights, and fostering two-way conversation where appropriate. Plan your content calendar with topics that resonate with your target audience, incorporating various formats such as blog posts, videos, or podcasts.

We revamped our tone of voice and communication style to reinforce our partnership-focused narratives. This approach puts collaboration at the forefront, highlighting our role as a strategic partner, the results we deliver, and the alignment with our mission and values.

When it comes to content strategy, as we’re shifting our focus toward establishing ourselves as industry thought leaders, we’re starting by shedding more light on our projects, thought processes, and operational methodologies. With that in mind, we aim to share genuine insights into our daily collaborations with clients, the nuances of building and growing an agency, and more.

And That’s a Wrap

A brand refresh is a strategic endeavor that realigns every aspect of your identity with its evolved mission, values, and value prop. Through purposeful changes, clear strategic objectives, and a holistic approach to all the key areas, a brand refresh can significantly boost your positioning and recognition. As you tackle these shifts with clarity, purpose, and strategic foresight, you are more likely to make an impact.

If you’d like to see some of these best practices in action, take the BB website for a spin!

BB Agency is a partner for digital evolution, merging creativity, strategy, and technology for holistic growth. By joining forces with companies dedicated to addressing real human needs, we rely on our full-cycle digital capabilities to shape brands, experiences, and products that enrich the lives of millions every single day. Our approach is rooted in a deep understanding of our clients’ unique challenges and opportunities, geared towards driving holistic change and creating lasting value.

Find more Community stories on our blog Courtside . Have a suggestion? Contact [email protected] .

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Brand redesign vs. brand refresh: What is the difference and which one is right for you?

Your brand’s identity is the essence of who you are. It injects confidence in your people and business and sets you apart from your competitors. Great branding helps you to humanize your company, creating a deeper and strong connection with your target audience. They see you, they hear you, and they can relate to you. However, sometimes you need to work on your brand identity to improve it.

For that reason, you need to choose brand refresh or brand redesigning. But you need to choose the one based on your goals and brand conditions. Wondering how they are different from one another? Read more to get an idea.

What is a brand refresh? 

A brand refresh is considered a tactical maneuver. Things involved in the brand refresh process will depend on how you want your customers to perceive your brand. Generally, the idea of brand refresh is to greatly impact how your company sounds, feels, and looks to your consumers. This means changing:

• Your visual branding
• Your brand voice
• Your product offering and customer service

Your brand must reflect current market trends and methods as the industries grow and change. If your company stays the same while all the brands in your particular industry change, adopt newer ways of communicating with their audience, and get fresher logos, you risk losing your competitive edge.

Benefits of a brand refresh

There are plenty of important and lucrative advantages of brand refreshing for business owners. Firstly, this marketing strategy keeps a company up to date and strengthens the brand to ensure the business is still competitive in its market.

You will upgrade your company while keeping its core intact. This means your company will still speak to the same target audience but with a more engaging, contemporary, and attractive visual identity.

If you plan to expand, a brand refresh can help you. New visually appealing elements through the brand refresh will attract new customers. On top of that, with the help of brand refresh marketing materials, you can make your brand the center of public consciousness. In fact, many brand refreshes have gained a lot of attention.  

Example of brand refresh

Microsoft is one of the most remarkable examples of a brand refresh. Imagine if Microsoft had never brought changes in their branding and kept the same logo and brand identity as they had in 1975. Would it still be in demand?  

Over the years, this company has greatly evolved to aesthetics that attract customers. Microsoft has changed its logo, colors, graphics, and representation along with the market changes to beat its competitors like Linux and Apple.

Things to consider for a strategic brand refresh  

Competitive analysis

You need to sound, feel, and look different from others in the market. And for that, you need to know what other companies are doing. Competitive analysis will help you look at important factors like:

• Colors, logos, styles, fonts 
• Key messages and taglines 
• Value proposition

Brand key message

When you research and understand the market perception, you need to craft engaging key messages that give you a unique standpoint in the market. This message should have the ability to reach your audience at both emotional and rational levels.

Logo Update

You need a distinctive visual identity composed of a color palette, logo, photography, styles, textures, fonts, and other brand elements. Opt for the logo elements that reflect your message and brand values.

What is a brand redesign?

Redesigning, commonly known as rebranding , is a technique to completely transform your brand. Generally, the primary goal of rebranding is to change and influence a customer’s perception of a product or service that a business offers. Also, the brand needs to make changes based on what will appeal to its current, potential, and new customers.

There are several reasons why a company wants to change its image. For example, they might want to reposition their visions and company to display a change of focus to customers. Or they simply want a technique to appeal to a new group audience, set themselves apart from your competitors, or expand your business scope.

Typically, companies consider a rebranding when:

• The current identity is out of date 
• Old marketing techniques are not helping  
• Competition is growing over time, so that brand needs changes to stand out 
• The audience is changing 
• There is a need to mark new products and services 
• Industry expectations have changed 

Benefits of rebranding 

Though opting for a complete rebrand is a big decision, the advantages of rebranding make it worth it. A strategic rebranding effort can offer several benefits:

• Offer opportunities to increase prices and enter a new market 
• Distancing a company from negative perceptions 
• Improving stakeholder engagement and brand image 
• Attracting more valuable customers 
• Differentiate you from competitors 

Example of rebranding

Our all-time favorite Dunkin’ Donuts was established in 1950, but it has evolved significantly. Recently, they have changed their logo, which doesn’t have a “donut” in their name, and established a completely new identity.  

If you check the logo of this brand, you will notice that they have changed their logo multiple times in the past few decades. The first time they changed their logo was in 1960, 1977, 2002, and 2007. The last change was done in 2009.

Things to consider for a strategic rebranding  

Understand why you need a rebrand

You can only make the right decisions when you know why you’re doing it. Think about the purpose of rebranding and how it can help you expand your business. Once you do that, perform a complete competitive analysis to look for elements that help other companies grow.

Articulate your brand heart

 Your brand heart is composed of:

• Vision: what future do you want to create? 
• Purpose: why do you exist? 
• Values: how do you work? Who are you? 
• Mission: how can you create the future 

These elements will impact every aspect of your brand. Pay special attention to each element to create a brand that can grow.  

Clarify your brand message 

Though you need to change your brand logo, tagline, and marketing strategies, you also need to change your message. Your message needs to reflect your objective and vision to engage your audience.  

What is the difference between a brand refresh and a redesign?

You may have seen many successful companies changing over time, adjusting their brands based on the market and customer’s perspective. Most of these companies either opt for a brand refresh or brand redesign.

A brand refresh doesn’t mean a fundamental change; it primarily focuses on the brand’s logo and a few other minor things, adjusting them according to the current market. Contrary, a redesign will include more serious changes.

