Rebranding is a process of giving a new look to a company, organization, product, or place. There are a number of circumstances that make many people want to rebrand, and a wide variety of options are available to marketing executives wishing to carry out a rebranding campaign. Just like a phoenix rising from the grave, your institution, city, or product can rise up stronger than ever before.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Making the Old New Again (Rebranding on Products, Companies, or Institutions)
Step 1. Determine why the rebranding effort is necessary
There are many reasons you might consider rebranding your product or company. However, identifying the specific reasons why you want to rebrand is important in order to develop the best work plan for your brand. For example, do you:
- Trying to appeal to a new demographic?
- Trying to fix a negative image? If your company has recently emerged from bankruptcy, a corporate scandal, or has experienced a slump in stock value, rebranding can help create a more positive company image.
- Trying to set your company apart from competitors?
- Re-evaluate your institution's values?
Step 2. Develop a plan for rebranding
After identifying the reasons for the rebranding, you need to create a work plan outlining how to achieve the target. Include shadow costs and timelines that mark important targets. Rebranding efforts can follow one or more paths, including the development of:
- New logos. Changing the logo can excite people to find out more about what the rebranding is all about.
- New Moto. In 2007, Wal-Mart's motto, namely “Always Low Prices” was replaced with “Save Money. LiveBetter”. The new moto suggests a lifestyle upgrade for customers, whereas the previous moto only impresses the low price (often associated with low quality).
- New name. This is a great rebranding strategy when the company is burdened with negative links, such as Phillip Morris' long-standing reputation as a tobacco company. In 2003, the company changed its name to Altria.
- Image and reputation. Watch how UPS has gone from a boring mail delivery service to a personal delivery service.
- New packaging. Be careful with this. Tropicana is widely known to have lost $50 million when it introduced its new orange juice packaging in 2009. They returned to their original packaging less than a month later.
- New product. McDonald's, for example, went from serving greasy ready meals to being healthier in the early 21st century.
- Rebranding can take the form of minor changes (changing the logo font) or a complete overhaul (developing each of the new elements mentioned above).
- The objects of rebranding are often interrelated. In other words, changing your logo and packaging will certainly have an impact on how people perceive your product, institution or company.
Step 3. Involve key stakeholders in the company
It is important to have the support of all those who will be impacted by a rebranding effort before it is implemented. Basically, there are two types of stakeholders to consider when conducting a rebranding campaign:
- People in institutions. This includes staff, managers, members of the board of directors, suppliers, and partner agencies. All of them are people who work for the company either directly or indirectly. People within the institution are the ones who will benefit the most or suffer losses depending on the success of the rebranding effort. Make them feel involved in the rebranding process.
- People outside the institution. These are the people whose hearts and minds you must reach in a competitive marketplace. Depending on the institution or product, you may need to consult with customers, donors or shareholders. Rebranding efforts must run according to their wishes and desires in order to remain (or turn into) loyal buyers of your product or service.
- Measuring the support of stakeholders in the company can be done using surveys or focus groups (focus groups). The marketing division needs to collect feedback on certain products and services.
Step 4. Promote your vision
Don't surprise the public or staff with a new look or sudden change in institutional focus. Rebranding must be a collaborative and open effort, and must be communicated to everyone involved prior to implementation.
Think without limits when rolling out the details of your rebranding effort. When Seattle's Best Coffee revamped their image in 2010, they posted fun videos on the internet instead of using boring press statements
Step 5. Make a branding change
Change the brand with logos, products, and a number of new things according to a predetermined plan. Update your business cards, letterhead, website and social media profiles as needed. Build your new brand into a name you can be proud of.
- Submit amendments to the incorporation documents to the state secretariat office in your area. There will be many costs associated with this change.
- A new brand launch can include one or a series of major events with wide publicity that showcases the new image, name, and product line in front of loyal and potential customers.
- Don't be afraid to cancel rebranding attempts. Sometimes even the best marketing research fails to detect the opinions of general consumers. For example, when Gap redesigned their logo in 2010, the public outcry was harsh and direct. The company changed their logo back after just 6 days. Admitting mistakes signifies strength, and proves your institution cares about the voice of consumers.
Part 2 of 2: Rebranding the Place
Step 1. Determine why the rebranding effort is necessary
Like rebranding a product or legal entity, this is an important first step. However, many of the reasons for rebranding a city, region, or neighborhood are very different from the reasons for rebranding a company. Before rebranding, ask if the rebranding effort is primarily:
- Economical, motivated by the need to bring in new jobs or tackle unemployment?
- Political, part of the push to get development grants or improve a negative image? Such rebranding campaigns can benefit cities known for crime or mismanagement.
- Environment, intended to attract infrastructure investment and improve urban planning?
- Social, triggered by the desire to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life.
- Competitive, meant to set your region apart from others. Cities and tourist experiences of modern "McDonaldization" have inspired many cities to rebrand and other unique lines.
- On-site rebranding can serve more than one purpose. For example, establishing a green belt area around or along a city space is an example of a social and environmental rebranding effort.
Step 2. Develop a plan for rebranding
Do an initial investigation of similar areas that have successfully rebranded and use that experience to brainstorm how your city or region could be rebranded.
-
Spatial rebranding is achieved in two main ways: reshaping an image and redeveloping it.
- Reshaping the image means emphasizing the existing distinctiveness or restoring the lost distinctiveness to form a strong brand. Is your city or was it a cultural or historical center? Art center? Fashion city?
- Rejuvenation means removing damaged or dingy areas and/or creating new developments in the form of residences, storefronts, or green spaces such as parks and walking trails.
- Realize that urban, sub-urban and rural spaces will have their own challenges and opportunities in implementing rebranding. Urban space rebranding might work well under gentrification or preservation schemes, while introduction as a heritage tourism hub could benefit rural space rebranding.
Step 3. Include key stakeholders in the company
Urban rebranding will require support from community members, government officials, and businesses.
- Residents can be your best representatives. Listen to their needs and consult with them before finalizing any rebranding proposal.
- Also make sure to reach out to businesses, but don't let them dominate the rebranding process. If they threaten to leave the territory, let the public and journalists know.
- Governments often have the final say in how rebranding efforts are carried out. But remember: they are elected and have a responsibility to the public.
- Emphasize that the rebranding process needs to promote city pride and help all stakeholders feel connected to the place they see as home.
- Use opinion polling, crowdsourcing, and surveys to get a perspective on what stakeholders want from a rebranded city or region.
Step 4. Promote rebranding efforts
Ensure that the marketing division receives regular communications from the rebranding project leader. Promotional materials celebrating the rebranding process should take advantage of:
- DVD
- Brochure
- Poster
- Radio, print and TV ads
- Book
- Websites and social media
- Tourism office
- City slogan
- city logo
Step 5. Execute the plan
Continue to receive feedback from stakeholders and newcomers who are interested in the results of your rebranding. Treat your city, region, or district like a product that must be constantly built, promoted, and improved.
Stay focused on the vision outlined in your original plan, but make adjustments as needed
Tips
Remember that in the end, it's the quality of your product or service-not your logo or slogan-that will make your brand great
Warning
- Some consumers and people within the institution will resist rebranding efforts because the image or packaging of the new product represents the unknown. Develop a plan for overcoming resistance by explaining how the service or product that has gone through the rebranding process is better than before.
- Urban rebranding has the potential to divide existing communities as new ones are created. Try to anticipate and avoid this whenever possible.
- Urban rebranding is much more difficult than company or product rebranding.
