When is it time to execute a brand refresh?

Your brand is a large part of your company’s first impression. It’s one of the first things a customer will notice. The average person sees thousands of brands every single day, so you have a limited amount of time to be memorable. It’s best to give your brand some thought and consider a refresh if it’s outdated.

Let’s explore the reasons for a potential brand refresh and why it’s important to your overall marketing strategy.

Signs your brand needs an update

Your brand doesn’t communicate

Instead of using paragraphs of copy to explain a company’s ethos, a brand is made up of video, colors, fonts, images, and other visual elements that communicate a company’s identity. A well-executed brand will help establish a relationship with customers. Over time, customers grow in loyalty to a brand, and come to trust and expect a certain level of quality or service. This bond between a brand and its clients can be strengthened or weakened over time, depending on maintenance.

If you know that your brand is leaving your customers with a lot to be desired, then it’s time to do some updating.

You are struggling to maintain your customer base

Customers will come and go—it’s a natural part of the business process—and if they’ve outgrown your product or service, they’re likely to move on to something different. If you are looking to retain evergreen customers, there are two things you can do: adapt to offer services or products that meet their needs and/or update your brand to better resonate with them.

Think about the classic “4 P’s of Marketing”: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. If you have spent time refining the first three but are still struggling to retain customers, it’s time to take a look at your brand.

Your brand is boring

While your company may be very established and highly recognizable, there might be something about your brand that’s just “blah.” Is it old and outdated? Underwhelming? Confusing? Don’t stress, it happens to many brands. The good news is that there is something you can do about it.

What to do when it’s time to update your brand

The evolution of your brand should retain a certain connection with your audience. As your customer base ages, the brand will too. Avoid letting a brand go stale just to keep the status quo.

Do your research

Take time studying your company and your customers to identify how best to execute a refresh. Survey your existing audience, particularly the ones who have championed your brand. Gather feedback on your current brand messaging to see if they still feel connected to it. If they don’t, consider refreshing your brand completely or generating new material (i.e., brand elements, messaging, visuals, and more) that resonates with them.

Consider a “brand boost”

Your research may show that you aren’t quite ready for a full brand refresh, but you know that some updates will still keep your brand from growing stale. In that case, consider a “brand boost.” It’s good practice to periodically review your brand book and make refinements that keep it relevant. The outcome of a review may warrant small but impactful changes (i.e. font adjustments, new images, brand color tweaks, etc.).

This sort of brand boost will help prevent “boring brand syndrome” and keep your organization connected to your customers without a total revamp that makes your brand unrecognizable.

Brands are meant to evolve. Without change, you run the risk of being left behind.

Tips for getting started on your brand refresh

It’s one thing to know that you need a brand refresh, and it’s another to actually get started on one. Here are a few tips to make the first step a little easier.

Get an audit

Not every organization needs to get rid of its current brand and start over. Consider a strategic audit to review what brand materials you’re working with including the good, the bad, and the forgotten. Once your analysis is complete, don’t fear the change. It could be the difference between relevance and stagnation.

Ask for help

If you don’t know how to make these modifications or a brand audit feels overwhelming, don't worry. Consider working with a digital marketing partner so your brand stays fresh and memorable.

Learn more about the branding and design side of digital marketing through our FAQs.