Brands that rebrand themselves often start by changing their logo and visuals. A complete rebrand is done to change the message of the company and its identity, which requires creating and implementing new marketing techniques.

You will need to refresh your brand to make it more appealing and update it to attract your customers. It’s also a great idea if your brand needs to address specific market conditions or if the connection between your audience and brand is lost. Refreshing involves changing your slogan, adjusting colors, opting for new marketing materials, and tweaking your fonts and logos.

If your company is not completely outdated, you can choose refreshing instead of brand redesign. This way, you can preserve the integrity of your company while targeting a wider audience and making it more relevant.

As we have discussed, rebranding is more complex and goes beyond changing the logo or website. It will give a completely new applied look to your brand. This strategy requires you to come up with a new philosophy and brand story. Sometimes, it also means changing your primary audience. You can opt for a rebrand if you notice that your company is no longer valuable in the evolving market or if you completely change your business.

Rebranding is also imperative if you decide to merge with another company or when you plan to conquer a completely different industry. This is also crucial if your brand fails to tell its message to people or lacks consistency throughout the brand.

While rebranding is a perfect opportunity to change people’s outlook toward your brand, it’s also super risky. You can lose your value because of a poor rebrand. It’s imperative to deliver a clear as well as new brand message instead of just playing with the one you already have.

In a nutshell, rebranding and brand refresh are two important strategies that a company can use to boost sales, improve brand identity, gain more customers, and retain old clients. However, choosing the right option is important to ensure your business benefits from it rather than destroying its image.

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How a Brand Refresh Can Revive Business Performance

A brand refresh is one of the easiest, most impactful ways you can add new life to your brand —as well as new relevance in the eyes of your customers.

While it is more of a cosmetic solution than a full rebrand, a brand refresh can nonetheless have a powerful, wide-ranging impact. Depending on the brand and the issues it’s facing, a brand refresh can even include adjustments to culture, slogans, and services.

In what follows, we’ll take a closer look at exactly what a brand refresh includes, as well as when, why, and how to refresh your own brand.

What is a Brand Refresh?

What is the difference between a brand refresh and a rebrand, why is a brand refresh important, when is the right time to do a brand refresh, how do you successfully refresh a brand, brand refresh examples, the takeaway.

A brand refresh is a strategic reimagining of a brand’s look and feel. It’s a way to create a new face for brands that are fundamentally strong but feel a bit stale or outdated.

While it usually centers on a redesign of visual identity , a brand refresh can also affect company culture , systems, products, and/or services.

Rejuvenating the look and feel of your brand can go a long way toward injecting new life into business performance and employee morale, after all.

Understanding the difference between brand refresh vs. rebrand is a good place to start. As we’ll see, the distinction itself is a measure of depth. So, understanding the difference should shed light on what’s most appropriate for your brand.

Brand Refresh

Companies that remain stagnant while their competitors reinvent themselves with fresh looks and relevant ways to communicate can expect to lose their competitive edge in no time.

A brand refresh is often the answer, a tactical initiative that ensures a brand is keeping pace with current marketplace trends.

Don’t be mistaken by the name, though. Refreshing a brand can be a wide-ranging initiative , redefining your brand’s visual and verbal language across a multitude of touchpoints. It can even include the jettisoning of underperforming or outdated offerings.

Tactical decisions like these are what give the refresh its power. You’re not redefining who you are as a company, you’re just sloughing off the stuff that’s slowing you down—breaking free from outdated perceptions or outmoded ways of communicating with your audience.

What a refresh can’t solve are deep-seated issues like widespread negative perception, internal misalignment, broken brand architecture , or fundamental shifts in a company’s positioning. If these challenges sound familiar, your brand is probably in need of the comprehensive overhaul outlined in the next section.

Compared to a brand refresh, a rebrand is a complete repositioning of your company. It is a fundamental brand update for companies struggling with the systemic issues that accompany substantial growth, a business model shift, or an unmitigable PR disaster.

With a more comprehensive brand update like this, you are abandoning what your brand was for the sake of what it can be. This is the right decision when your current brand is simply no longer sustainable. For companies with negative brand equity (or for those on a downward trajectory that can’t be corrected) it’s really the only option.

Rebooting your brand is a signal to the market that a new strategy is in place, that you are not tied to what got you here, but rather are charting a bold new course for the future. It goes without saying that these types of initiatives are more time- and budget-intensive than a brand refresh, but the dividends they can return are more profound as well.

A thorough branding update lets you shake free from current perceptions and/or associations with your brand. Those associations don’t even have to be negative, necessarily, often times they simply represent a position that you simply can no longer expect to build on.

A brand that has staked its claim on value and low cost, for example, might eventually need to upgrade to positioning centered on quality rather than price consciousness.

Business owners are often all too keen to let go of a brand that isn’t working. It’s critical, however, to have a plan in place for what’s next before you abandon what is. And the only way to ensure a sound, evidence-based plan for your brand’s future is with in-depth brand research and strategy—the extent to which isn’t necessary in a brand refresh.

Create ‘Buzz’

One of the best, most immediate benefits of a branding refresh is that it gives your customers something to talk about.

A new logo and tagline are enough to remind customers your brand exists—and that you’re still relevant to their needs. Add in a well-planned marketing campaign, and you can pique the interest of new potential customers as well.

Increase Sales

Because a brand refresh puts your brand front-of-mind with current and new customers alike, it naturally leads to an uptick in sales.

The more often your current customers and potential leads are thinking about your brand, after all, the more likely they are to opt to buy from you as opposed to one of your competitors.

Raise Prices

Soaring supply chain costs and overall inflation have left all companies looking for ways to raise their prices. A brand refreshing is one of the most effective ways to justify those cost increases in the minds of consumers.

The truth is, customers will always pay a little more for a brand they consider premium than one that has the same stale, outdated look and feel that it’s had for years.

The Ultimate Guide to Rebranding

Everything you need to know about rebranding your business-and avoiding costly mistakes.

Improve Customer Retention

Attracting new customers is one thing, keeping them around is another. Brand refreshment signals to your existing customers that you are evolving alongside their needs, and staying one step ahead of the competition.

Customers like to feel that the brands they associate themselves with are current and relevant. As we’ve mentioned above, nothing signals renewed relevance like a brand refresh.

Attract Top Talent

A brand refreshing is a valuable opportunity to update your employer brand as well. Not unlike customers, most employees would rather work for a company on the leading edge of its industry than a legacy brand that’s resting on its proverbial laurels.

A refresh signals to employees that your company is abreast of current trends and tuned in to employee needs.

