Why should a business rebrand?

When Google revealed its new logo in 2015, this was major news worldwide. It was the company’s first major redesign in years, so naturally, the media flocked to it like sheep.
However, people were quick to criticise Google for its new logo, since at first sight it looked like all that had changed was the typeface. What was the point of such an expensive undertaking if so little had changed?

​Google's old logo vs new. As you can see, little had changed in terms of visual design.

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​It may not have looked like it, but this was a major rebranding, which is far more than meets the eye at first sight.

Google rebranding is a case in point that behind a professional rebranding, there are deeper intentions than just a cool new style and jazzy new logo. 

The logo is often seen as the shining diamond of a company’s brand, as it’s a major part in what makes a business recognisable. 

But that’s merely the tip of the iceberg. Underneath, there is so much more than a logo. It isn’t all about how you look. 

In Google’s case, their rebranding wasn’t just a new logo. It was actually much bigger than that, because they had actually created a parent company called 'Alphabet', while Google became a subsidiary.
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Google, once at the top of the pyramid, dropped down to a subsidiary of the new parent company.

​The move was made to separate the company into different departments with one clear goal in mind — continue being the top search engine without getting too mixed up with other projects.

Having Alphabet overlook every brand, it gave Google the opportunity to delve into new projects, all while keeping its main brand purpose.

So, the point of Google’s rebranding was not to show off their new look. Rather, it actually reflected new and major changes within the company — even if it wasn’t fully obvious at first.
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When you rebrand, you make a strong statement of your intent of staying relevant in an evolving marketplace. It shows the world you mean business.
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​So, the point here is that even some of the biggest and most successful businesses would have, at some point, undertaken some rebranding.

Google’s rebrand was a big step for the company, but it’s something that should apply to any business who are serious about the future.

Because in business, things constantly change, whether we like it or not. Change either happens within the business or outside of it.

Internal change is the first reason, and may happen simply because a business wishes to or needs to.

They may decide to change its focus, product line or services, and so would need to communicate this to the world.

The second reason is changes within the marketplace, which is something a business has no control over. Therefore, they must adapt or their brand may become dated and irrelevant. 

Today, this happens more and more due to uncertainty and the competitive environment. 

If a brand does not adapt and transform, this will lead to a loss of visibility and fading into obscurity.

​At Acacia, we often see companies with great products and services that haven’t nurtured their brand regularly — and so, they find themselves sinking further into irrelevancy.

Like an overgrown garden, once a brand has been left unattended for too long, it will take lots of efforts and resources to revive it.​
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​Obviously, any business would want to avoid this fate. So now you just need to know how and when you’ll need to rebrand in order to save yourself.
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The first step to your brand’s long term survival is to review your relevance in the marketplace. To do this, bring your team together and ask yourselves these questions:

​Is my brand visible enough in today’s marketplace?

Are as well-known in your niche as you believe to be?
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Start by looking at your current presence on online marketing channels and see whether you are fully engaging in them to attract your customers.

​Are we still relevant to our audience?

Do your customers still talk about you positively?
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Research your target audience, see what they’re currently talking about, concerns they may have, and how you may be able to help them.

We also encourage you to review your customer personas, as well as their needs and expectations.
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Think about what you need, want and expect from your brand, and then expand deeper by researching your audience.

Are competitors overtaking us?

How are your competitors doing? A little competitor research never hurt anyone, so it’s always worth checking what they’re current strengths and weaknesses are. Think about how you can use your strengths and their weaknesses to your advantage.

If you find that you’re not visible, relevant and your competitors are beating you at your game, then rebranding will be the best route for you.
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Remember — relevance and adapting to change in the marketplace is key, and rebranding could be the perfect path to success you’re looking for.

​Want to know your brand's performance?

If you are in doubt about your brand’s current positioning and survival in the marketplace, the most crucial insight you need is brand clarity.

Start evaluating where you are today by taking Acacia’s brand performance scorecard.
It is confidential, free and will give you more clarity about your brand and how to prioritise business growth initiatives.
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Taking the brand performance scorecard is quick and easy, and you’ll receive a personalised report via email within a few minutes.