When to Rebrand a Company: Signs It Is Time and How to Do It

Knowing when to rebrand a company comes down to one question: does your brand still match the business? It’s time when you’ve changed what you sell or who you sell to, merged or split, outgrown a look that undersells you, or found your name causes confusion or legal trouble. Rebranding because you’re bored of the logo is rarely worth it; rebranding because customers misunderstand you usually is.

Here is how to tell when to rebrand, and how to do it without losing the customers you already have.

What is rebranding?

Rebranding is changing some or all of how your business presents itself: the name, logo, colours, voice, positioning or the whole lot. A refresh updates the look and keeps the core. A full rebrand changes the brand itself, often starting with your positioning.

When should you rebrand your business?

Signs that show when to rebrand your business:

1. You’ve changed direction: new services, new markets or a move upmarket that the old brand doesn’t reflect.
2. Customers misunderstand you: people are surprised by what you do, or assume you’re smaller or more expensive than you are.
3. You’ve merged, split or changed owners: the brand needs to reflect the new business.
4. The look is dated: it makes you look less established than competitors who deliver the same work.
5. It doesn’t work in practice: the logo is unreadable on a phone, a vehicle or a social profile picture.
6. Your name is a problem: it’s too close to a competitor’s, hard to spell or tied to a place or product you’ve moved on from.
7. You’re inconsistent: years of different designers have left several versions of the brand in use.

If none of these apply, a small refresh or a proper brand guide may solve the problem for less.

How often should a company rebrand?

There’s no set schedule. Many businesses refresh their look every several years and only fully rebrand when the business itself changes. Recognition takes time to build, so changing too often throws it away. Ask how often you should rebrand only after asking whether something has actually changed.

What to consider when rebranding

Things to consider when rebranding before you start:

• Why: write down the problem the rebrand must solve. It becomes the brief.
• What to keep: colours, a symbol or a name customers already know can carry recognition across.
• The name: if it’s changing, check business name availability and trade marks with IP Australia early.
• Your website and search: a new domain needs proper redirects to keep your rankings. See our guide to moving to a new domain.
• Everything with your brand on it: signage, vehicles, uniforms, stationery, profiles and listings all need updating.

What to consider when rebranding also includes your team: explain the reason so they can explain it to customers.

How do you build a rebranding strategy?

A practical rebranding strategy has four stages. First, research: talk to customers and staff about what they think you are. Second, brainstorm and decide: agree the position and what changes, then design the identity around it. Third, document: put it all in a brand guide. Fourth, roll out: plan the launch and update every touchpoint in order. Your rebranding marketing strategy then covers how you tell people.

How do you announce and launch a rebrand?

• Tell existing customers first, by email or in person, so nobody thinks you’ve closed or been taken over.
• Explain the why, in one or two plain sentences: what’s changing, what isn’t, and what it means for them.
• Switch over together: website, social profiles and Google Business Profile on the same day where you can.
• Keep the link to the old name for a while (“formerly ...”) so people can still find you.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to rebrand a small business?

It depends on how much changes. Our New Business Package ($4,995 + GST) is the usual starting point for a small business rebrand: a logo, a cheat-sheet style guide, business cards, Google Business Profile and social media set-up, and a landing page. Extra items such as signage files are $160 + GST an hour, estimated before work starts.

Will a rebrand hurt my Google rankings?

A new look on the same website won’t. A new domain or a rebuilt website can, if redirects and content aren’t handled properly, so plan the SEO side with the rebrand.

Should I keep my old logo?

Keep what customers recognise and still works. Many rebrands evolve the existing logo instead of replacing it.

How long does a rebrand take?

A refresh can be done in weeks; a full rebrand with a new name and rollout across signage and vehicles takes longer. Planning the rollout is often the slowest part.

Thinking about a rebrand?

Our creative and design team can help you work out whether you need a refresh or a full rebrand, and then build it.