We live in a world where many businesses are active and must all compete to win the hearts of consumers.
Revitalizing your brand’s image is never a waste of time, even for the top companies.
All the most successful brands in the world re-centre their image at least once during their lifetime. This is called rebranding. Even if a company is prosperous, it is in its best interest to re-evaluate how it is viewed. Does it attract a wide enough audience? Is it on trend or is it totally out of date? Is it projecting the desired image? All of these things are worth thinking about. Fortunately, it is possible to realign or improve a company’s image without rethinking everything and getting lost in the rebranding process. Changes can be made at various levels: logo, colours, reputation, slogan or motto, tone in advertisements and publications, in short, anything to do with perception.
What about companies that don’t need to reposition themselves to appeal to consumers? They can also benefit from improving their branding, even if it is simply by changing a logo or streamlining their communications. We must not forget that improving one’s image is never a waste of money, but an investment.
The Power of the Brand
Have you ever wondered why a person can view, for example, an automobile maker in a certain way even though they don’t have a driver’s licence? It’s all about branding: a marketing strategy to promote a company’s character, its values, and what it has to offer to consumers. Image becomes almost more important than the quality of the product for sale. A poor reputation (justified or not) can force a company to close its doors. Caring for the brand should therefore be the central concern of any good director. Want an example of a change in branding that led to success? A few years ago, Hyundai was seen by Quebeckers as a low-end car manufacturer. Yet today, the company has become one of the biggest sellers in the province. What happened? Hyundai simply decided to revitalize its brand’s image and they got themselves a dynamic spokesperson (Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge) who was already well loved in the province. Through numerous advertisements, the brand has demonstrated that it not only sells cars that fit small budgets, but that their vehicles are also high quality and reliable.
What Are the Advantages of Refreshing Your Brand’s Image?
It doesn’t matter if all you do is tweak your image or make major changes, rebranding offers a wide range of positive outcomes for companies:
Demonstrating a Desire to Remain Current
It is essential that the public know that a company is not resting on its laurels and that it is continuously trying to do things better. In this way, it demonstrates to the consumer that it values quality.
Standing Out From the Crowd
In the world of business, it is easy to end up in the shadows because one didn’t know how to set oneself apart. Sometimes, a simple change can have a significant impact.
Attracting New Clients or Restoring Their Confidence
Rebranding can give you the opportunity to add emotional value to your company and, therefore, bring in more customers… or reconnect with former customers.
Grabbing people’s attention
Revitalizing your image is an excellent marketing coup and you don’t even need to invest in advertising. You can turn the spotlight on your brand and get people talking about it.
Strengthening Your Relationship With Your Partners
When you reassess your image, you are demonstrating to your employees, franchisees and other stakeholders that the business is taking care of itself. This can bolster or create a sense of pride and belonging.
In fact, it doesn’t matter if a company is on the brink or if it’s an industry leader, it is always in its best interest to evolve and keep up with trends. In order to survive and not be eaten up by the competition, a sleek, current and consistent image is a must.