From stagnant to stellar
A behind the scenes look at our rebranding projects and how they can lead a company to success
From stagnant to stellar
5 min read
Branding
Words by Jen Barry
When it comes to rebranding, like most things in this world there are infinite variabilities all of which are on a scale.
When it comes to rebranding, like most things in this world there are infinite variabilities all of which are on a scale. Very rarely will a company on a whim look to rebrand. As the saying goes ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’. However, brands doesn’t have to necessarily to be broken or failing in order to need attention and development.
As a team we have worked across various rebranding projects, all of which have different reasons for either needing a subtle shift, a complete visual overhaul, or even internal rebrands to ensure employee and stakeholder alignment.
Rebrands are often more challenging than creating a new brand or venture from scratch. There are existing parameters to work within such as fixed product or market, and not forgetting the existing customers who will have a sense of familiarity with the existing brand. Of course finally, there are brand owners or founders to contend with who have been so close to the brand since its inception that it can often be a struggle to help them see other directions.
In spite of this, often rebranding projects are the most rewarding. They get to market quickly, there is usually immediate customer feedback on the new direction, and they typically occur at an exciting new junction for a business such as entering a new market or having a new product offering.
Periods of economic uncertainty and market downturns are the optimum timeto double down on a brand. Here we outline some of the key reasons to invest in branding now, in order to survive and thrive.
Competitive Differentiation
A solid brand foundation and identity helps a company to differentiate itself from competitors and carve out a unique position in the market. As new players come to market and try to replicate your offering or approach to target customers, brands always need to be looking forwards to not be left behind, and sometimes this involves rebranding efforts to stay ahead of the game.
Neurum were one of the first players in their field when they launched in 2018. In the 4 years that followed, several new people came to market targeting the same audiences with similar product offerings, so in spite of being one of the first they needed to reposition themselves in order to ensure a competitive edge. As such, the task was to help them understand what the opportunity space was for the business, and how this would be represented visually without changing too drastically and turning off existing customers.
Brand Maturity and Expansion
It’s a luxury to have huge investment for a new business, but more often than not new brands are started quickly with little to no budget. Bootstrapped logos and brand identities that were always meant as placeholder in early days of conception but have outstayed their welcome. With time, and budgets, comes the opportunity to improve the brand image.
This was our experience working with online marketplace Peeba. When the company launched in 2018, their focus was on getting their product and platform right, to meet the needs of retailers and and brand owners, the brand positioning and identity wasn’t their immediate priority. In 2022 they secured a new round of funding and had plans to double their headcount, expand local offices, and extend their reach throughout Asia. As part of this growth, they were ready to reevaluate their brand positioning and identity to create one reflective of their credibility and success.
Business Reset and Brand Relaunch
The first iteration of KNOW Beauty was launched in 2021, promising an innovative and science-backed skincare line that used DNA testing technology to curate personalised skincare routines. However, due to the complex product offering and messaging, and an identity that didn’t seem reflective of the essence of the faces behind the brand, there was an opportunity to start fresh.
The business model and product line was stripped back and simplified. Rather than trying to take over an entire skincare routine, the business focussed on a product that was tailored but could easily be integrated into any existing routine with a clay mask. With this, there was also the opportunity to reset the brand identity entirely, and create something that was visually representative to Vanessa Hudgens as a person; after all she was going to be the face of the brand so creating something in line with her aesthetic was the obvious way to go in order to truly engage with her and her followers.
The Slow Burn
There are some rebrands that we aren’t even aware are happening and it’s only when you take a step back and look at where everything started do you begin to see the huge shift. As the team behind the brand and creative direction for Hommey since it launched in 2021, we are constantly evolving and shifting the visual strategy of the brand based on customer feedback, market activities, insights, and the product and business offering.
We lead an overall brand health-check once a year in the form of a Brand Sprint, which provides us the opportunity to step back and look at everything holistically and put forward our recommendation of how to shift the brand. However in between these our team assess month to month to optimise the brand and bring about a gradual change and ensure that nothing feels too stark or out of place for the brand.