Get More Funding

For companies looking to attract investors, a brand refresh is one of the best ways to broadcast your value proposition as an innovative organization worth taking a risk on.

Just like customers are more likely to pay more for brands they consider premium, investors are more likely to allocate funding to companies they perceive as leading the field with fresh ideas and a bold look and feel.

For most companies, a brand refresh is necessary every three to five years, depending on how quickly their particular market changes.

Consumer products across industries like fashion, food & beverage, beauty, and wellness generally need to refresh their brands more often to stay abreast of trends and maintain relevance.

B2B brands on the other hand, across industries like healthcare, technology, financial services, and information technology, will typically need to refresh their brand every five years, plus.

Regardless of which sector your brand operates in, there are a few telltale signs a brand refresh is necessary. If any of the following five common signs look familiar with your brand, it may be time to consider an update.

Your Brand Feels Outdated

The most obvious sign that a refresh is necessary is a brand that just looks and/or sounds like something from a previous decade. You don’t have to be an expert in brand design or brand messaging to recognize an outdated brand.

On the both visual and verbal side, the clearest sign of an outdated brand is cliché. If your logo and/or tagline feels like it could have been autogenerated by a robot programmed with a hundred other brands like yours from ten years ago, it’s probably time for a refresh.

Your Brand is Inconsistent

As brands grow and evolve, one of the most common issues they encounter is a lack of focus across their various touchpoints. If you have multiple brands with wildly divergent names and/or logos, or even multiple types of logos , a refresh is probably in order.

Inconsistency doesn’t have to involve multiple brands, though. If each of your marketing pieces and/or sales presentations looks like it was created by a slightly different company, a refresh is the really the only way to realign stakeholders around a cohesive vision for the brand.

You’re Facing Increased Competition

One of the surest signs a brand refresh is in the cards is mounting threats from the competition. This could come in the form of innovative new players entering the competitive landscape and threatening to take market share.

Or it could be simply that your closest competitor has refreshed its brand and is speaking to customers in new and more appealing ways. In either case, a brand refresh is the best way to stay one step ahead of the market.

Your Marketing is Underperforming

Marketing is a not-insignificant investment for every business. (Or at least it should be.) If you’re not seeing the results from your marketing campaigns that you once did, it may be time to refresh the driving force behind them: your brand.

Underperforming marketing is often tied to the inconsistency mentioned above, but it can also be down to the fact that your brand is simply no longer resonating with your target audiences. As we already touched on, waning relevance is a critical concern for every brand—especially those that have been around for a while. It’s also one of the surefire signs a refresh is necessary.

You’re Looking to Appeal to New Audiences

Looking to your expand offerings into new markets? To do so, you’ll probably have to attract a new set of eyeballs. One of the best ways to appeal to new audiences is to refresh your brand with them in mind.

Whether it’s a younger audience, an older audience, or a different socioeconomic demographic altogether, expanding the relevance of your brand to a new customer segment often means retooling your brand identity to signal that you’re no longer confined to serving the needs of your traditional customer base.

Successfully refreshing a brand involves four key steps. Think of them as your brand refresh checklist. Be sure you’ve completed each previous step before you move on to the next one.

Following this brand refresh process will set you up for a success in creating a crisp, new look and feel for your brand.

Understand Current Brand Perceptions

Like all branding initiatives, the most successful brand refreshes start with research. While it isn’t necessary to do exhaustive qualitative and quantitative research into those you serve, it always helps to better understand customers’ current needs before you attempt to refresh your brand in a way that is uniquely relevant to them.

This could take the form of a limited set of customer interviews and/or a brief online survey around what they expect from your brand.

Redefine Brand Strategy

Working with the insights from your customer research, think through the ways in which your brand positioning and messaging needs to be adjusted.

Your brand strategy includes everything from your brand compass to your brand personality to key differentiators. Taking a fresh look at these important components of your brand framework, whether they need to be updated or adjusted, and how they affect key brand messaging elements like your tagline, is an important part of any brand refresh.

Redesign Brand Identity

Typically, the most central work to any brand refresh is an update of visual identity. This includes your logo, color scheme, typography, photographic style, etc.

Because your visual identity is the most immediate and visceral representation of your brand, refreshing that identity has the most immediate impact on customers. A crisp, clean new logo is one of the best signals that a brand has its gaze set firmly on the future.

Reactivate the Brand

The final step of any refresh is to reintroduce your brand to the world. Updating your website and social media channels is one of the first and most immediate steps, but a refresh is only truly successful if your target audience is aware of it.

This means a proactive marketing campaign to get your rejuvenated brand in front of the eyes of those who need to see it. Think through the channels where your customers already are (social media, television, radio, etc.) and craft a brand activation campaign designed to get attention.

The world’s top companies undergo brand refreshes all the time. Here are a few notable brand refresh examples that show just how impactful a refresh can be.

It was the type of bold move that only a household-name brand could pull off, but it was perfectly in keeping with what the company had become: minimalist, experiential, and about much more than just coffee.

The interlocking red and yellow circles are so recognizable that, like Starbucks, MasterCard was in the unique position of completely removing its name from the new mark. The resultant brand is thoroughly modern and yet steeped in a legacy of integrity.

The heart is an emotive punctuation for a brand personality centered on personal touch. A redesign of the company’s livery, airports, and website rounds out a refresh that is modern but true to Southwest’s DNA.

Apart from that, however, hardly anyone in their target audience knew who they were. A full 80 percent of HR professionals had never even heard of the brand. The Zenefits brand refresh is an example of a more profound change, driven by goals of reinvention, competitive differentiation , and brand awareness.

If you’re wondering whether your company needs a brand refresh, you’re not alone. A brand refresh is a great solution for a company who needs a facelift.

Primarily a cosmetic solution, a refresh can nonetheless be wide-ranging and deeply impactful. Just be aware that a brand refresh is not designed to solve deeper-seated issues with positioning, architecture, or misalignment.

Brian Lischer

The Ultimate Guide To Rebranding

Everything you need to know about rebranding your business - and avoiding costly mistakes.

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6 Steps to Pull off the Perfect Brand Refresh

6 Steps to Pull off the Perfect Brand Refresh: You’ve worked hard to build your brand. But lately, things seem to be slowing down. Or maybe you feel like you’re losing touch with your customer base. Or maybe they’re losing touch with you. It may be time for a change. But a little change can go a long way.

In this post, we’ll clarify the difference between rebranding and brand refresh. A brand refresh, if handled competently, can do wonders . Once we clarify the difference between the two, we’ll lay out the six steps you must take to have a successful brand refresh. Let’s get started.

