5 Key Reasons to Consider a Rebrand

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<p>Effective rebranding can keep a business relevant with its target audiences and give it an edge over competitors. But it requires substantial investments in upfront strategy, planning and execution.</p>

<p>Here are a few of the factors and conditions that warrant a rebrand.</p>

<h2>When to Consider Rebranding</h2>

<ol>
	<li><strong>Acquisition or Merger</strong><br />
	Rebranding often follows when one company acquires or merges with another. The first considerations:</li>
</ol>

<ul>
	<li>Do you build on existing market perception and bolster both brands, to retain&nbsp;the brand equity of each organization?</li>
	<li>Does one brand absorb the other and, if so, does the dominant brand absorb the other instantly or over time?</li>
	<li>Or do the two brands combine into a new entity with a new <a href="/Blog/The-Importance-of-Brand-Strategy" linktype="8" target="_self">brand strategy</a>?</li>
</ul>

<ol start="2">
	<li><strong>New Leadership</strong><br />
	Turnover at the top of the organization often drives rebrands, whether it&rsquo;s a new CEO or a brand new leadership team. In the latter case, the new team might want to establish a new or fresh brand identity that reflects the change, especially if they&rsquo;re pursuing a significantly different business strategy.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li><strong>Competitors Catch Up to You</strong><br />
	Sometimes competitors that have historically positioned themselves differently in the market change strategy to <span style="color:#064347">compete&nbsp;</span>more directly. When this happens, it&#39;s a good idea to reevaluate your positioning to ensure it&#39;s still the most effective, not only as it relates to the competitor, but also in light of your overall business strategy.<br />
	<br />
	Any change in positioning will impact your visual brand identity and company voice &ndash; or at the very minimum require a refresh of your brand identity to help you continue to stand out in the market.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li><strong>Outdated Visual Brand Identity</strong><br />
	Over time, it&rsquo;s easy to lose sight of visual brand identity and focus on other pressing priorities. Your visual brand identity can become stale and outdated as design preferences change, competitors revamp their identities, and the market becomes more sophisticated.<br />
	<br />
	When your brand identity no longer represents your organization&#39;s mission, business model or services&nbsp;&ndash; or even impedes your ability to attract your target audience &ndash; it&rsquo;s time to rebrand. (<a href="/Blog/How-the-Northwoods-Rebrand-Defined-Our-Identity-and-Positioned-Us-for-Long-Term-Success" linktype="8" target="_self">Find out how our own rebrand helped define our identity and position us better for long-term success</a>.)<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li><strong>Poor Reputation</strong><br />
	Mishandled crises, poor online reviews, recurring bad PR, and leadership scandals can result in negative perceptions and bad reputations. In some cases, especially if multiple crises or negative experiences build over time, a brand isn&rsquo;t able to recover. Then, rebrands are unavoidable and urgent to turn around sluggish or declining sales or even to head off bankruptcy. A new name and a completely revamped brand strategy might be the only way to shed poor brand perception and start fresh.</li>
</ol>

<h2>Start with Brand Strategy Before Developing Brand Identity</h2>

<p>Resist the temptation to jump right into creating a new visual brand identity &ndash; logo, colors, fonts, imagery, i.e., your visual personality &ndash; before doing the upfront research that should guide it.</p>

<p>Your visual identity should grow organically from your overall brand strategy. Only then will you be able to develop a memorable, persuasive look and feel that lead to increased sales, greater brand affinity, and long-term growth. (<a href="/Blog/Why-a-Strategic-Approach-to-Visual-Brand-Identity-Matters" linktype="8" target="_self">Read more about the importance of taking a strategic approach to visual brand identity development</a>.)</p>

<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>

<p>A rebrand is a huge undertaking, but is sometimes necessary to effectively compete in the market and achieve long-term growth. Just don&rsquo;t kick off your rebrand by defining your visual identity; a thoughtful brand strategy should always come first.</p>

