Rebranding is a word that scares a lot of business owners (and, we would imagine, cattle as well). As exciting as it can be to change your image, it is also a venture that can require a lot of energy and resources. And we know that some business owners get nervous when they hear about big companies that tried to rebrand and just ended up ticking off their customers. 

Like Tropicana, for instance. You may remember a few years back when Tropicana opted to ditch their classic “straw in an orange” look in favor of a “nondescript glass of orange juice” look. Sales went down, people were outraged, and ultimately Tropicana reverted back to their old packaging. This article from Business Insider shows the old and new Tropicana packages and tells the stories of this and some other unfortunate rebranding attempts. 

Even though it didn’t work out for Tropicana, rebranding does wonders for many companies. Here’s the thing – it really works best if there is a good reason to go ahead and do it. Let’s say you’re trying to reach a new market. Revamping your brand so it caters to that new market would make sense, right? Or let’s say your company’s mission and daily operations have drastically changed since you developed your original marketing materials. Shouldn’t your marketing match what’s really going on at your business? Rebranding should be much less about a new style and much more about an accurate feel or message.

Rebranding for a Reason

Take the recent rebranding that Keds has done. Most people thought of Keds as shoes that were meant to be sported by middle aged women, but the company wanted to introduce their brand to a younger generation. Their solution was the “How Do You Do?” campaign, which incorporates style, artist designs, a cross-country tour of college campuses, and the ability to create your own shoes. The Keds brand does seem more modern and fresh now, but these updates weren’t made just for the heck of it…they were made with a new market in mind.

Or look at Starbucks. Their recent changeover to a new logo might not have been popular with everybody at first, but it’s likely to be successful in the long run because the logic behind their decision to rebrand makes a lot of sense. The old logo, which incorporated the words “Starbucks Coffee,” did not accurately represent the company that Starbucks is becoming now that coffee is just one of many menu items. By making a subtle logo change, Starbucks is able to show that they’re more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee.

So rebranding is really nothing to be afraid of…if it’s for the right reasons. If the way your company runs is changing or if your targets are changing, then so should your brand.  Have a chat with the crew at imPress Printing, and we’ll help you align your brand with your business.