Rebranding vs. Brand Refresh

As your business grows, it’s essential to continue that you remain relevant to the current marketplace. If your competitors adopt to changing times better than you do, they will come out ahead. Over time, imagine if your competitors:

• Adopt newer, fresher looking logos

• change how they communicate with customers

• Improve the consistency of their messaging

…If you didn’t also do this, you would lose your competitive edge.

For a stellar example of brand refresh over time, consider Microsoft.

Over 35 plus years, the company has gone through five corporate logos. Their logo from 1975 sure is a sign of the times, isn’t it? Imagine if they still used that logo today, in 2020. Ironically, this design may be great for a retro-tech  company, or a company that produces hardware novelties. But for a bleeding-edge tech company? No way.

Before you consider a brand update, you’ll need to know the difference between a brand refresh and rebranding.

• Brand refresh. A brand refresh calls for an updated logo and other design elements, but it retains a central theme. A refresh assures your audience that you’re modern and in touch, but it also conveys that you remain in tune with your industry.

• Rebranding. Rebranding is more akin to a total transformation. If a refresh is a makeover, rebranding is plastic surgery. In design terms, you’re not just looking at an updated logo and typeface. You’re talking about entirely new brand identity .

Rebrand or Brand Refresh?

Often, a refresh is sufficient. In fact, going for a total rebrand could be a mistake, especially if you’ve been around for several years and are well known in your space. Think of rebranding as the nuclear option. Rebranding opens you up to several risks, including:

• Alienating existing customers

• Losing brand ambassadors and other advocates

• Losing access to multi-contextual forms of communication

• Losing Web assets

• Burning through your marketing budget

We’ll cover these risks in the next section. For now, let’s take a deeper look at the simpler option, the brand refresh. A brand refresh is a tactical measure, not a gimmick. You should never undertake a refresh lightly. Microsoft did make changes to their logo over the years. But their chief motivation was to keep pace with their main competitors, Apple and, to a lesser degree, Linux. They didn’t update their logo and other visual elements on a whim.

Case Study: Before you get into the exciting process of rebranding, check out this beautiful case study of one of our clients for whom we rebranded starting with brand strategy, visual identity, and a beautiful website.

The Refresh

Most established companies go through periodic refreshes. A successful refresh will help you:

• Better relate to a changing audience

• Retain the attention of a shifting market

• Better reflect your current offerings

Consider Starbucks, Google, and Dunkin’. All three of these companies have gone through refreshes, and they’ve all benefited greatly from the process.

Your brand refresh should build on the reputation and brand loyalty you’ve earned up to this point. Starbucks and Google didn’t start from scratch when they rolled out new logos.

When to Consider a Refresh

You should consider a refresh when:

• You want to update visual elements while retaining your core identity, or the integrity of your brand

• When you need to infuse the brand with new vitality, such as when entering a new market

• When you want to expand your reach or introduce your product to new customers

• When you want to ensure that your brand identity will remain relevant to a changing marketplace

With this in mind, we can explore several circumstances in which a refresh might be the right play.

#1 Your Brand Is out of Touch

Your logo may have been innovative when you first went to market, but this is no longer the case. Recall Microsoft’s first logo, from the ‘70s. Changing times, tastes, and markets can make your logo, typeface or other visual elements feel dated. Consequently, you may have a hard time appealing to younger audiences. Is your image holding you back ?

#2 Your Messaging Is Inconsistent

Have you changed your visual elements every few years? This sort of tinkering can help you find a visual identity that strikes the right tone. But it can also confuse your audience. A refresh can help you find focus if you commit to sticking to the new look for a set period of time. 

#3 Your Company Has Changed

If your brand messaging no longer reflects your company ethos, you may need a brand refresh. All companies evolve. The following companies have undergone a major change in either product or company structure:

• Shelter Insurance

• Comedy Central

With the various changes they underwent, a brand refresh made sense.

#4 Your Audience is No Longer Listening

If you’re no longer reaching your target audience , you’ll need to do something about that. And soon. Consider the disparity between what the market looks like now and how it looked when you first began your branding efforts. The degree to which that market has changed is the degree to which you should consider a brand refresh, all other things being equal.

#5 You’re Expanding

Several things can cause unprecedented growth in a short time. A few of these are:

• A new, successful product line

• A new, successful marketing push

Sudden, unexpected success presents a good opportunity to refresh the brand.

Bottom Line

A refresh will help you convey to your audience that you’re still relevant. But, crucially, the brand should   still be recognizable afterward.

A brand refresh updates your identity. A rebrand transforms it. The primary goal of rebranding is to fundamentally change the customer’s perception of the company. Therefore, rebranding is not to be undertaken lightly. It is a drastic measure that will have a lasting impact on a company. The more well-known your brand, the less willing you should be to consider a rebrand. However, there are a few circumstances in which this drastic course of action makes sense.

#1 Reposition

You may want to reposition your product or service in a way that is incompatible with your current image. A good example is the apparel brand J. Crew. In 2003, the brand was tanking. Then, brand revitalizer Millard Drexler became CEO. Drexler immediately rebranded J. Crew as a store that offered no non-sense basics like tank tops and capris at fair prices. The brand earned $3.5-million in 2005, its first profit in years. By 2009, no doubt aided by an endorsement by Michelle Obama, revenue exceeded pre-recession levels.

This is a great example of a company going back to basics.

#2 Appeal to a New Market

It’s the stuff of nightmares. The customers you depend on have left the building. They’re not coming back. In this case, your only course of action is a hard pivot. Burberry, one of Britain’s iconic brands, is over 150 years old. Had Burberry not redefined itself several times, it wouldn’t still be around. Today, it’s considered an essential kit by fashion savvy.

When customers start referring to your brand as ‘frumpy,’ ‘outdated’ and ‘out of touch,’ it’s time to do something.

#3 Expand Your Business Scope

A red ocean , as defined by W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne, is a crowded market space. The stronger the competition for that market space, the redder the sea. If you find yourself in a red ocean, you must do everything you can to escape. Pabst Blue Ribbon was historically a popular brand in the U.S. But today, it’s considered by many to be a fratty, inexpensive brew. It can be hard to increase revenue when your home market considers you a discount offering.

But today, due to clever rebranding, their premium Blue Ribbon 1844 label sells for a lot more. In China, for instance, the label sells for $44 per bottle. The new label is a blend of premium German malt, and it’s aged in high-end whiskey barrels. Note that this wasn’t a full rebranding. Pabst Blue Ribbon is still brewed   in the U.S.

Indeed, partial rebranding can be an effective strategy.

Shelter insurance, which has been around for decades, created a sub-brand called Say insurance. Shelter insurance still exists, but Say insurance is designed to appeal to millennials. In other words, Say insurance is just Shelter insurance with a different brand identity.

