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The Brand Brew blog is piping hot and always fresh.
Writer's pictureJessica Plant

Realign Your Brand Identity with a Brand Refresh

Your brand is the heart and soul of your business. It’s how you define—and communicate—your values, vision, visuals, and voice.


Realign Your Brand Identity with a Brand Refresh

Just like anything else with heart and soul, a brand naturally evolves over time. This evolution can be done successfully in a way that supports your business growth, or you can fall into the dreaded Frankenstein Effect.


Let’s focus on the positive side, shall we?


Brand Identity Refresh vs. Rebrand: What’s the Difference?


Brand Identity Refresh


A brand identity refresh is all about adjusting key components of a brand without fundamentally changing its core values or messaging.


You can think of this like a wardrobe update. You might bring your tried-and-true favourites to get dry-cleaned, and have some pieces fitted at your local tailor. You’ll pick up a few new items to introduce fresh colours and fabrics into the mix, but it all still fits within your signature style.


Rebrand


A rebrand, on the other hand, is a complete overhaul. It’s the branding equivalent of donating your entire closet to charity and shopping for new pieces, until you’ve developed an entirely distinct and nearly unrecognizable fashion persona. 


Since branding is a careful combination of strategy and visuals, a rebrand often comes with a distinct pivot in both messaging and brand aesthetics, while a brand refresh focuses more on tweaking and improving what’s already there. 


While less intensive than a complete rebrand, a thoughtful brand refresh can have a powerful impact on your small business branding success.


When to Consider a Brand Refresh


When to Consider a Brand Refresh

Your brand is an integral part of your business, so it’s important that it fits like a glove. How can you tell if your brand is in need of a little TLC?

Visuals Miss the Mark

Visuals Miss the Mark


Your brand visuals are like your wardrobe’s accent pieces. They’re fun, they command attention, and they pull it all together—but they aren’t the foundation of your style.


Outdated brand visuals can cause your business to feel stagnant. If that resonates, go back to your brand board and do some tweaking. Refreshing your logo, colours, or fonts can go a long way to revitalizing your identity!


Audience Has Evolved

Audience Has Evolved


Markets aren’t static, and neither is your target audience. 


If your buyers have evolved or if your product has expanded to new demographics, a brand refresh is just what you need. Take some time to reevaluate your buyer personas, and use that information when crafting a brand identity that resonates with your target audience.


Mission is Missing

Mission is Missing 


Chances are, your personal values and priorities aren’t exactly as they were ten years ago. And chances are, the same is true for your business!


Maybe affordability used to be your guiding principle, whereas now the focus lies on sustainability. Whatever the shift may be, a brand refresh can make sure that your company’s values and your brand positioning are in alignment. 


Remember, your brand strategy is directly correlated to your sales. A brand that reflects your true mission is a must!

Competition is Fierce

Competition is Fierce


A strategic brand refresh gives you an edge. And while that’s a powerful tool to have in your belt, it’s also true for your competitors.


If your competitors are actively refreshing their brands while you stay put, you run the risk of falling behind. Creating a memorable brand experience for customers through a brand refresh ensures that you continue to set yourself apart.


Perks of a Fresh Look for Your Brand


Perks of a Fresh Look for Your Brand

Just like a new haircut can elevate your style to new heights, a brand refresh can do wonders for your brand identity.

Connection Perfection

Connection Perfection


A refresh can make your brand more relatable and engaging, for existing buyers and new audience sectors alike. 


Take The Brand Brew ®’s recent brand refresh with DOGsAGE, for instance.


By revitalizing the brand’s logo by adding a simple leaf to the dog’s tail, the DOGsAGE brand identity communicates its commitment to natural pet products and creates a stronger connection with its health-conscious consumers.



Rise Above the Rivals

Rise Above the Rivals


In a competitive marketplace, being good simply isn’t good enough. Luckily, a brand refresh is all it takes to go from good to gotta-have-it.


A strategic brand refresh highlights your unique strengths and the elements of your brand that set you apart. It allows you to separate yourself from your competitors and showcase exactly why you’re the best in the business.


Opportunity to Optimize

Opportunity to Optimize


SEO is a never-ending process, and a brand refresh presents an excellent opportunity to give your SEO strategy a little boost.


By simply optimizing your content and inserting some relevant local keywords here and there, you can enhance your searchability and ensure that your newly-refreshed brand is reaching as many potential buyers as possible!


Put Your Best Foot Forward with The Brand Brew ®!

Put Your Best Foot Forward with The Brand Brew ®!


It’s natural that your business evolves with time and experience. Just remember to make sure your brand moves along with it!


Aligning visuals, messaging, and values in one cohesive brand experience helps keep your business consistent and engaging. If you’re ready for a makeover to take your brand from drab to fab, The Brand Brew ®’s Brand Development is the solution for all things branding in Hamilton, ON and beyond.


Say yes to the refresh and book a call today!

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