Is your brand outdated? (probably yes)

Where to begin?

Before committing to a brand refresh, you first need a clear understanding of what your brand is and represents. A brand should be able to relate back to its brand strategy. Without a brand strategy you have nothing to measure against. 

Refreshing a brand doesn’t mean changing the name or the logo, it is about finding the right balance between maintaining a consistent brand image and updating the brand associations to keep them relevant to your intended customers. 

For this it is important to understand what your brand image is in the mind of the consumers. Are they thinking and feeling the same things as you intend them to? 

What does it mean to be outdated?

To be outdated could mean that you aren’t relevant to your customers wants and needs. Or this could be outdated compared to their values or to the products and services that they get from you. 

This could look like many things...

Culturally outdated

Levi’s, who are rooted in celebrating individuality and self-expression, had to ensure that they had a head to toe plus size expression to ensure they remained relevant.

Technologically outdated

With so many ways to express your brand digitally, having brand assets that can be animated and look equally good in print is essential. Your brand needs to be bold and multi-faceted, recognisable anywhere and in any format.

Habitually outdated

It could even be in the way that your customers want to shop with you. Primark does not currently want to move in the world of e-commerce but has recently launched a Click & Collect service to give some flexibility for their customers. 

But also, it could mean being outdated from your own brand strategy. It can be easy in a busy world to make lots of micro changes, but then suddenly find yourself miles away from your original brand strategy and purpose. So sitting back and taking stock is really important. 

When is a good time for a brand refresh?

There is no golden rule for when to think about a brand refresh, but there are certain triggers. Consider the following turning points…

• Consumer or market research indicates that there is a concerning difference between how you want to be perceived and how you are.
• A large organisational change or new messaging direction that may signal the need for change.
• Changes to companies’ business planning period and strategic business objectives.

However, it is good to point out here that brand refreshes can be small and consistent tweaks to the brand through products and services right through to refreshing the whole way the brand looks and communicates. 

Continual analysis and benchmarking against competitors and the industry is really important. Not to simply copy what is being done elsewhere, but to help to identify trends and shifts which can steer your work. By understanding your industry positioning, you can reflect key trends across your organisation and your marketing. A good time for this is before you prepare your marketing or brand plan for the year ahead. 

What’s the process of a brand refresh?

The process of a brand refresh can vary from a strategic refresh to a visual one. Or alternatively, in the way you connect and deliver marketing to your consumers. Engaging with an external agency is good, for the purpose of being external. This gives you the value of an outside vision and in depth analysis of your existing brand. It also allows a step back for invested team members to view new approaches without bias.

Having an objective and fresh view on the market and situation helps to move forward in ways that might not have previously been considered.

Mosaique have over 30 years of experience creating strong brand identities that help push your business forward. Get in touch to explore how a brand refresh could reinvigorate your business from the inside out.