In summary, you may want to consider a rebranding if:

• Your reputation has taken a pounding over a sustained period of time

• Your audience has fundamentally changed and isn’t coming back

• You want to market drastically new products or services

• Your old, standby marketing methods no longer work

• Your identity is painfully out of date

• Your industry has changed in some fundamental way

Potential Dangers of the Rebrand

As mentioned, rebranding can be quite dangerous. When done wrong, you expose yourself to several risks. Let’s take a closer look at these.

#1 You May Alienate Your Customers

You risk losing your customer base. Some customers may like your brand as is, and they may be resistant to change. Before considering rebranding, get in touch with your customers. You need to understand their wants and needs. A simple survey is a great way to do this. Ask your customers what they want, and then listen to what they have to say. Your best defense here is a strong customer engagement strategy. See this case study for an example of how savvy customer engagement strategy can benefit an organization.

#2 You May End up With Incompatible Brand Elements

Your visual brand elements exist across several types of media. Further, they need to move from desktop to mobile experiences seamlessly. Your new brand elements should translate cleanly across:

• Television

• Social media

• Advertisements, both large and small

• Corporate stationary

• Business cards

When you undertake a complete rebranding, there is a real risk that something will go wrong at some point in this process. This can make your operation appear sloppy to those new potential customers you’re working so hard to impress. Working with an experienced branding agency can reduce this risk.

#3 Your Web Assets May Break

A hasty rebranding can leave your SEO and online content efforts in disarray. Mitigate this risk by setting up redirect links ahead of time if you’re using a new domain. Use Google Webmaster Tools or similar to let the major search engines know that you’ve moved, too. In your About Us section, mention your former name so there is a contextual link between old and new.

#4 It May Cost You More Than You Think

Rebranding implies starting from scratch. While this isn’t precisely true, it may as well be when it comes to one area: marketing. If your rebrand involves reaching out to new customers, you must plan for a robust marketing push well ahead of time. The last thing you want is to do is change your identity if you’ll be unable to reach new customers. This is like being left at sea with no rudder and no sails.

Don’t underestimate the potential costs of rebranding. British Petroleum’s rebranding cost them over £4.6-million for a new logo alone.

What Does a Successful Rebrand Look Like?

At the most fundamental level, a successful rebrand changes the way customers perceive you. If you do this without losing a healthy chunk of your existing customer base, then you’ve succeeded. A successful rebrand will help you reach new customers, in effect transitioning you from a red ocean space to the much coveted blue ocean space.

Above all, know your why before you start. If you don’t have a strong reason to rebrand, then by all means, don’t.

6 Steps to a Brand Refresh

Clearly, a refresh is the safer choice. So we’ll spend the rest of this post outlining the general steps.

Step One: Perform an Initial Brand Audit

Step one is the biggest by far. Fortunately, a brand audit is pretty straightforward. It’s a structured, detailed comparison of your current performance against your stated goals.

A brand audit allows you to do the following:

• Align your strategy more closely with what your customers expect

• Understand your place in the market

• Know how you compare to the competition

• Take a cold, objective look at how your brand performs

Perhaps most importantly for our purposes, a brand audit tells you what you need to change during a brand refresh.

Of course, you can hire a branding agency or other expert to conduct this analysis for you.

But you may find it beneficial to do this yourself. Going through your own brand audit requires objectivity. So if you do it right, you’ll likely   gain important insights into your operation you didn’t have before.

The first step is to take stock of your current operations. Look to your mission statement and strategic objectives for clues. Who are your target customers? What’s the current business landscape you’re operating in? Are you in the aforementioned red ocean, or a blue one? What is your current marketing plan for reaching new customers?

If you have a go to strategy document written up, all the better. Consult it. Is it still up to date? Is it still relevant? Look for outdated buyer personas or marketing methodologies.

The next step is often overlooked because it’s so simple. That step is brand research. Who are you? What do you stand for? What makes you different from the competition? If you’re unclear on some of this yourself, ask your senior leadership or other managers. They’ll have answers. But keep in mind that their answer may not be in alignment with what a customer might say. And that’s a problem.

Ask your customers about their experiences with you. Ask them why they choose you and what they expect from you. But don’t rely on social media or web form captures. Create surveys to get objective, anonymous information from your customers. You can use a service like Google Forms, Survey Monkey or SurveyLegend for this. Note that it’s a good idea to incentivize participation. A gift card going to one lucky winner is usually sufficient. You can also conduct surveys by telephone and email, though consumers’ tolerance of phone and email contact is waning.

Then, use a service like Google Alerts or Mention to find out what people are saying about you online.

Unsolicited feedback is often the most valuable feedback.

You want a mixture of quantitative and qualitative information. At this point, you need to understand your customer’s experience at every touch point. Keep this in mind when coming up with survey questions.

Next, analyze your Web analytics. What is your bounce rate? If you have a blog, how long do people stay on your content pages? Seconds or minutes? If you have a Medium blog, are you using it to direct traffic back to your site? Note that over 80 percent of customers conduct research online before making a purchase decision.

If a customer is considering your solution, there’s a good chance they’ll visit your website at some point. What will they find? Is your site snappy and responsive? Or is it slow? Fair or not, the way your website performs will reflect on you. In other words, prospects will make assumptions about your product based on how your website performs. If your website is slow, buggy or poorly designed, consumers will assume your product is shoddy.

Next, look at your competitors. There’s so much data out there available to you. Are your main competitors using videos, tutorials and other media to engage visitors? Do they have better SEO than you? Do your surveys reveal that your customers sometimes patronize your competitors too?

It doesn’t matter what you sell, you don’t exist in isolation. And if you don’t have strong competitors today, you may tomorrow. You can’t afford to rest on your laurels here.

Set up Google Alerts—or use Mention—so you’ll know what people are saying about your competitors. If they’re generating social buzz, find out how they’re doing it. If they’re getting traction on, say, Pinterest, there’s a good chance that you can too. Why? Because you sell similar products. It’s time to put your sleuthing cap on and do some investigating.

You can also use a service like Google Alerts or Mention to determine share of voice. Share of voice is the percentage of social chatter in your space that your brand is generating. Of course, you want the biggest share. If your competitor has a bigger share of voice, then you’ve got work to do. Naturally, if you’re considering a brand refresh, you may well be losing that battle. So as you proceed with your brand refresh, one of your main goals should be increasing share of voice.

Finally, consider your sales data—but do so in the wider context of all the other information in this audit. If you’ve found that your website is slow off the mark, how might your sales data improve if you paid someone to optimize it? Let’s say your survey revealed that customers don’t feel any particular loyalty to your brand. How might your sales improve if you worked to improve brand loyalty? How might your sales data figures improve if you leap into a blue ocean, moving away from your competitors and creating your own market space?

