Rebranding strategy Implementation: 25 Design Updates to Make Before You Launch

Embarking on a rebranding journey is an exciting time for your business! It’s a chance to get creative with how you present yourself and engage your audience, which can be the catalyst for a new era of transformation, growth, and success for your business. 

With a well-executed rebranding strategy, you can differentiate your business from your competitors’, establish a unique position in the market, and strengthen your connection with your customers. It can also rekindle enthusiasm among your team members by bringing a new sense of purpose and inspiring fresh ideas and perspectives.

Rebranding is an opportunity to create a fresh and compelling visual identity that reflects your brand’s values, mission, and personality. Learn more on designing to captivate your target audience.

When it comes to implementing a rebranding strategy for your business, there are several design needs that must be met for a successful transition and to develop brand recognition.

In this blog, we’ll share a comprehensive checklist of 25 design requirements that should be considered when rebranding. Whether you are updating your brand identity or just doing a light brand refresh, these design elements are vital to complete the rebranding process and present a cohesive image to your audience.

Reasons to rebrand

Before diving into the design needs for a rebrand, it is important to understand why businesses choose to rebrand in the first place. Rebranding requires a great deal of thought, as well as a clear purpose and strategy. Some common reasons for rebranding include:

• Company expansion or merger: When you undergo expansion, scale up, or are part of a merger or acquisition, rebranding can help change how your company is viewed in the market, while better differentiating you from your competitors
• Product and service changes: If your products or services have changed significantly, rebranding can communicate these changes and attract customers by highlighting the unique value you offer
• Location changes: When your company changes its location or adds new locations, rebranding can reflect the regional language, values, and culture of the area to better connect with the target audience in that region
• Pricing strategy: Rebranding can be used to emphasize the high quality of your product or service, allowing you to raise prices in the market successfully—which can be especially helpful when the cost of production increases
• Outdated name or logo: If your company’s name, logo, or brand design is outdated or no longer accurately represents your brand, rebranding with a new logo can help keep your brand relevant and appealing
• Outdated website: When your website is not user-friendly or up-to-date compared to your competitors’, rebranding with a modern website design can improve user experience and accurately represent your company online
• Shift in market demand: Rebranding can help meet new expectations and communicate changes in your products or services to the target audience, ultimately earning you more appreciation and trust 
• Changes in brand story and goals: When the story or goals of your company change, rebranding can align your brand with the new narrative and vision, ensuring consistency and clarity
• Disconnect from bad press: If any aspect of your business, products, or services is viewed negatively, rebranding can help rebuild trust by communicating positive changes or improvements to the target audience
• Expanding target audience: If you’re planning to expand your target audience, rebranding can be a valuable strategy; it can make your products and services more appealing to new demographic groups, helping you access previously untapped markets

The above factors can help you decide when it might be beneficial to consider rebranding, as well as how to build a successful rebranding strategy. Once you’re ready to begin implementing it, we recommend using the following checklist of 25 design updates to make for a successful transition. 

25 design updates for implementing your rebranding strategy 

Once you have a clear rebranding strategy in place, it is time to address the design needs associated with the process. 

Delivering a consistent, cohesive brand experience across platforms is crucial for building and maintaining brand recognition and loyalty. That’s why a major advantage you can give yourself is working with an experienced design team that understands your brand.

Here are 25 design requirements to consider when rebranding, organized into 6 important categories: brand identity, digital presence, sales and marketing collateral, brand collateral, launch materials, and collateral for internal engagement.

Updated brand identity

1. Updated logo: Your logo serves as a visual representation of your brand. Ensure it aligns with your brand’s new direction while remaining recognizable to your audience. 
2. Visual guidelines: Develop clear brand guidelines that include fonts, typography guidelines, and a brand color palette. These guidelines will ensure consistency across all brand materials.

Digital presence

3. Website: Give your website a fresh look that reflects your new brand identity. For a brand refresh, consider making minor updates. For a complete rebrand, an overhaul may be necessary to convey the new image effectively.
4. Email signatures: Update your email signatures to include your new branding elements, such as logo, colors, and fonts.