<p><em>If your company is considering a rebrand for these or other reasons, Northwoods can help! Learn more about our <a href="/Services/Brand-Strategy" linktype="2" target="_self">brand strategy services</a> or <a href="/Contact-Us" linktype="2" target="_self">contact us</a> today.</em></p>
/Northwoods-2020/Hero-Images/Hiker-Looking-Out-Over-Mountains.pngHiker looking out over the mountainsThe Importance of Brand StrategyWhy a Strategic Approach to Visual Brand Identity MattersHow Northwoods' Rebrand Defined Our Identity & Positioned Us for Long-Term SuccessWhen your #brandidentity no longer represents your company's mission, business model or services – or even impedes your ability to attract your target audience – it’s time to rebrand. Here are more reasons to consider #rebranding: https://bit.ly/3r17bfG. @northwoodsJaimie Somlai/Northwoods-2020/People/Jaimie-Somlai.jpgWoman in front of a log cabin wall with soft, warm lightinghttps://ctt.ac/3H102<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="//js.hsforms.net/forms/embed/v2.js"></script><script>hbspt.forms.create({ region: "na1", portalId: "23630176",  formId: "40c5bbae-05a2-42ea-94dd-1662181fd56e"  });</script>/Northwoods-2023/Blog/Social-Cards/5-Key-Reasons-to-Consider-a-Rebrand.jpg?Large5 Key Reasons to Consider a Rebrand2021-11-22T00:00:00/Northwoods-2023/Blog/Social-Cards/5-Key-Reasons-to-Consider-a-Rebrand.jpg5 Key Reasons to Consider a RebrandEffective rebranding can keep a business relevant with its target audiences and give it an edge over competitors. Here are five of the most common reasons companies rebrand and when you should consider it, as well.Hiker Looking Out Over Mountains136688ImageThe Importance of Brand StrategyWhen it comes to brand, many organizations jump right into execution — focusing only on visual elements like logos, fonts, colors and imagery. But execution without a strategy to guide it leaves your business growth to chance. Always start with brand strategy first. Here's why.When it comes to brand, many organizations jump right into execution — focusing only on visual elements like logos, fonts, colors and imagery. But execution without a strategy to guide it leaves your business growth to chance. Always start with brand strategy first. 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Here's why that's so important and why you shouldn't leave your visual brand identity to chance./Northwoods-2020/Blogs/Social-Media-Cards/Social-Card---Strategic-Brand-Visual-Identity-Matters.jpgHow Northwoods' Rebrand Defined Our Identity & Positioned Us for Long-Term SuccessWhen we finally admitted that we had an identity crisis, we did what any great agency would do for a client: recommend an effective solution. In our case, the solution was a comprehensive brand strategy. So we got to work and built an authentic brand that finally defined our identity and set us up for long-term success.When we finally admitted that we had an identity crisis, we did what any great agency would do for a client: recommend an effective solution. In our case, the solution was a comprehensive brand strategy. So we got to work and built an authentic brand that finally defined our identity and set us up for long-term success./Northwoods-2020/Blogs/Social-Media-Cards/Social-Card---Northwoods-Client-Story.jpgJaimie Somlai18227Image5 Key Reasons to Consider a Rebrand.jpg128932Image3620610/People/Jaimie-SomlaiJaimieSomlaiMarketing Director<p>Jaimie has a passion for integrated marketing, helping both Northwoods and its clients to create consistent branding and messaging across traditional and digital mediums. She specializes in strategic marketing with a focus on marketing communications, brand strategy, brand identity development, analytics, and writing/editing. Jaimie is a natural leader and holds certificates in Executive Leadership and Performance Leadership from Cornell University. Her caffeinated drink of choice is coffee, and when she&rsquo;s not at work, you can find her curled up with a crossword puzzle, dogs Lucca and Sienna, or her cat Philip.</p>Connect with Jaimie on LinkedInJaimie Somlai/Northwoods-2020/People/Jaimie-Somlai.jpgJaimie SomlaiAdd-In Type - NWS Data ModulesCategory - NWS Data ModulesCommittee - NWS Data ModulesDivision - NWS Data ModulesEvent Audience - NWS Data ModulesEvent Service - NWS Data ModulesEvent Type - NWS Data ModulesLocality - NWS Data ModulesModule - NWS Data ModulesNWS Data ModulesTopic - NWS Data ModulesPackage Type - NWS Data ModulesPersonID - NWS Data ModulesJaimie SomlaiProductVersion - NWS Data ModulesRecorded Webinar TopicsRegion - NWS Data ModulesSite Display - NWS Data ModulesSkillLevel - NWS Data ModulesTopic - NWS Data ModulesVideoAudience - NWS Data ModulesVideoClassification - NWS Data ModulesVideoStatus - NWS Data ModulesTeamAll StaffSales/MktgAdd-In Type - NWS Data ModulesCategory - NWS Data ModulesCommittee - NWS Data ModulesDivision - NWS Data ModulesEvent Audience - NWS Data ModulesEvent Service - NWS Data ModulesEvent Type - NWS Data ModulesLocality - NWS Data ModulesModule - NWS Data ModulesNWS Data ModulesTopic - NWS Data ModulesBrand & Marketing StrategyPackage Type - NWS Data ModulesPersonID - NWS Data ModulesJaimie SomlaiProductVersion - NWS Data ModulesRecorded Webinar TopicsRegion - NWS Data ModulesSite Display - NWS Data ModulesNWS DigitalSkillLevel - NWS Data ModulesTopic - NWS Data ModulesVideoAudience - NWS Data ModulesVideoClassification - NWS Data ModulesVideoStatus - NWS Data Modules02024-04-12T07:21:34.82700