Creating a new brand is exciting, and it takes a lot of trial and error before you really get it right. But, no matter how amazing or successful your branding may be, it’s important to continually review and develop your brand further to attract new customers and retain your existing ones.
Reasons Brand Development is Important:
Trends change
Marketing and technology trends change all the time, so you have to take them into account. B2Bs used to think they would be able to get away with being impersonal, and not speaking ‘human to human’ to their customers, unlike B2C companies, but that’s not the case anymore.
Your brand mission has changed
Many businesses continue to grow with the same mission they began with, but for some, their mission changes as they evolve. This could be due to a changing market, new people taking the organisation in a different direction, or even a lack of success.
Keeps things fresh
When was the last time you updated your website or logo design? As visual beings, customers are far more attracted to a brand that is aesthetically pleasing on the eye, compared to a dated design that lacks cohesion and flair. A well-designed brand shows that you a reliable, professional, high quality brand, and who doesn’t want that?
Your customers’ needs have changed
Sometimes, customers’ needs may change, so your brand needs to prepare for changing expectations. It’s no longer enough to push for a purchase; you have to know your customers inside out, including their needs, wants, behaviour, buying habits, and lifestyle – your branding should show you care!
You’re going international
When you become an international business, you’re no longer targeting a relatively small, specific audience, so it’s important to make sure that your branding highlights your business growth and your new, larger audience.
Differentiate your brand from competitors
No one said it would be easy to stand out, which is why it’s always a good idea to review your branding, review what your competitors are doing, and find new ways to make your branding stand out…and avoid being swallowed up!
Take it from big business: examples of 3 popular companies that have understood the importance of brand development:
Starbucks
Starbucks has gone through many logo changes since they began in 1971, with their most recent chance in 2011 in order to keep up with the competition in the coffee shop industry. As the Starbucks logo became increasingly recognisable for the mermaid on the front, the brand decided to remove the typeface to add simplicity and luxury to the brand, and to appeal to their urban, business professional target audience.
Pizza Hut
In 2013, Pizza Hut revealed a brand new logo and identity to get their customers excited about the brand again. The brand also completely changed their branding strategy, and took a risk to revamp for a more modern feel. The rebrand was a great success for Pizza Hut as sales started to increase, especially as sales were originally down by 2% the year before rebranding. Although Pizza Hut took a risk, the brand is still recognisable and didn’t stray too far from their original identity… as consumers don’t always like change!
Co-op
When it came to redesigning their logo, The Co-op revived the cloverleaf shaped logo that was designed for them in 1968. By modernising the old logo, and introducing a new colour scheme to enhance the original co-op colours, the logo now has a friendly, approachable feel inspired by their past.
No matter how well your brand is performing, it’s still important to continue to develop your branding. Don’t be afraid to take risks and try your best not to fear the change – after all, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.
For more branding development tips, call our team for a no obligation chat on 01462 262020, or email hello@fous7int.com
