Rebranding and brand refresh: Is there a difference?

A brand refresh entails updating an existing brand. In both brand refresh and rebranding, the brand strategy is reviewed and it is best practice to always undergo a market research first. However, in a brand refresh, there are minor tweaks done to the brand strategy compared to a case of rebranding.

The Economic Times defines rebranding as “the process of changing the corporate image of an organisation. It is a market strategy of giving a new name, symbol, or change in design for an already-established brand. The idea behind rebranding is to create a different identity for a brand, from its competitors, in the market.”

In a brand refresh, it is crucial to undergo a market research and brand audit. This helps to reveal the specific needs of the brand and improve its outcome. Are you having trouble with carrying out a brand audit? This video by Adedoyin Jaiyesimi of The Comms Avenue is a very useful guide. A robust market research is what determines if you should be rebranding or carrying out a brand refresh.

Morgan Myers put together a good definition:
“A brand refresh is more than updating a logo or website design. It’s a deeper process that delves into a brand’s foundation, principles, and deliverables. A brand refresh affords companies the opportunity to redefine and clearly communicate brand purpose and how that aligns with the beliefs, values and goals of its target audience.”

There will be modifications to the visual identity, that is brand logo, font, website design, etc. There is also a need to revise the brand’s messaging. A brand refresh demands a lower investment than rebranding and it can be completed within a shorter time frame. It also requires a bit of expertise from outside the brand.

On the contrary, rebranding should be considered if the brand in question is mature enough to weigh its result delivery over the years. This again requires good research that shows what the problem is. There is no doubt that a brand should deliver results for the business or entity but a market research should tell if the challenge of achieving results is from the brand itself or the management and other faulty systems. Rebranding requires a complete repositioning of the brand.

Rebranding also requires reworking the strategy and messaging to properly interpret and implement the brand when the process is completed because a good messaging and valuable insights are important in presenting the rebrand to stakeholders. This requires an in-depth analysis of the brand strategy to take a new direction with the brand. The visual identity will be modified. This can affect the logo and colour change to give the public a better feel of the brand.

In a rebrand, there should be an element of continuity. This is absent in rare cases where there may have been a severe damage to the reputation or a hostile takeover. A good example is the takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk which led to a complete rebrand and name change to X. The brand took a completely different direction in strategy, policies, ethos, etc.

In very well-established corporate brands like Shell, it is difficult to speak of a rebranding that will entail a change of logo or brand colours from red and yellow because of its iconic nature and how it has framed an identity of the brand for well over decades across countries. This means that in any form of rebranding, the focus must be to enhance the brand and not diminish a brand’s equity and identity in the public eye.

As a business or corporate entity, when deciding on rebranding and brand refreshing, it is essential to be clear on your business case and understand the current needs of the brand to determine the best option between rebranding and brand refreshing.

We have announced our next cohort of the Brand Strategy and Marketing Communications course for Business or Communications Leaders who would like to know more about how to build/enhance a brand that outlasts them. This course will be delivered as an online session on Thursday August 29, 2024 via ZOOM.

Sola Abulu takes participants through a Brand Strategy framework that has successfully been used to develop the strategy for new, enhanced/refreshed and existing brands with measurable results. Sign up here.

……………………………………

Sola Abulu & Associates is a strategy and communications consulting and training firm committed to enabling businesses, brands and organizations to achieve their objectives through strategic communications, organizational effectiveness and reputation risk management

Chat with us for more information on our courses.