Why You Need a Brand Refresh

03/16/2022

INSIGHTS

Why You Need A Brand Refresh

Refreshing your brand is like a car wash for your company- it’s the perfect chance to clean shop, spruce up, and make your organization shine.

Why do a brand refresh? The answer is simple: for a better-looking and functioning business that drives more customers to your doorstep!

Read on to find out why brand refreshes are so important, the benefits and costs of doing one, our refresh checklist, and how a creative agency can help you succeed in continuing brand development.

What Is a Brand Refresh vs. a Rebrand?

A brand refresh is the process of tweaking and updating your brand without a complete overhaul in image. This can be done with:

Re-designed logos
Website updates
Changing the company colors and style
Hiring new brand ambassadors

Doing a rebrand is like erasing and starting with a clean slate. Branding experts at creative agencies tear down the old to build something different, such as rebranding from marketing consultant to interior designer. This includes:

Changing the company name
Completely new brand logo
Switching industries altogether
Changing product and service offerings

Brands are just like people; over time, they get tired. As your business grows and evolves, you have to realign your appearance with your purpose. It’s the ultimate way to revitalize your company and reconnect with existing customers, and put on a fresh face for potential new ones.

Do the Visuals Match the Future Version of Yourself?

As you think about doing a brand refresh vs. a rebrand, it’s essential to keep in mind your company’s future. The visuals need to match where you are headed. Ask yourself- has your audience remained the same? Is your message still relevant?

If your brand is a little dated or has lost its energy but still serves as an excellent representation for your business, then you should opt to hit the refresh button.

Simply put: evolve with the times. What may have worked five to ten years ago might not work now.

The Iceberg Metaphor

Think about an iceberg- sometimes, what’s underneath is much more substantial (and just as important) as what is apparent to the naked eye.

It takes evaluating what’s below the surface, such as website function, customer demographic, customer support, and social media strategies, to ensure that what’s visible (your logo, color pallet, mission statement, website, and marketing channels) is at its best version.

Brand refreshes are a chance to address what’s not being seen, so that what is seen is a beautifully accurate representation of your company!

What may have worked five to ten years ago might not work now.

BRAND AWARENESS

The Benefits of Doing a Brand Refresh

By making minor improvements, you can reap the benefits, including:

Higher brand awareness (with new and old customers)
Increased customer loyalty
Improved brand recognition
Remaining modern and relevant to stand out from the crowd
Reaching a new consumer base that you may not have had access to before!
As a result of the above: increased revenue

Why Does This Matter?

Every day, you compete with millions of other brands to stay at the forefront of each consumer’s mind. One of the ways you can do that is through various social media platforms. As of 2021, a staggering 90% of people purchase from brands they follow on social media.

Let’s face it, good or bad; our phones are an extension of ourselves. People spend hours consuming information across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter alone. Why not use that to your advantage?

Another fun fact: 80% of consumers believe color is a big part of identifying a brand– so choose wisely and stick to it!

A brand refresh is the perfect way to jump-start your social media presence and not miss out on potential customers. With the tactful guidance of a creative agency, like Cumberland Marketing, you can then use this as an opportunity to showcase the updated logo design or color scheme and build a platform that you’re proud of.

How do we execute? Check out our brand refresh checklist below or download a printable version here.

Checklist for a Brand Refresh

Step 1: Do a brand investigation phase, and be honest with yourself

What is the purpose of my business? Has it changed?
If so, what is my new objective?
Do my website and all other social platforms reflect the discoveries from the above questions?

Step 2: Understand your target audience (the old and the new)

Since you’ve launched your brand, customer needs have likely evolved in the process. How can we address loyal customers while bringing in new ones? One way is to ask questions via social media to see what your customers think of your brand. Here are common questions you might pose:

What’s something you haven’t seen from us that you want to?
How can we improve our brand?
What’s your favorite product?
Ask me anything.

Interacting with your customer base is a great way to build personal relationships and understand what drives people’s decisions. Additionally, it may help you understand if there’s a fresh category of consumers you may be able to tap into.

Step 3: Research your competition

Where are the market gaps?
How can you separate yourself from your competitors? What makes you and your products/services unique?
Is there something other companies are doing better than you?

Overcoming these obstacles is essential to evolving as a brand.

Step 4: Plan your refresh

Update logo design, color scheme, or slogan (or all!)
Re-design website layout, features, and navigation menu. Is it easy for visitors to find what they need on the site? If not, how can you make it more efficient?
Enlist new brand ambassadors
Make a list of all social media platforms. Are they consistent with logo design? Is there anything missing or outdated? How can you be more present?

Above all, ensure that all of the updates reflect your current objectives!

Step 5: Execute

The most important part of this step is internal communication: having your employees buy into the marketing strategy is critical. Make sure your team is on board, informed, and effectively communicating your message.

Launch your brand refresh across your website and all of your marketing platforms. Watch as your brand will transform while maintaining its authenticity and customer relationships along the way!

Remember that evolution is a constant process- track key performance indicators to make adjustments along the way.

How we do things at Cumberland Marketing

Part of the battle is enlisting the proper creative agency to refresh your brand. We, at Cumberland Marketing, have extensive experience in this area.

Check out how we took Prendergast Construction to the next level by refreshing their branding, website, and video & photography content.

Through corporate video production, website hero videos, and elevated product demonstrations, we were able to help countless brands better reflect who they are and influence new customers.

How Much Does a Brand Refresh Cost?

Statistically speaking, brand refreshes are more cost-effective than rebrands- and they can be done very quickly.

On average, expect it to take 2-4 months, and the price depends on how intensive the project is, how many team members it involves, how much time it will take, and if a company needs help pitching it to their key stakeholders. A brand refresh is typically priced per project, so it’s best to reach out for a consultation. Whether you’re updating just digital or digital and print will make a difference in cost.

Fear not: We work with brands across a variety of industries to help find the best budget-friendly fit for them!

Help Us, Help You!

It’s important to remember that a brand refresh is not just an aesthetic decision. A good brand refresh goes beyond how your logo looks and considers visual identity standards, customer service guidelines, messaging strategy, and more. The end result will be increased market share for you and less confusion regarding what your company stands for among customers.

Now that you’re ready to take the exciting step of a brand refresh for your business’s evolution, contact us today!