Sales and marketing collateral

5. Sales and marketing presentations: Revise your sales and marketing presentations to align with your updated brand identity. Ensure the content and design reflect your rebranding strategy.
6. Downloadable materials: Update white papers, infographics, and other downloadable materials on your website to match your new brand identity.
7. Videos: Incorporate your new brand guidelines into videos by using the appropriate typography, animations, and intro/outros.
8. Annual report template: Create an annual report template that showcases your new brand identity.

Brand collateral

9. Print materials: Update business cards, corporate branding materials, and any printed collateral to reflect your new brand identity.
10. Digital letterheads: Adapt your digital letterheads to include your updated branding elements.
11. Other templates: Update other templates such as billboards, banners, and signage to match your brand’s new look.
12. Google business profile and other listings: This is a crucial step in implementing your rebranding strategy. Update your google business profile and other places where your business is listed, so anyone looking you up online will see your new branding right away.
13. Active social media or pay-per-click ads: Align your social media profiles, banners, and advertisements—including ongoing campaigns—with your rebranding strategy.

Launch materials

14. Social media banners and profile pictures: Create eye-catching banners and profile pictures that reflect your new brand identity for your social media platforms.
15. Social media launch posts: Develop engaging posts to announce and create excitement around your rebranding. Consider using teasers to build anticipation among your audience.
16. Emailers: Design email templates to communicate your rebranding message to your subscriber list.
17. Rebrand video: Create a video that introduces your rebranding and explains the reasons behind it. This video can capture your audience’s attention and generate interest in your new brand identity.

Collateral for internal engagement 

It is crucial to keep your internal team informed and engaged during the rebranding process. Here are key areas to address:

18. Internal communication: Use newsletters, internal announcements, and other communication channels to keep employees updated on the rebranding process.
19. In-office signage and materials: Update in-office signage, posters, and other materials to reflect the new brand identity.
20. Interior design changes: Consider making changes to your office decor and interior design elements to align with the new brand identity.
21. Email addresses: If your rebranding includes a company name change, update email addresses accordingly.
22. Intranet portals: An intranet portal is a secure internal website used by organizations for communication, collaboration, and sharing resources among employees. Reflect the new brand identity by updating logos, colors, and messaging, fostering an internal brand experience that is consistent with the external one.
23. Screensavers and other digital materials: Consistently incorporate the new brand identity into screensavers and other digital materials used internally.
24. Employee training materials: Develop or update training materials for onboarding employees with your new brand identity and guidelines.
25. Forms, invoices, receipts, etc.: Update all forms, invoices, receipts, and other internal documents to reflect the new brand identity—this will matter when interacting with customers and suppliers alike.

5 common rebranding content and design mistakes to avoid

During the rebranding process, it is essential to avoid common mistakes that can hinder your efforts. Here are five mistakes to watch out for:

• Lack of research: Failing to conduct sufficient research on your target market, customers, and competitors can lead to ineffective rebranding strategies.
• Inadequate planning: Rushing the rebranding process without proper planning can result in inconsistent messaging and design elements, which can become confusing and ineffective.
• Ignoring feedback: Neglecting to gather feedback from key stakeholders, employees, and customers can lead to missed opportunities and a disconnect between your brand and its audience.
• Being too trendy: While it’s essential to stay current, being overly influenced by short-lived design trends can result in a brand identity that quickly becomes outdated.
• Inconsistent implementation: Failing to apply the rebrand consistently across all touchpoints can confuse customers and dilute the impact of your rebranding efforts.

Avoiding these mistakes will ensure a smooth and successful rebranding journey.

Conclusion

Rebranding your business is a complex process that requires careful attention to design needs. By following this checklist of 25 design requirements, you can ensure a consistent and impactful rebranding strategy. 

Keep in mind that your brand identity and marketing collateral play a significant role in shaping your company’s image and connecting with your target audience. Embrace the opportunities that rebranding presents, and use this checklist as a guide to navigate your rebranding journey successfully.

Ready to implement your rebranding strategy? Let’s discuss how our designers can bring your new brand identity to life!