What's A Brand Refresh Anyway? It's Your Brand. Only Better.
A Brand Refresh isn’t the same as a complete overhaul. Here we talk about why a refresh is important for every brand, big or small.
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Worried your brand is falling behind, but you're not sure?
Here's a quick checklist to find out.
- You created your brand on a Commodore 64 - okay, that may be too far back, but you get the idea - your graphics are outdated.
- Your website still thinks it rules the playground, hates change, and refuses to play nice with mobile devices - in other words; it isn't responsive.
- You have trouble uploading your logo to any social media sites while making it look good - can't they make that square any bigger? Honestly.
- Your messaging says one thing while your business is doing another - basically, your business has evolved, but the story you're telling hasn't.
- You're losing customers because you can't tell them "at the speed of light" what you do - yes, that's how fast you need to capture someone's attention.
If you answered yes to any of the above, don't worry. We won't judge, but you're probably ready for a brand refresh. Not a complete overhaul, just an update. Because design trends change, technology keeps improving, and buyers are getting savvier and smarter. And brands, yours included, need to stay ahead of it all or at least keep up.
Every Brand Needs Refreshing.
For some, depending on the nature of their business, it could be quite often. Just look at Google. They seem to be doing it every day! We're not suggesting you go that extreme, but you could take a cue from MasterCard's subtle but recognizable brand mark evolution from 1966 to 2019.
Not all of Mastercard's re-brands were successful, but we won't talk about those because, in 2019, Mastercard did get it right. They didn't change their brand or what it stood for. They simply made it better by adapting their brand mark or logo to meet current trends.
In a bold move, they removed their name in printed form, letting their iconic overlapping red and yellow circles do the talking. They now have a "flexible modern design that works seamlessly across the digital landscape." When explaining the decision, Raja Rajamanar, Mastercard's chief marketing and communication officer, said: "Reinvention in the digital age calls for modern simplicity." Bam. Instant relevance.
That's What KHULA Does.
We're Brand Refresh Specialists.
KHULA helps brands stay true to who they are while giving them a new and improved image. In a nutshell, we help brands that feel tired, worn out, and a bit irrelevant get the revamp they need to keep growing their business. While updating your brand might seem daunting and overwhelming, we assure you it's not.
It's one of the most important things you could do for your business. Plus, it feels incredibly satisfying once you have a new website with on-point branding that represents who you are and what you do.
For A Successful Brand Refresh, You Need Expertise In Branding, Marketing, And Design.
Not everyone is at Mastercard's revamp level, but the foundational elements of the process for most businesses, big and small, are the same. A good brand refresh usually includes the following:
Brand Audit: This is a thorough analysis of an existing brand that uncovers its market position, target audience, competitors, and overall brand perception.
Research and Insights: Gathering market research, consumer insights, and industry trends informs the brand refresh strategy.
Strategy Development: To develop a comprehensive brand refresh strategy that aligns with the company's goals, it may require refining brand positioning, defining the brand personality, and establishing the brand's unique value proposition.
Visual Identity: Often seen as the "fun stuff", designers and creative teams collaborate to update or refine the visual elements of the brand, such as the logo, colour palette, typography, and overall brand aesthetics.
Messaging and Communication: Refreshing a brand isn't just about updating visual elements; it also includes updating messaging by crafting or refining brand messages, taglines, and brand voice to ensure consistency and resonance with the target audience.
Implementation Guidance: This involves implementing the brand refresh across various touchpoints, including marketing materials, website, packaging, and other brand collateral.
Stakeholder Engagement: Strong collaboration with internal teams and stakeholders must be established to ensure a smooth transition and alignment throughout the entire brand refresh process.
Brand Guidelines: Brand guidelines or style guides are created to provide instructions and standards for maintaining the refreshed brand identity across different platforms and communications.
When It All Comes Together, Brand Image Is Improved, The Target Audience Is Reached, And Business Objectives Are Achieved.
We'd say that's a pretty stellar outcome.
If your brand is losing its shine and starting to feel left behind, we can help.
We'd love to walk you through our brand refresh process and make your brand come alive again.
Want to explore some of our award-winning brand refreshes? Check them out here!
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