New year, new branding: Elements of a successful relaunch

Posted on January 22, 2021

When most people think about a brand, they think about a logo. But savvy business owners know that taking a second look at their logo is only the first step in the rebranding process. Because brand perception is highly subjective. No two potential customers will react in the same way to the same brand elements.

Consider these elements when refreshing your brand:

Look and feel

If your brand doesn’t make a distinctive impression, it should. And that impression begins with fonts because they’re the one thing your brand can’t do without. Even commonly used fonts create associations in viewers’ minds. And choosing a font that is difficult to decipher or one that doesn’t fit with the overall theme may even drive customers away.

Colors can also evoke strong emotions. Red traditionally signifies power and passion, but it also makes some people cringe. Accessibility is another factor. Readers might find some color combinations—such as white font on a lime-green background—too painful to read, and that lack of accessibility will compromise your campaign.

Verbal messaging

An effective brand voice is about much more than a single tagline. Like design elements, verbal messaging must speak with one voice across all channels to be successful. Make sure that your content tells people what they need to know about your products or services. Every sentence, every button, every header matters.

Bringing it all together

Once you’ve finalized your key visual and verbal branding elements, document them in a single manual. That might seem like a no-brainer, but creating a brand standards manual is a good idea for three reasons:

  • New hires can be brought up to speed on brand requirements quickly.
  • Daily operations can become more efficient. Wading through ten files to find that one bit of information you need takes more time than a quick search of a single document.
  • The manual can provide context for future revisions to brand standards. Explaining why changes are being made reduces the potential for confusion.

When you’re rebranding, evaluate how your target audience is likely to think and feel. Keep their motivations, emotions, and accessibility needs in mind across all channels, and you’ll have an effective branding strategy.

Badie Designs has years of experience helping businesses relaunch their websites, refresh their brand, and refine their messaging. Contact us today for a free consultation.

 

 


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