After this process, you should have a list of items that you need to work on. Think of this as your action plan—the things that your brand refresh must improve upon.

Step Two: Create New Messaging

A brand refresh is a great time to review your messaging. These core messages should be compelling, and they should speak to your unique position in the marketplace. They should reach your target audience on two levels: the rational level and the emotional level.

Your marketing should address basic facts. If you sell a widget, you need to convey how your widget solves a particular problem. But you should also convey how doing so makes your customer’s life easier, better or more fulfilling. That’s the emotional component.

A strong brand is one that connects with customers on an emotional level. For examples, look at Nike, Campbell’s Soup, Always, and even Wal-Mart.

Step Three: Create a New Brand Standards Document

Here’s a secret: the most enduring, most cherished brands aren’t the brands with the best logos. A stellar logo helps, to be sure. But the strongest brands are those that work hard to create a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints. Your brand standards document is the place where you outline how you will create this consistent experience for your customers. It’s a guideline that lays out how you, your employees, your vendors and your partners will use your logo and other branding elements.

At a minimum, this guide will specify:

• Authorized logo usage

• Guidelines for logo size, margins, colors and positioning

• All lockups for color, horizontal, vertical and black and white variations

• Photography styles

• Key messaging parameters

Once you create your new brand standards document, you should enforce it. Make sure partners, vendors and employees know how to display your logo and other visual elements. You want your brand to be displayed as consistently as possible across all media.

Step four: Prepare for a New Logo & Take Action

Say you already sound different from everyone else, and you’re generating buzz on social media. That’s great. But you still need to look the part. Like it or not, people can be superficial. Again, think back to Microsoft’s logo from the ‘70s. Would you take them seriously if they still had that logo? Your visual identity, such as your color palette, logo, photography, textures and fonts, is key to conveying who you are as a brand.

Make them count.

Of course, the extent to which you actually update or change your logo depends on your particular needs. A refresh needn’t involve drastic changes. The goal is to leverage your existing brand equity while taking your brand in a slightly different, modern and fresh direction. To that end, think of how your logo can be brought into modern times, and what will make it resonate with modern consumers. And by all means, consult a professional. Recall that BP spent several million on their new logo in the early 2000’s.

But don’t just change your logo willy nilly. Follow these steps to make sure you’re making changes in a logical, structured way:

• Create a new VIG. Before you can create a new Visual Identity Guide, you’ll need some idea of what your new logo will look like. So including a new VIG in your brand refresh is a good idea. Your VIG includes your HEX/CMKY/RGB colors and associated graphics. Once you’ve finalized your new logo, you should send your VIG out to all partners and vendors. 

• Audit existing marketing collateral. Review all existing marketing material. Once you’ve created a new logo, you’ll need to update all of these assets.

• Audit online content. You’ll also need to update all of your online content, so you might as well take stock of it now. Most content management systems allow you to change your logo site-wide. But if you’ve placed it into posts manually, you’ll need to swap those images out manually too.

• Audit your templates . You’ll also need to update all of your templates, whether they’re for blog posts or print ads. Catalog these templates now.

Step Five: Rollout   & Unveiling

Next, you’ll need a rollout plan. Note that consumers, on the whole, won’t care about your new logo. Instead of talking about it on social media, pair the reveal with a tantalizing sale or new product rollout. This way, your customers will associate the new logo with a positive memory. Your specific rollout plan will depend on the extent of your refresh. However, one thing you should do is keep tabs on your social mentions during this process.

If customers ask about the change, you should have something to tell them. A good place to start is to convey what inspired the change. Try to phrase this in a way that will resonate with customers on an emotional level. If your motivation for the refresh was to better appeal to younger audiences, you can say something like, “We felt it was time for a change. Our new brand identity better conveys our values in a modern, complex, and vibrant marketplace.”

Note that you must let vendors and partners know that you’ve updated your brand elements. Many a refresh has been botched because of poor communication.

Step Six: Yet Another Audit

Once you’ve created a new brand and a new logo standards document, you’ll need to make sure that employees, vendors and partners respect it. This audit—called a communications audit— may seem like busywork, but it’s essential. Weak adherence to your brand standards will cripple your brand refresh. Here is what you need to do:

• Make a list of everyone that is using your logo. Are they following the guidelines set forth in your brand standards document? If not, get them on the same page.

• Review your own internal and external communications channels. Now make sure that you’re following your own guidelines. It’s easier than you may think to mess up here. Is your new logo reflected in all emails, web pages, proposals and whitepapers? Note that you may need to retroactively update PDFs and other documents that you’re hosting on your website.

Plan to do this audit every six months to a year. A vendor, partner or employee using your old logo can hinder your brand refresh.

Remember, the goal of a brand refresh is to modernize your look while maintaining your heritage, history and values. We hope this short guide helped you gain clarity on the brand refresh process.   Did you find this post helpful? If you did, you could give us a share? Thanks!

Mash Bonigala

Mash B. is the Founder & CEO of SpellBrand. Since 1998, Mash has helped conscious brands differentiate themselves and AWAKEN through Brand Strategy and Brand Identity Design. Schedule a Brand Strategy Video Call with Mash.

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What Is the Difference Between a Brand Refresh and Rebrand?

• Written By Brenda Percy
• Updated: September 27, 2023

Brand refresh vs. rebrand… these terms may sound interchangeable, but they are two very different things. How can you determine which one is the best choice for your business? Consider this — a company’s brand is synonymous with its personality and brand voice .

If yours isn’t giving off the vibe you want it to, it’s time for a change. That means you’ll either want to consider a refresh or rebrand. In some cases, a refresh could be the stepping stone for a larger transformation down the line.

Let’s talk about the differences and the reasons for each one and which might be the best choice for your brand.

Brand refresh vs. rebrand: Which is right for you?

A refresh does not change the core personality of your brand. Rather it spruces it up a little bit, like a fresh coat of paint. It enhances what you have already built.

Rather than starting over, you’re just enhancing your brand.

Refreshes could include:

• A slightly updated logo
• New color palette
• An updated website
• Updated fonts

A rebrand is essentially starting over from scratch. You’re knocking this house down, and you’re going to build a new one in its place. One that’s more suited to your taste and will showcase your (new) personality.

A rebrand could include:

• A completely new logo
• Showcasing a different personality
• Pivoting to serve a different market
• Expanding to appeal to a larger market

Why it’s important to refresh your brand

We don’t often get it right on the first try. While your brand may have served you well for many years, you may come to a point where it’s time for a change. This could stem from reasons like a change in leadership.

Who’s driving the ship? A new captain will likely have a vision for a new direction, leading the way for a refresh.

