Whoever said ‘businesses cannot rebrand without losing customers’ was either lying or wasn’t aware of the successful stories of PayPal, Animal Planet, Uber, and Dropbox. These are just four names, but there are a dozen more of them to make you believe that, if done with caution, rebranding is not a self-destructive move.
However, to explore the benefits and understand the nitty-gritty better, it is important that you go through the prosperous re-launching business case studies. They will help you learn some significant lessons, ensuring that if you attempt rebranding, it does not fail.
Case Studies that Prove Rebranding Does NOT Kill Your Brand
It is a popular quote that whoever is not planning is planning to fail, and we think it fits everywhere, even in this brand-revamping scenario. Thus, if you are up for it, you must hire any of the reliable online reputation management agencies to make the process smooth throughout. However, before we get into the case study discussions, here is a quick description.
The Types of Rebranding You Should Know About
To begin with, there are three main types of rebranding. The names are brand merge, brand refresh, and full rebrand. Each of them has a different level of change, and each impacts the brand’s identity on a different scale.
1. Brand Merge
The first type of business revamp is when two or more separate brands or companies combine into a single entity. It means that a new identity will be formed, but the name can and cannot be news. You can also think of it as a merger or acquisition, where the goal is to integrate the products under one umbrella.
2. Brand Refresh
The next step is one step ahead, and it involves updating the venture’s visual identity, vision, mission, and overall approach. This is usually done when the management wants to connect better with the target audience. Moreover, this subtle approach is still less hassle than a full rebrand, where the focus lies on minor adjustments for freshness and relevance.
3. Full Rebrand
The third and most challenging is a full rebrand. Here, the business’s entire personality, including its name, logo, visual style, message, and even its core values, is redesigned. Thus, it’s only done when the current brand identity is no longer effective or is misaligned with the company’s new direction.
Now, It’s Time for Exploring the Case Studies
The first case study is of Airbnb, which is an online broker company for homestays in different countries. It is already a one-of-a-kind service, popular amongst target customers, but there was a time when it cleverly transitioned. It went from a rental service to a brand emphasizing unique and memorable travel experiences. It even uses Wikipedia page creation services to update its consumers on this transition.
Then we have Old Spice. It was initially a women’s fragrance brand, but it introduced a men’s self-care product range in 1938, and it was a huge success. The world has started to recognize them for their humorous and relatable advertising, like ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’. They even recently hired the dashing Isaiah Mustafa to revive the brand image.
The third case is of Microsoft, which is an international technology company mainly renowned for its software products. A couple of years ago, they started focusing on AI, and that is where the rebranding game began. First, they changed the name from ‘Office’ to ‘Microsoft 365 Copilot’. Then, they redesigned their logo and made some subscriptions to additional features. Lastly, they introduced a new URL – M365Copilot.com to make it even easier for users to find them.
Condition When Brand Reinvention Becomes Inevitable
According to the lessons from case studies, you must launch your existing brand again, with a better plan, if:
- The business is no longer in the same direction as the updated core mission and values.
- The target audience, company product, or strategy is changed.
- There are new trends, technologies, and competitors in action.
- Consumer preferences are changing often.
- The logo, website design, or overall aesthetics are no longer complementing the business.
- You need to address the company’s negative reputation and fix the damage to its name.
- You need to handle issues like scandals, PR blunders, and trust rebuilding.
Key Takeaways That Make Rebranding an Effortless Win
The most important lesson from the three cases above is that a business should stay true to its core values. Only then can they successfully re-launch their venture. Apart from this, revamping a brand requires the courage to step away from the familiar tracks and experiment with brand positioning and aesthetics.
Moving on, when the brand wants to create a strong emotional connection with its target audience, it is enough to rebrand a few elements instead of the whole. Furthermore, brands should also relaunch themselves when they have access to expert help, tools, and channels. Without these efficient resources, a brand is only planning a self-destructive move.
The Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why did Uber rebrand, and how?
Uber rebranded first in 2016 and then two years later in 2018. They intended to expand beyond its initial image as a ride-sharing app. Therefore, they changed their vision and refined the image in a different direction.
Q. What fashion brands have rebranded themselves?
There are several names in the world of fashion that have undergone revamping of the company. For example, there are Burberry, Gucci, Birkenstock, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Q. Why did Burger King get rid of their mascot?
This Burger Food Chain’s mascot had to be outdone in 2011, only to improve the declining sales and rework the marketing efforts. It was believed that the mascot was now looking creepy, which is why the potential customers got scared away.
Q. Is rebranding always effective?
No, it is not a standard rule that it will always turn out effective. Like other processes, it too has inherent risks, but these risks are worth the final results the companies see. So, it is up to you how carefully you handle the re-launch.
The Summary of Whether or Not to Rebrand
The process of branding your business again in front of the target market is a very interesting and challenging one. There are several names that have already attempted it, and it was a successful attempt, but not everyone is lucky enough.
Thus, if you want to re-market your business again, you first need to understand the nitty-gritty of the process. You will also have to find a professional social media management agency in dubai that will support you throughout the process. Lastly, you can read the success stories and case studies of popular brands like Airbnb, Old Spice, and Microsoft to get updated on their principles and strategies.
