So You’ve Rebranded. Now What?

We published an “Is It Time To Rebrand?” blog post almost exactly a year ago on the heels of a complete RMI rebranding. And looking back on that time, we decided we needed a “Rebranding: Part 2” post because a rebrand isn’t the end; it’s just the beginning.

(Feel free to take a moment to refresh yourself on that blog post. Don’t worry, we’ll wait!)

OK. So you’ve put the time and money into brainstorming a whole new look and feel for your company. Now you have a sharp new logo, color scheme and company font. That’s it, right? Well, not yet! Now you’ll use those important tools as building blocks to create the rest of your visual identity.

Your visual identity is, simply, a collection of visual elements that represent your brand. It communicates who you are in an intangible way – through photos, shapes and colors. Think about Coca-Cola – when you see that font and that shade of red, you know exactly what brand is being represented.

Your brand identity is apparent in everything you put out to the world:

• Newsletters (like this one!)
• Business cards
• PowerPoint presentation templates
• Email signatures
• Flyers, mailers and brochures
• Sales kits
• Company giveaways (stickers, water bottles, t-shirts, etc.)
• Reporting
• Websites
• Social media ads, banners and graphics
• Advertisements
• Signage
• Trade show displays

These elements might be quite varied (for example, a social media graphic probably doesn’t have the same look as a magazine ad), but because the foundation is one color scheme and style, the collection is cohesive.

If that sounds like a lot, just remember that the hard part of making the tough initial decisions to come up with a “new look” is settled. Now it’s just a series of fun projects putting those details together in different ways for the public to see. Be proud of the new identity you created, because it’s not always easy to get there.

And the more places you show your new identity, the more people will start to recognize it. Consciously or not, they’ll remember those new colors on your calling card, or that the fun new font you picked means some great info is coming their way. And the more familiar clients are with your new brand image, the more comfortable they’ll be working with you. Be consistent and cohesive, and your brand will build itself.

If you’ve got your building blocks but aren’t quite sure how to take things to the next level, give us a call! We’d love to talk through your options.

Until next time,