There’s a reason why clients are ever more demanding about colour management – branding is becoming increasingly crucial to companies of all shapes and sizes. A good brand identity communicates exactly what the product on offer is, and operates on a more subliminal level to convey a sense of what the company behind the product is all about.

So it’s important to ensure your company image sends the right signals. If your branding hasn’t been updated for a while, it may be in need of a makeover. Perhaps your company name and logo were ideal when the business was founded 20 years ago, but now don’t really convey the full range of your capabilities, such as web services or design work.

You could hire a marketing agency to carry out a root-and-branch rebrand across the business, but that’s expensive. It is possible to mastermind a revamp in-house – you’ll just need a few pointers. 

Is a rebrand necessary?

Consider carefully whether a rebrand is needed Don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because your brand has never altered that you need to change it drastically – or at all. A brand that tells the right story, is widely recognised and is well-loved is powerful currency.

Can you afford it?

Even when just designing a new logo and website in-house, costs can add up In fact, it’s often the seemingly little things, such as stationery, vehicle wraps and signage, that see costs spiralling.

What’s in a name

Make sure any name change reflects the position you now occupy in the market If you’re branching into new media, you might want to break from a title with the word ‘print’. Key considerations here are whether the name is future-proofed, ready for when the company adds another string to its bow, and whether the ‘.com’ or ‘.com.au’ web address is available. 

Choosing colour

Choosing brand colours might seem like the most fun part, but it’s not the easiest A good rule of thumb is to select just a couple of colours – too many colours can create a chaotic and confusing effect. Do lots of print tests. As any printer knows, certain shades are difficult, or impossible, to get just right on certain machines and substrates. So make sure the colour works on all printed materials it will appear on and on your website.

Choosing fonts

Don’t go crazy with fonts The same rules apply here as to colour. Simplicity is always the best strategy. The words should do the talking not the font.

Tone of voice

Choose a tone of voice and stick to it Branding isn’t just about changing your look. A rebrand might also be a chance to decide that from now on all customer communications will use language to project a certain impression. The words you use and how you use them can elicit different responses. For example, new-media clients may appreciate a creative, quirky approach, while financial services customers will expect a more formal tone. The website – often a customer’s first point of contact – is most important to get right in this way. Then it will be a case of ensuring that your team is aware of the importance of tone and are given guidelines to help them adopt it effectively. 

Communicate

Decide where you want to communi-cate your brand You may want to re-examine which forums your brand appears in. It’s helpful to make a list of all the places the brand is used, not only so you are sure to alter them all inline with the rebrand and factor in the costs for doing so, but also so you can reassess your strategy. You may want to reduce your output in certain areas, such as printed letters, or you may want to expand the list. If your rebrand is part of a bigger communications overhaul, you may be adding more social media into your strategy.

HQ

Consider an HQ spruce-up It’s no good wowing your customers with a slick and professional-looking logo and website if, when they turn up on your doorstep, they can’t find reception and, when they do, it’s all peeling wallpaper and decades-old office furniture. Giving the reception area and offices a makeover might stretch your rebrand budget, but if you can afford to bring this environment inline with your new client-friendly and forward-thinking company persona, the overall rebrand will be much more effective.

Involve your team

Make sure your team have the chance to get involved in the brainstorming stages They might spot something your designers haven’t or even have better ideas. Your team should be ambassadors for the new brand. Including them in the development stages will ensure they promote this effectively later on.

Involve customers

Why not ask your customers what they think of various prototype logos? After all, they’re the ones it will be aimed at. They will hopefully feel flattered that you value their opinion enough to sound out ideas with them. 

Decide what you can do in-house More activities go on behind the scenes of a rebrand than you might think, so assess your expertise. Perhaps you have someone who is a dab hand at logo design, but lack someone with the expertise to design and build a website. You can enlist an agency to help with certain aspects of the rebrand, such as for your website. If you do decide
to buy in help, be aware that marketing agencies often specialise in certain areas and that, where a very specific skill is needed – such as building a website – you should ask around for recommendations. 

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