Branding & Rebranding - they're not 2 sides of the same coin

I’ve spoken before about how branding is an ongoing exercise, you’re always doing it and it never ends.

A rebrand on the other hand, is a one-off project. You start it, (hopefully) finish it, then carry on with business. There are very distinct differences between the two.

Branding:

• Is something you do continuously
• It has intentional and unintentional components (external folks can create situations that you need to respond to, like feedback or complaints)
• You're not always in full control

Rebranding however:

• Is a self-contained project
• Is completely intentional
• You're (generally) in control

The longer your organisation exists, the more deeply rooted your branding becomes. How you treat customers, how your team collaborates (or doesn’t) becomes part of an ingrained culture. People outside of the organisation recognise your patterns, and can sometimes even predict your actions. It’s as though your whole organisation is reading and acting from a script.

With a rebrand, you're attempting to clarify the script. What people are saying about you may no longer be accurate, or your viewpoint has evolved. So rather than continually correcting them, a rebrand is a way to hit reset on your public image without needing to rebuild your audience (even though you my lose a few and gain a few in the process).

To summarise

Rebranding resets the script. It’s completely intentional, and helps clarify your daily, monthly and yearly actions. With a few odd exceptions, there should be a clear finish line to your rebranding project - which means your end result should also be crystal clear.