To Rebrand or Not To Rebrand

A Curse or a Blessing?

Rebranding is a recurring theme among our clients. They want to shake things up, reignite the company, regain customers, or avoid a crisis. From time to time, brands need a revisit. For some, the rebranding is a complete make-over. For others, it’s just a minor colour change or an updated logo. For both, it is a transformation of the brand.

A rebrand is a significant undertaking. It takes time and energy to succeed. But it allows you to take a hard look at your brand – rethink and reboot. A rebrand can renew people’s perception of your brand, even enabling you to raise your prices.

So, how do you succeed with your rebranding, if necessary? It requires a solid strategic foundation, creative craft induced with intuition, and a deep understanding of the context to know when to rebrand and when not to do it.

When (Not) To Rebrand

When you’re judging your own baby (brand), it’s difficult to decide if it’s time for a rebrand. It requires a fresh perspective. And a great comprehension of your surroundings. One way of doing this is using the 4C’s (which we never stop talking about); culture, company, consumer and category. It is an excellent test for checking your relevance and context awareness.

You should only rebrand if you can check these boxes:

• Your brand no longer reflects your company
• Your brand no longer reflects your consumers
• Your brand no longer reflects the culture
• Your brand no longer reflects your category

Rebranding is never just about the looks. You have to be thorough and check every single part of your brand, including your strategy. So yes, rebranding can become quite the process. But when done right, it can be just as rewarding.

Refreshing a Soda Icon

Here in Denmark, Tuborg Squash has been an icon, an orange soda favourite for decades. It’s been the original, a true classic introduced in 1936. That’s before the 2. World War. Unfortunately, the packaging design has lost its contemporary touch and desperately needed an update. It needed to reflect the overarching promise of being “originally refreshing”. Just by looking at it, all thirst should be quenched, and the retro feeling should be strengthened.

Before designing, we looked into which company elements we could draw from to rejuvenate the design and brand from a strategic offset. This was crucial in restoring pride, highlighting the heritage and the craft of these beloved orange sodas. Then, we bounced the elements of the surrounding culture, category and consumer to better understand what would resonate.

Did the rebranding strike a chord? Did it resonate with the new target group? Early into the new design launch, Tuborg noticed an uptick in sales, a whopping 26% to be exact. Now, only six months after launch, sales volume is up 69%. That means every 4th orange soda sold in Denmark is now a Tuborg Squash. Looks like originality is back. Combined with an advertising campaign, the new Tuborg Squash strengthens its position as refreshing, without getting too ‘fresh’, and still as a cool original without becoming old-school.

However, this was only possible because the Tuborg brand team was invested and committed. They were ready to raise the bar, evolve the product and rejuvenate the brand.

Is the Time Right for a Rebranding?

So, is it time to rebrand your business? Is it necessary? To answer that, grab a pen and paper and start asking yourself these questions – truthfully. That is the only way to truly know if your business needs a rebranding.

• Why are you rebranding? (be honest with yourself).
• How does your rebrand reflect the 4Cs (Consumer, Culture, Company and Category)?
• What is the aim of your new brand?
• Are you ready to commit to rebranding, to activate and implement rebranding both internally and externally?

A rebranding is a major endeavour and shouldn’t be rushed. But it also enables you to strengthen your position in the market and regain lost popularity. Worth it, take the test.