This could be something simple like freshening up resources with a new color palette or be a bit more in-depth with a new website content strategy and full makeover . A refresh is your chance to show the growth of your brand without overhauling it completely.

3 real examples of successful brand refreshing

When it comes to brand refreshes, there are many companies out there that have done it well. Some that stand out include:

1. Starbucks

Starbucks’ approach to a refresh is proof that small changes over time can result in a major impact. Starbucks’ logo  has evolved over time, eventually dropping the “Starbucks coffee” text in its logo, yet maintaining its signature siren. With or without the text, it’s clear which brand the logo belongs to.

2. Instagram

Instagram took a similar approach to its refresh by updating its logo ,  giving it a more modern twist that was more fitting of a brand evolving beyond simply photo sharing.

3. Mastercard

Mastercard is another on the list that  modernized its logo , without changing much aside from removing its name. The color palette remained the same as does the impact. It’s a small change that proves less is more.

Why it’s important to rebrand

Often a rebrand is born out of the need to, essentially, keep up with the times. As the world evolves, business must too, otherwise you risk being left behind.  Many companies that opt to go for a complete rebrand are looking to modernize their image or attract a new audience.

Or perhaps you’ve taken on a persona that does not fit the current perception of your brand.

A rebrand allows your business to take on a new voice, showcase a fresh look, and reach new audiences.

3 real examples of successful rebranding

Rebranding is a bolder move, but for some brands, it’s essential to staying relevant and relatable to audiences.

1. Old Spice

It’s no longer your  grandfather’s deodorant . Old Spice debuted a new look, complete with new tone and voice, pivoting completely into a newer, fresher personality. This change helped the brand appeal to a broader audience of all ages.

2. Dunkin’

Dunkin’ Donuts is no more. The brand dropped the “Donuts,” allowing its logo to showcase its expanded offerings. It’s not just for donuts anymore. This is a great example of rebranding to accommodate new offerings and business strategy, and the Dunkin’ rebrand  got it right.

3. Tupperware

The beloved kitchen staple has adapted to be more modern and appeal to today’s consumer. The brand became popular in the 50s when it grew a following of loyal consumers and those who threw Tupperware parties.

Tupperware stayed true to its roots even through a rebrand that saw a new tagline, one that pays homage to those who sell it: “Confidence Becomes You.” The rebrand included a new voice, modern look and content targeted toward storytelling.

Grab some polish and let your brand shine

If you’ve determined it’s time for a change, you can undergo a minor refresh or go all out with a rebrand. The examples above show that it only takes minor tweaks to make a big difference.  In some cases that’s all that’s needed to reinvent your image.

However, if the changes your brand needs to make go beyond surface level, a rebrand will allow you to showcase a new look that is truer to your business.

Whichever option you select — brand refresh vs. rebrand — it’s important to ensure your existing or new brand aligns with your values, highlights your personality, reaches your target audience, and projects the image you’ve worked so hard to build.

No rebrand or refresh is complete without updated content to match. From web copy to press releases, talk to a content specialist today about getting high-quality content developed for your brand.

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7 Crucial Elements of a Strategic Brand Refresh

Your brand is more than just your logo and color palette, so a brand refresh should be more than an exercise in graphic design.

Branding is the process of defining, conveying and maintaining your firm’s core value and differentiators. It’s about figuring out who you are, what you stand for, why your clients should care and then conveying in a meaningful and consistent way.

Great brands aren’t built without effort and intentionality. So if your firm has decided that the time has come to update your brand , it needs to be done with a strategic approach. Here are seven crucial elements that should be included in your firm’s brand refresh process.

1 Discovery and research

One of the most important elements on the list, but the one that often gets skipped over or undervalued is research. Ask your firm’s senior leadership who you are and what makes you different than the competition and they’ll surely have an answer. However, their answer might not be the same as what clients, prospects or even employees would say.

That’s where discovery and research, conducted by third parties using qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys where appropriate, should be the starting point for a brand refresh process.

An important trait of a powerful brand is that it’s credible and authentic. In other words, it’s important that what you convey about your brand is consistent with what your clients and employees experience firsthand. Research should be conducted to understand how the market already views your firm, uncover what actual differentiators you possess, and look for overlap between the internal and external perspectives.

2 Competitive analysis

Before you update your brand platform, it’s important to understand the competitive landscape at a high level. If you want to look, sound and feel different than the rest of the pack, you need to know what the rest of the pack is up to — and do it differently.

Performing a competitive analysis helps you consider a number of important factors including (but not limited to):

• Taglines and key messages
• Logos, colors, fonts, styles
• Value proposition
• Thought leadership and content marketing
• Website and digital/social presence

3 Brand positioning and key messages

Once you’ve conducted research and have uncovered your firm’s market perception and true differentiators, the next step is to craft compelling key messages that pinpoint your unique position in the marketplace. These messages should aim to reach your key target audience at both a rational and emotional level.

Your marketing does  need to address basic facts of who you are and what you do, but don’t forget to talk about why you do what you do, how your approach is different (assuming it is) and how this ultimately benefits the client.

The end goal of branding is getting past the tangible attributes of your company and tapping into the emotional triggers of your audience  by conveying intangible attributes—the why factor—that can’t be easily imitated by the competition.

4 Logo and visual identity system update

The need for a distinctive visual identity can’t be overstated. If you sound different than everyone else through compelling brand positioning and key messages, it’s equally important that you also  look different (and better) than everyone else too. Your visual identity — logo, color palette, styles, photography, fonts, textures and other brand elements — is foundational to conveying the essence of your brand.

Now, the extent to which a firm updates their logo will depend on their need and/or desire. A brand refresh doesn’t always involve completely redesigning the logo altogether—although sometimes it does. Think of a brand refresh as more of a facelift, leveraging existing brand equity while expanding the look, feel and messaging with fresh treatments and positioning.

Sometimes a brand update doesn’t even involve changing the logo; it may just involve looking for ways to explore new type treatments, color palette expansion, photography styles, messaging and other brand elements.

5 Brand standards guide

The most powerful brands not only have a great visual identity, but that identity is methodically reinforced across every single touchpoint. Brand standards are a set of guidelines for how the logo and brand elements will be used.

The guide will define specifics around the logo usage, including critical guidelines for size, positioning, margins and colors, as well as various “lockups” for all acceptable variations (color, black and white, horizontal, vertical, etc.) depending on placement and usage. It will also address colors, fonts, photography styles, graphic elements, messaging and other components that comprise your brand.

Having a brand standards guide that is strictly enforced throughout the firm helps to ensure consistency and will support strong brand recognition in the marketplace.

