At any company, there are always generational gaps. And with those differences come new opportunities, new challenges and new ways of looking at different concepts. In today’s hyper-connected, hyper-visual world, the younger generation is starkly aware of the importance of appearance and identity, particularly when it comes to branding. For the older generation, aspects of a company that aren’t directly profit-related can sometimes be difficult concepts to grasp.

Have you ever been job hunting and found a company that, on paper, offers a good opportunity but you were skeptical to apply due to an outdated or poorly-constructed brand? Brand identity can often make or break a company and when it is lacking, it often creates doubt in the company’s culture, values or reputation. The majority of today’s consumers will heavily consider a company’s brand before choosing to buy, work, or recommend their services or products.

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Whether senior company executives realize the value of a strong brand identity or not, the reality is it is essential for the success of their company. So why aren’t more companies rebranding? Well, for one thing, it is an investment. For another, it is a push into the unknown. But, more often than not, senior company members are hesitant to believe it will make an impact. If you’ve ever been in this situation, you know how frustrating it can be.

That’s where we come in. We at Everbrave want you to succeed! That’s why we’ve created this blog to help convince senior company members about the importance of branding and why a rebrand might be crucial to the future of a business.

FACT: The decision to rebrand must be endorsed by the leaders in your company. There is no other way.

So what can you do to convince the powers-that-be that your company could benefit from a top-down rebrand? You need to build a case around the business value of rebranding. There are many ways in which a rebrand can add tremendous value to the bottom line, and those are the kinds of ideas your boss is looking for. Here are a few places to start.

How to Create a Business Case for a Rebrand

Brand Story

A rebrand gives your company an excuse to talk about itself. I mean really talk about itself and communicate your core values. It’s a tremendous opportunity to re-state your brand promise and remind your audience you’re serious about growth.

Demonstrate Innovation

Rebranding is a bold statement to the market that your company is savvy, sophisticated, and that you actively want to re-engage with your audience. This can increase business leads by having prospects take a second look, and maybe take your company more seriously. It can also encourage existing clients to consider your full product range and potentially increase repeat business.

Legacy

Rebranding can be a way to honour your history as a company by preserving the essence of your original brand while providing a fresh new spin on things. In other words, “We’re established, but forward-thinking”. Not all rebrands are a do-over, in fact, the best companies rebrand consistently (every 15 – 20 years). At the very least freshen things up as trends and consumer behaviour change with generations.

Brand Value

A tangible item on the balance sheet. Creating enhanced loyalty is money in the bank for selling a business. Rebranding can enhance brand value by creating a more engaged and loyal audience, and reduce overall churn. Although it’s difficult to measure, it’s an important factor when selling (or sometimes acquiring) a business.

Recruitment

More often than ever before, we’re actively recruiting the millennial generation. This generation is typically more interested in knowing that the company they’re going to work for has strong values and purpose, is a solid place to work, and has a bright future. If your company is competing for the top of the class, it’s imperative that you look engaging and ahead of the pace of your competitors.

Consistency

Companies with aged or dated identities often suffer from a lack of consistent brand usage across the organization. Colour variations, proportion, different versions of the logo, etc., can be a tell-tale sign that the brand has run wild and it’s time to reset. Gather evidence from your colleagues by documenting examples of misused or dated collateral and logo examples. Use this as a case to create a renewed set of brand standards and logo usage guidelines to get everything back on track. This is a perfect opportunity to freshen things up with a fresh look.

Cost Savings

When you hear “Rebranding is too expensive; we’ll do it in the future”. This isn’t uncommon. Rebranding can be a costly and resource-intensive exercise. But it’s not going to get any cheaper and only gets more expensive as your company grows. New hires, expanded fleets, more inventory, and new product lines will all need a new brand at some point. Tackling this before going through a growth phase can save cash down the road. (To get an inside look into what Agencies charge, check out our blog – What Do Marketing Agencies Charge? An Update for 2021)

Rebranding Creates Opportunity

Bottom line, a rebrand is a major opportunity to generate new opportunities for the company. So even if your company is ‘doing just fine’, could it benefit from opening new doors by telling the brand story in a fresh and contemporary way? The answer is usually yes, assuming that the opportunity is properly capitalized on.

What Not to Do When Pitching a Rebrand

Ok, so you’re working hard to build a case around the value of rebranding, but there are a few big pitfalls to avoid that could sink your dreams quickly.

Do not go it alone

Do not take the initiative to redesign the company logo on your own and pitch it to your boss. Rebranding is a sensitive exercise that requires research, strategy, and design expertise. Throwing something on the table prematurely can annoy people or turn them off to the whole idea. This includes outsourcing it to a crowdsourcing platform (like 99Designs) just to ‘see’ what it might look like. Get buy-in first and then go to the pros. And by ‘pros’, we mean branding specialists, not the local sign shop or office supply store.

Do not insult or degrade the existing brand openly

Approach the opportunity with positivity and support for the company, no matter what the decision is. Affirm your respect for the company and your passion and be a solid brand advocate.

Do not stop using the current brand collateral

We’ve seen this happen before when people stop using the collateral they hate altogether in favour of something generic or unbranded. Even though you aren’t a fan, continue to help build the company and be a team player.

Convincing the leadership team to rebrand when you’re getting resistance can be a daunting task, but an evidence-based approach is usually your best bet. Do your homework, create a compelling value-based argument and work collaboratively with a branding expert to explore all of the possibilities of a rebrand for your organization. We wish you the best of success!

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