What is a brand refresh? — Branding knowledge series.
Firstly, what’s the difference between a brand refresh and a rebrand?
When it comes to updating your branding (refreshing, refining or renewing your brand image) there are two different pathways or approaches:
Brand refresh; and
Rebrand.
Although there are common elements between the two, they can be separated by their core objectives; by the reason why you’re undergoing the process in the first place.
1. Why you might need a brand refresh.
The heart or core of your brand and business philosophy is right, but your branding and marketing aren’t connecting with your customers in the right way. Your business operations, service offering, products and business strategy haven’t changed but your brand strategy and/or branding (your brand identity) need some work. You need to re-connect your brand’s look, feel and tone with your audience.
2. Why you might need a rebrand.
There’s a bigger scale strategic disconnect between your branding and marketing and your current (or new) business offering. Your business and brand goals — what you’re looking to achieve strategically — have changed.
Perhaps you have a new or different service offering that needs to be reflected in your branding? Maybe you’re changing your business name and need an entirely new strategy, logo and brand identity? Or perhaps you need to create a significant shift in how your business is perceived in the marketplace.
The two key differences between a refresh and a rebrand are the scale of change and the motivation behind it. For example, whether your need for change is motivated by:
The audience and market perception of your brand (think refresh); or
A bigger picture change in business strategy or objective (think rebrand).
To learn more about rebranding check out our follow up article: What is a rebrand?
When you might need a brand refresh.
The need for change can stem from different motivators for different businesses, but it’s usually one or more of the following:
Your branding looks tired, out-of-date or indistinct
Your branding doesn’t reflect your business/service/product
Your brand communication and marketing is out-of-date or not working
Your branding doesn’t work well on digital channels (it was perhaps designed quite a while ago before you needed to consider social media)
Your visual identity (look and feel) has become inconsistent
Your messaging (tone/verbal language) isn’t clear or engaging
You’re not connecting with your audience anymore, or you want to connect with a new or different audience
You’re a small business that’s ready to expand or grow
You’re a start-up or new business that’s ready to step-up a level
What a brand refresh covers or includes.
The process of refreshing a brand isn’t the same for every organisation. The components you need to consider, and the deliverables you may need to budget for, will usually depend on the current perception of your brand and the level of refinement your branding needs. It can also depend on what brand assets and touchpoints you need to create now, and what you need to prepare for in the future.
A brand refresh can include some or all of the following:
Logo refresh or refinement
New or refined visual identity (visual language) incl. colour palette, typography, graphics
New photography, imagery or illustration
New brand messaging incl. tagline, value propositions, brand story
Brand personality refinement (redefining your brand attributes)
New or updated brand touchpoints (online and/or offline)
It can feel like quite a lot of work, and seem a bit overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. If you don’t need to reinvent your brand, then don’t.
A timely service and some polish might be all you need. A few strategically-driven changes in your look, feel and voice can make a real difference to how your audience perceives your business and your brand. Those changes could be just what’s needed to get you where you want to be.
Refresh your brand. Be the brand other aspire to be.
Thinking of refreshing your branding? We’re here to help.
To find out more about the process, including what it costs and where to start, get in touch with our branding and graphic designers in Perth.
We’d love to help you.