6 Communications/brand audit

After you’ve established a new and distinctive brand identity system and developed brand standards to reinforce it, a communications audit is necessary to ensure that the new system gets applied consistently across every touch point.

Take an inventory of anything and everything that uses your logo and all the ways your company communicates to external and internal audiences (emails, proposals, website, signage, etc.). You’ll want to evaluate your current communications and create a punch list of all the items that will need to be updated as part of your brand refresh.

7 Rollout plan

The last element of the brand refresh and one that is critical to the success of the process, is a plan for rolling out the updated brand both internally and eternally. You’ve invested time and resources, so you’ll want to generate excitement and build momentum with the launch of the new platform.

The specifics on the rollout will depend on the extent of the change from the existing brand. But it will be important to communicate to employees, existing clients and prospects the inspiration for the change, some details around the process and the essence of the new brand platform.

Ideally, everything that was identified during the communications audit will be updated to reflect the new brand. If there have been more than just minor changes made to the logo, it’s going to involve considerable planning to rollout, and may require a phased approach.

Achieving your end goal — a powerful brand

Having a strong brand that stands out positively in the minds of your target audience and differentiates your firm from the crowded sea of competition is the end goal of the brand refresh process. In order to ensure that you achieve that goal, it’s crucial to include these seven elements as part of your brand refresh process.

Related Insights & Content

5 Signs it’s Time to Update Your Marketing Strategy

What Makes a Good Logo?

Branding Your Company in an Increasingly Digital World

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5 Reasons to Do a Brand Refresh

Brand , Strategy

Rebranding is a polarizing topic in the marketing world. On one hand, it can be extremely exhilarating to re-imagine who your company is and express that to the world . On the other, brand projects can run long, they tend to be expensive, and it is very difficult—if not impossible—to tie an obvious return on investment to any branding or rebranding project. Hiring external support for a branding project is also difficult because of the intangibility of the work. You may be able to review historical efforts by a marketing company but you’re only seeing the creative outputs, not the actual process for getting there.

Just like transformation pictures in fitness magazines, the six-pack isn’t the magic—it’s the steps it takes to get there. So, if you’re considering a rebranding project, you’re going to want to clearly understand the benefits you can expect from all of your efforts. Here are five things you can expect after you finish your rebrand.

Benefit #1: You will know your true identity

The job of any good branding project is to hold up a mirror and allow you to see yourself in your true light. All the good and all the bad—because it is all part of you and your story. Our CEO, Tiffany Sauder, describes branding work : “You’re standing so close to the mirror that all you can see is your nose. You think all you are is a nose. A well-executed branding project pulls that back and allows you to see your entire body and learn who you are.”

Far too often companies show up in the way they believe the marketplace wants them to rather than as who they truly are . In order to have sustainable business results, you have to target the appropriate audience . Showing up inauthentically will never achieve that goal. A rebrand will help you to know yourself, allowing you to clearly articulate your brand’s position in the market and eventually target the appropriate customers—those who you can serve better than anyone else, and who you have a discernible right to win over your competitors.

Benefit #2: Reposition yourself in the marketplace

As your company matures, you may look up and realize that where you compete currently is either very crowded, no longer what you do best, or a mixture of both. Things change internally and in the market, and as you adjust to those changes you may simply find that the people you’re used to serving aren’t your best audience anymore. It is extremely difficult to suddenly shift the customer base you have traditionally serviced, though, and doing so without the support of a rebrand would essentially be professional suicide.

Your new prospective market needs to understand first WHY they should be interested in you. What about your background, product or service, or work history makes you a viable candidate for their resources? And no, you can’t just lead with all your features and benefits. Having a clear brand identity provides the backbone of a differentiated “why.” Only after establishing this can you move onto how you do what you do, and finally what you actually offer—all those wonderful features and benefits your customers enjoy .

Benefit #3: Create a foundation for all marketing activities

One of the biggest mistakes companies make when undergoing more public marketing endeavors, such as building a new website, is to do that work without first establishing a strong brand. Your business’s brand is the starting point for every other piece of marketing that you execute. The brand guidelines dictate everything from the tone your copywriting needs to take to the color palette you will use in advertisements, landing pages, your website, and social media pages. Your brand touches literally everything that goes out of marketing’s doors—really, every part of your business, when it’s done right.

If you’ve ever been at a company with a clear brand story, you understand how helpful this is when making other marketing decisions. When your brand is defined, you know who to target, which in turn helps with the content you create and what channels that content is distributed through. Simply put, a strong and clear brand gives you the foundation to create cohesive marketing that can win in any market, good or bad .

Benefit #4: Create a compelling reason to join your team

In the past, you may have been able to count on an employee joining your team and staying for 30 or 40 years. Clearly, those days are long gone and unlikely ever to come back. Millennials, and Generation Z coming up right behind them, aren’t just job hopping. They’re opportunity seeking, and they clearly want to make a difference. Simply growing your business is not a compelling enough reason for your talent to stick around. As an employer, you’re competing every day to retain the valuable resources of your team’s talents. What will keep them around?

If you think it’s salary, good luck. You won’t be able to just constantly raise salaries for your entire team and compete with the Apples and Googles of the world. If you’re a small- or medium-sized business, chances are other companies in your backyard are able to pay more or give stronger benefit plans. Plus, tons of research shows how little money actually matters in employee retention. Instead you have to create a clear picture of what your team is trying to achieve. How are you improving the world? Why does your work matter? That’s brand in its finest form.

Benefit #5: Stay current with market trends and consumer sentiment

There is a difference between pandering to trends and staying consistent with what consumers want. The former is simply hoping to cling onto the coattails of something popular that doesn’t fit your business in an attempt to get any attention from anyone. The latter is keeping up with modernity, as marketing and branding grow and change and time passes.

Adjusting your brand as circumstances change isn’t flip-flopping, it’s staying current. But it has to be a part of a larger brand project—because it’s important to make sure that the changes that you make fit who you are as a business. Learn how the changes in your industry affect your business. See how new developments in marketing can change the way you think about presenting your business to the world. Do the work, don’t just chase trends.

A rebrand is a major business decision—consider it carefully

Jumping into a rebrand can be an exciting time for your business. But it shouldn’t be done without a good deal of consideration and planning. Once you make the leap, dive all the way in. The biggest mistake you can make with a rebrand is to leave the job half-done—only do the research and learn all the answers, but never implement them; or start making major changes to your brand, but never do the work to learn what your brand actually needs. Believe in the process, and you’ll reap these benefits and many, many others for years to come.

Related resources.

Is Your Co-op Program a Strategic Asset?

The Steps OEMs Can Take to Build a Customer Repurchase Strategy

How to Create Role Clarity in your OEM-Dealer Advertising Strategy

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