By Kirby Mack, VP of Digital Media at Simplicity Lone Beacon
What do Johnson & Johnson, Eddie Bauer, and MailChimp all have in common? The answer might surprise you.
I think by now we all know the basic rules of a logo design.
- It must represent your brand and customer base.
- It must be relatable.
- It must be versatile and scalable.
- Don’t overcomplicate it.
At Simplicity Lone Beacon, we have a saying that we try to embody, “Never fall in love with your own ideas.” Hard as it might be. I get it, every designer falls in love with their own ideas. Same thing with every company owner. You put a lot of time and money into your company’s brand. And when you finally hit what you felt was the target, you fell in love. Fast. But now that the honeymoon phase is over, it’s time to ask the hard questions… Was it really the right choice, is it still relevant, or is it time for a rebrand?
Let’s look at some common questions you should be asking yourself to see if your brand is still representing your company, its products, and its values to the fullest.
Have you outgrown your startup phase?
MailChimp is the perfect example. When you start up your business you must do everything, everywhere, all at once, and sometimes you don’t have the time, resources, or finances to commit to a true brand assessment. That or, you just may not even know exactly who you are as a brand, as your company is in its infancy.
MailChimp CEO Ben Chestnut said in a Tweet;
“I designed @Mailchimp’s first Freddie mascot back in 2001. We’ve come a long way since then, growing beyond email to a leading marketing platform for small business. Later today, we’re launching an updated brand and website, designed to tell that story.”
Shortly after, he debuted their new brand and image because, as he said, they’ve grown far beyond their start-up phase.
When Twitter started, they simply bought a logo from iStock for $15 and tossed it up on their platform. It wasn’t until 2010, about 5 years later, that Twitter revealed its iconic bird logo. For the record, now that Twitter is X and they quickly rushed out their logo, I’m willing to bet big, we will see an X rebrand in the future.
So it’s not just you. Don’t feel bad for making these rash decisions. Every company does it, even some of today’s biggest brands. But now that you’ve hit your stride, does that logo created by your daughter in high school really speak to your brand and its market position?
Does your target audience recognize your value proposition?
Your value proposition represents the commitment you extend to your target audience, assuring them of top-notch products and services. If your customers are unaware of your distinct value, there might be a disconnect between your brand and your business. When your services and brand message diverge, it hurts potential customer engagement. Without a defined audience, your brand essentially lacks an identity. There’s nothing to connect with. Essentially, your brand is like the generic grey egg photo used on Twitter for someone who wishes to remain anonymous. And no one ever engaged with the egg.
Consider a rebrand as a strategic play to realign your business. It will allow you to articulate your market position with your intended customer base, preventing the attraction of the wrong audience or, worse, no audience at all.
Is your branding inconsistent?
Consistency is often associated with reliability. If your branding is inconsistent, it may lead customers to question the stability and trustworthiness of your brand. Trust is a crucial factor in building long-term relationships with customers. A strong, consistent brand helps in building recognition.
We see it all the time in this business. The market is moving so fast. The financial world is ever-changing. And you owe it to your clients to get the most up-to-date information out as fast as possible. Sometimes this comes at the cost of your brand. Slowly but surely, your email templates don’t match your website. Your social media hasn’t been updated since you last updated your logo. Your company letterheads are in a san-serif font, but your business cards are all serif. Inconsistency of your brand only gives one perception. Chaos. And that’s one impression you do not want to give to a current or potential customer.
Is your brand image wrong or negative?
Another indicator prompting you to reconsider a rebrand is when you’re aware that your target audience holds an inaccurate or, worse, unfavorable perception of your brand.
Occasionally, external factors can alter your brand image beyond your influence. Whether it’s a scandal, shifts in societal perspectives, ineffective marketing, or an unfortunate business decision, *Cough* Bud Light *Cough*, if these occurrences conflict with your core values, undertaking a business rebrand can serve to turn these issues around.
Remember Comcast? In the early 2000s, they were one of the most known internet companies in the world. And why? Because they had one of the worst customer service reputations ever. Now Comcast is gone. They don’t exist, right? Wrong. All they did was rebrand. Comcast became Xfinity. Most of America didn’t notice. New flashy company. Same bad service. So if you do rebrand due to a negative reputation. Please be sure to change more than just your name and logo.
Has your business model or service mix changed?
Are you introducing a new product or service, or undergoing a shift in your business model or strategy? Then a rebrand is likely in order.
A prime example of this is Dunkin’ Donuts. Dunkin’ Donuts recently did a rebrand: dropped the Donuts from its name, and is just running with Dunkin’ (pun intended). Now they are not solely associated with Donuts. This rebrand allows them to reposition themselves in the market and hit other target audiences who may never have tried their product to begin with.
Some of you may not even realize that your favorite marketing firm underwent a rebrand a few years into its growth. That’s right, when Simplicity Lone Beacon started, we went by Simplicity Lone Beacon Media. We were a media company, focusing on media producing for financial advisors. But as our brand changed and our services evolved, we dropped the word Media from our brand and just became Simplicity Lone Beacon. Why? Because we felt pigeonholed by the word media when we offered so much more.
Is your target audience specific enough?
If your target audience lacks a clear understanding of the value of your brand or your demographic reach is too broad, then it’s also time for a rebrand.
Casting too wide a net can lead to failure. Narrowing your focus and directing your marketing efforts toward a precisely defined target audience can often lead to better results. Keep in mind that demographics are dynamic; so be sure to remain adaptable and reassess your message, touchpoints, and products as the market evolves. Or you can just follow the trajectory of Blockbuster.
RIP Blockbuster. I miss Friday night, pizza, and spending hours in your aisle with my family reading the back of VHS covers.
So when we started I asked you what Johnson & Johnson, Eddie Bauer, and MailChimp all have in common. The answer: They’ve all recently rebranded. These brands have followed the trend that we in the industry call “The Great Un-cursiving.” These are three brands whose older logos were a sign of the times. They went from handwritten script font to simple block letters. Why, you ask? Well, Eddie Bauer CEO Tim Bantle said it best;
“A big part of what I’m going to need to do here is reintroduce this great heritage brand to the next generation,” — “And kids don’t even learn to read cursive in school anymore.”
That’s right, part of the reason why these iconic companies rebranded, is because Generation Z either can’t read or isn’t learning cursive.
So be sure to ask yourself the hard questions. Take a deep look into all aspects of your branding. And if you decide it’s time for a rebrand. Don’t be scared. We’re here for you.
