Rebranding: when it's time for a business to change and how not to lose customers
Briefly: rebranding is not just a change of image for the sake of beauty, but a response to a changed business: a new audience, a new scale, or outdated positioning. The article contains 5 signs that it's time to change, stages of safe rebranding, and how not to lose brand recognition when updating.
5 signs that a business is ready for rebranding
- The company has outgrown its old positioning: started with one service, but now covers the entire market - The brand's audience has changed, but the visual style remains the same - The name or logo conflicts with a trademark already registered by a competitor - The brand looks outdated compared to new market players - Merger or acquisition of companies requires a unified identity system
How to conduct rebranding without losing brand recognition
A complete change of logo and name is the riskiest scenario: the audience will not recognize the brand on the shelf or in search for some time. A safer path is evolutionary rebranding, where recognizable elements (the shape of the mark, a distinctive color) are preserved, but the technical execution and adaptability to modern media are updated. An important stage is communicating the rebranding to current customers before its completion: announcement in social networks, newsletter, explanation of the reasons for the changes. A silent replacement of the logo without explanation is perceived by the audience as the disappearance of the old brand, not its development.
Partial rebranding (updating the logo and corporate style while keeping the name) usually costs from 200 to 600 thousand rubles. Full rebranding with a new name, naming check, and updating all media — from 500 thousand to 2 million rubles depending on the scale of the network of locations and the number of media.
How much does rebranding cost
Type of rebranding: Partial (without changing the name); Price: 200 000 - 600 000 rubles
Type of rebranding: Full (with a new name); Price: 500 000 - 2 000 000 rubles
Type of rebranding: Full (with a new name); Price: 500 000 - 2 000 000 rubles
Is it necessary to notify clients about rebranding in advance? Yes, an announcement before completing the changes reduces the risk that the audience will perceive the new style as the disappearance of the old brand. Can rebranding be carried out gradually rather than all at once? Yes, phased updating of media (first digital, then print and signage) reduces the burden on the budget and the risk of confusion for clients. How to understand that the new logo does not conflict with someone else's trademark? A check against Rospatent databases is required before final concept approval — this is usually handled by a patent agent. How long does a full rebranding of a network with several locations take? From 3 to 6 months, including phased updating of signage and materials at all locations.
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