What is Rebranding and When is it Useful?

Discover with MBE why applying this marketing strategy to your company’s image can be beneficial and what advantages it offers.

What is Rebranding and When is it Needed?

Rebranding involves updating your corporate image to make your brand more effective.

In an era of digital transformation and rapidly changing consumer tastes and shopping habits, rebranding strategies play a key role in revitalizing a company’s image and responding quickly to new market demands.

Today's business environment is increasingly competitive, dynamic, and filled with countless offers and products. This makes it essential to focus on your corporate image, stand out from competitors, establish an emotional connection with customers, and be ready to modernize, update, and relaunch your brand from a visual perspective.

But what does rebranding actually mean? It refers to the process of renewing a brand’s identity—a marketing operation that may involve creating a new image for an existing product or brand, which can include changes to the name, logo, design, color palette, or communication tone.

Rebranding is a delicate and complex process, requiring careful consideration of multiple factors. According to Forbes, a full brand overhaul can take between 12 and 18 months. A brand’s identity forms a pillar of the company’s overall identity and can significantly influence how its products are perceived in the market. Staying aligned with current trends and your target audience is therefore crucial.

Let’s explore when and how to adopt this strategy to give your business a fresh boost.

When to Start Rebranding

According to StudyFinds, 60% of consumers avoid companies with unattractive logos, even if they have good reviews, while more than 50% say they are more likely to choose products with easily recognizable branding. Having an effective logo and a corporate image that stays current is essential to remaining competitive. That’s why, as Entrepreneur reports, most companies consider a major rebrand every 7–10 years and continuously make minor updates to improve their visual identity.

But when is the right time for a rebrand, and why? When making this decision—which involves many aspects of a company’s image—a number of factors should be considered:

Align new positioning with your corporate image.
When a company moves in a new strategic direction, it’s crucial that its brand reflects this transformation. Rebranding allows you to communicate new goals and a new path, aligning public perception with the desired positioning. Choices such as color, font, or communication tone are not random or dictated by personal taste; they are valuable tools for establishing an empathetic connection with potential customers. These decisions should therefore be entrusted to professionals who can best interpret the needs of your business.

Attract new market segments.
Sometimes companies expand into new markets or want to reach a different audience. Adjusting your visual identity can help present your product more attractively to new segments, personalizing communication to better achieve new objectives. Partial restyling should be avoided; the project should encompass marketing solutions like websites and gadgets as well as printed materials, including flyers, brochures, and business cards.

Differentiate from the competition.
In saturated markets, it can be challenging to stand out. Effective rebranding can help you distinguish yourself from competitors by highlighting the uniqueness of your offering. Relying not only on a strong logo but also on customized packaging and materials, for example, can significantly enhance brand identity and communicate your company’s character.

Respond to significant changes in the business environment.
Whether due to technological innovations, new market trends, mergers, or acquisitions, a constantly evolving environment may require a brand refresh to remain relevant. Rebranding can help communicate changes effectively and give new momentum to your business.

Revive a negative image.
Restoring a damaged reputation or image is a major reason for rebranding. A well-planned brand refresh that clearly communicates growth after a crisis can convincingly address corporate challenges and help regain public trust. Resetting your brand image becomes a powerful communication tool, providing tangible proof of the company’s evolution and sending a positive message that restores customer respect.

Leverage print and marketing solutions, mailbox services, and more to design or renew your company’s image in a way that is effective and consistent with your brand identity. With the expertise of MBE professionals, you can better structure your visual communication, select the most suitable style for your business, and relaunch a coordinated corporate image.

FAQ

What is rebranding?
Rebranding is the process of changing a brand’s identity—a marketing operation that involves creating a new image for an existing product or brand, which may include updates to the name, logo, design, color palette, or communication tone.

When is rebranding recommended?
Rebranding is advisable when a company is developing a new strategic direction, expanding into new markets, seeking to attract a different audience, aiming to differentiate from competitors, responding to significant changes in the business environment, or needing to restore credibility.

Can rebranding help reach new market segments?
Yes. Adjusting your brand identity can present your product more attractively to new market segments, personalizing communication to make it more effective for achieving new goals.