Rebranding: The Do’s and Don’ts

1. Have a clear vision

Steve Jobs’ vision for the name of his company was always clear. In 1981, when a journalist asked him why the name Apple, he responded with, “the main idea behind Apple is bringing simplicity to the public, in the most sophisticated way, and that’s it, nothing else… The fruit of creation, Apple. It was simple but strong.”

This was reflected in his logo – an apple. Simple, but strong. And while the logo has had a few subtle updates, the overall shape remains unchanged for 33 years.

This ‘if it ain’t broke’ approach is mirrored by Coca-Cola who have largely maintained the same logo since it was trademarked in 1893. Pepsi, on the other hand, has undergone eleven logo refreshes since 1898.

What this illustrates is that an established brand doesn’t necessarily need to change to stay relevant.

2. Listen to your audience

Understanding customer sentiment is vital to the ongoing success of a brand. Had Gap listened to their customers, understood the logo resonated with them and that change wasn’t necessary, they may have saved themselves a lot of coin. 

What Airbnb did well was sound out their market – their current audience and those they wanted to attract going forward. They recognised the current brand was dated and it didn’t do justice to the breadth of the company’s offering.

Gathering feedback through surveys, focus groups and social media listening provides valuable insights into whether change would be beneficial… And then testing and refining the proposed change before launching it. 

Research might also reveal that a subtle update or refresh is more appropriate than a complete overhaul. This approach maintains brand recognition while modernising the brand.