Some things are easy to change, and it’s obvious when they need changing. Light bulbs, toilet paper, underwear… brands? Brands, don’t fall into this category. When should you change your brand identity, and how much do you change it? Should it be a subtle refreshed or totally redesign? While there isn’t a scientific formula, there are several ways to know when it’s time for fresh eyes on your brand.
How old is your identity? How many years have you had the same brand? In a world where the career of a tv star can be measured in weeks, it’s a good idea to reassess your brand at regular intervals. I know you may be thinking, “What about brands that have been around forever, like Ford or Xerox?” Look around, even the big ones refresh their brands and logos over the years. The change might be as subtle as the width of a font or the shade of a corporate color, or it may be an extreme makeover.
What about the introduction of a new product or service, or meger with another company? These are all appropriate times to see if your brand is keeping pace with your company’s changes and current design trends.
Let’s look at how and why two companies redesigned their brand identities.
A refreshed brand identity for a recognized company
For many years, the logo for Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) revolved around a xerographic-looking image of an old Southern Gentleman. With competition coming from companies like Church’s and Popeye’s the old guard had to move to a more contemporary look. Colonel Harland Sanders shed his white suit jacket for a red cook’s apron as the company he founded unveils a worldwide redesign of its KFC restaurants and one of the world’s most recognizable icons. The company unveiled a new brand logo that includes bolder colors and a more well-defined visage of the late Kentucky Fried Chicken founder, who keeps his classic black bow tie, glasses and goatee.
Brand redesign for diferentiation
Xerox’s branding effort is highlighted by a new corporate logo, a lower-case depiction of the Xerox name in a bright red color alongside a sphere-shaped symbol sketched with lines that link to form an “X,” which the company said is meant to symbolize its connections to its customers. Ursula Burns, Xerox President believes that, “The new image is meant to reflect the needs of today’s business and to be a bit less formal, a lot more lively with links to our heritage and a nod to the future.” Will it work? I guess we’ll find out.
Don’t change just for change’s sake.
Along with the dos there are some don’ts related to redesigning your brand. Don’t refresh or redesign your brand simply because you’re tired of it. It should be a clear-headed business decision that has a purpose. Also, if your organization has been around for any time at all, you undoubtedly have built equity in your brand. Be sure to incorporate elements of your current identity into the new identity to keep from looking like an entirely different company.
Keep your brand fresh. Your business depends on it.