While consistency is an integral part of a cohesive brand strategy, a periodic brand refresh may also be necessary to keep up to date with changing market trends and help you to stay relevant in ever-changing platforms.
A brand refresh is not the same as rebranding. You can find out the differences in this article from Jotform.
Why would a brand refresh be necessary?
- Changing consumer preferences: Preferences, styles, and trends are constantly evolving. Consequently, what worked well a few years ago may not resonate with your target audience now. Re-evaluate your brand elements and make necessary adjustments to ensure your brand remains appealing and aligned with current consumer preferences.
- Remaining competitive: Staying ahead of competitors in a dynamic market is vital. A refresh can help you demonstrate your business is modern, innovative, and in touch with the latest industry trends. In addition, it will signal to customers that your brand is evolving to meet their needs.
- Expand target audiences: As your business grows, your target audience may expand or change. A brand refresh ensures your reputation remains inclusive and appeals to your expanding customer base.
- Reflect internal changes: Sometimes, internal changes such as mergers, acquisitions, or strategic shifts warrant a brand refresh. The refresh is an opportunity to align your brand identity with the new direction of your business, ensuring consistency and clarity in external communications.
- Reinvigorating brand loyalty: A brand refresh can reignite excitement and interest in your company among existing customers. Therefore, introducing new design elements, messaging, or marketing strategies can re-engage your customer base, strengthen brand loyalty, and attract new customers.
- Correct brand inconsistencies: Inconsistencies in logos, color schemes, fonts, or messaging can occur over time. A refresh allows you to ensure unified and cohesive branding across all customer touchpoints strengthening brand recall and reinforcing the perception of your business.
Tackling a brand refresh requires careful planning, strategic thinking, and effective execution. Consider these steps to refresh:
- Evaluate your current brand strategy: Begin with a comprehensive evaluation of your brand identity, messaging, and visual elements. Analyze how well they align with your business goals, target audience, and market trends. Then, identify any gaps or areas for improvement.
- Set clear objectives: Define the desired outcomes of your brand refresh. What specific aspects do you want to improve or update? Establish measurable goals to track the success of the brand refresh and align them with your overall business strategy.
- Research your target audience and market: Gain insights into your target audience’s preferences, needs, and evolving market trends. Then, conduct market research, analyze consumer behavior, and gather customer feedback. This information will guide you in making informed decisions during the brand refresh process.
- Reassess your brand strategy: Ensure that your brand strategy aligns with your current business objectives and target audience. Review your brand positioning, value proposition, and messaging framework. Determine if adjustments are necessary to better resonate with your audience and differentiate your brand from competitors.
- Refine your visual identity: Determine whether your logo, color palette, typography, or imagery needs to be updated. Consider modernizing your design while maintaining a connection to your existing brand equity.
- Craft compelling messaging: Refine your brand messaging to match your brand’s personality, values, and positioning. Likewise, ensure your messaging clearly and concisely communicates your uniqueness and resonates with your target audiences across all touchpoints.
- Implement your refresh strategically: Execute your brand refresh across all mediums, including website, social media profiles, marketing materials, packaging, and any other customer-facing channel. Communicate the changes to your employees, stakeholders, and customers to generate excitement and awareness.
- Monitor and measure: After implementing your updates, you must monitor key performance indicators such as brand awareness, customer perception, and business growth. Gather customer and employee feedback to evaluate the brand refresh’s effectiveness. Then, adjust your strategies, if necessary, to optimize the brand’s performance and ensure it resonates with your target audience.
- Maintain consistency: Develop brand guidelines and provide clear instructions to employees or external partners on consistently applying the refreshed brand elements. Regularly review and audit your brand communications to ensure adherence to the new guidelines.
Generally speaking, a brand refresh is not a one-time event.
As your market evolves and customer preferences change, you should periodically evaluate your cohesive branding for performance and future refreshing to stay relevant and competitive. Learn how we recommend spring cleaning your business on an annual basis.
By implementing a cohesive branding strategy, you can successfully navigate a refresh and position your brand for continued growth, customer engagement, and success in the ever-evolving business landscape.
