Why Refreshing Your Brand Matters
In a fast-changing world, even the strongest brands can start to feel outdated or disconnected from their audience. If your brand is starting to blend into the background or isn’t resonating like it used to, a refresh might be the perfect solution. But here’s the thing—refreshing your brand doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel. It’s about building on your foundation, refining what makes you unique, and evolving to meet your audience’s needs.
Let’s dive into how you can refresh your brand thoughtfully and effectively, ensuring it stays recognizable while creating meaningful connections with your customers.
1. Reconnect with Your Core Purpose
Every strong brand has a purpose—the “why” behind its existence. Before making any changes, revisit the core values and mission that define your brand. What made you start this business in the first place? What impact do you want to make?
This step isn’t just a formality—it’s the foundation of any successful refresh. Your purpose should guide every update, ensuring that you’re staying true to what makes your brand unique.
Example:
When LEGO updated its branding over the years, it didn’t stray from its core mission of “inspiring and developing the builders of tomorrow.” Every visual change, product innovation, and campaign remained aligned with this purpose, allowing them to stay relevant while keeping their essence intact.
Need help clarifying your brand’s core purpose? At twelve-o-one, we specialize in helping businesses rediscover their mission before embarking on a refresh. Let’s start the conversation.
2. Get Real About Your Audience
Your audience today might not be the same as when you first launched your brand. Take the time to understand who they are now, what they care about, and how they perceive your brand.
How to Do It:
- Surveys and Feedback: Ask your customers directly what they value most about your brand and where they’d like to see improvements.
- Social Listening: Dive into social media comments, reviews, and mentions to gain insights into how people are talking about your brand.
- Demographic Updates: Compare your current audience data to past insights to see if there’s been a shift in age, preferences, or lifestyle.
Example:
When Starbucks realized its audience was becoming more eco-conscious, it updated its brand by emphasizing sustainability initiatives like eliminating plastic straws and sourcing ethically. This aligned with its evolving audience while staying true to its core values of community and responsibility.
3. Evolve Your Visual Identity Without Losing Familiarity
Your visual identity—logo, colour palette, typography, and design style—is the most immediately recognizable part of your brand. During a refresh, aim to modernize these elements while maintaining a sense of familiarity.
How to Update Your Visuals Thoughtfully:
- Subtle Logo Adjustments: Update your logo with modern fonts, refined shapes, or fresh colours to make it current without losing its essence.
- Colour Palette Refresh: Adjust hues or add new accent colours that feel contemporary but complement your existing palette.
- Typography Upgrade: Swap outdated fonts for sleek, readable options that better align with your brand’s tone.
Example:
Coca-Cola has maintained its iconic red-and-white branding for decades but has refined its typography and streamlined its logo over time. These changes feel modern yet instantly recognizable, keeping the brand fresh while honouring its legacy.
At twelve-o-one, we help businesses refine their visual identity without losing what makes them special. Let us create a brand you’ll love.
4. Adjust Your Tone Without Losing Your Voice
Your tone of voice is how your brand communicates—whether it’s conversational, authoritative, or playful. During a refresh, you may need to shift your tone to better connect with your audience while keeping the essence of your voice intact.
How to Refine Your Tone:
- Reflect Current Values: Reframe your messaging to address new priorities or values (e.g., sustainability, inclusivity, or innovation).
- Keep It Authentic: If your audience loves your witty, playful tone, keep it—but ensure it feels relevant to today’s cultural landscape.
- Speak Your Audience’s Language: Stay in tune with how your audience communicates now. Is a more casual, relatable tone appropriate? Or do they prefer polished and professional?
Example:
When Airbnb refreshed its brand, it shifted its tone to focus on belonging and connection. The phrase “Belong Anywhere” became a cornerstone of their messaging, emphasizing emotional experiences over transactions.
5. Make Your Refresh a Collaborative Journey
A brand refresh shouldn’t come as a surprise to your audience. Engaging them in the process builds excitement and trust.
How to Involve Your Audience:
- Behind-the-Scenes Content: Share sneak peeks of your design updates, brainstorming sessions, or early logo concepts.
- Transparent Communication: Be open about why you’re refreshing your brand and how it benefits your audience.
- Social Media Polls: Let your audience weigh in on small decisions, like choosing between color schemes or taglines.
Example:
When Mailchimp refreshed its brand, it shared behind-the-scenes videos of the creative process, showing how they updated their visuals and tone while keeping their quirky, approachable personality. This transparency helped the brand maintain trust with its loyal users.
6. Monitor Feedback and Adjust
A brand refresh doesn’t end once you roll it out. Pay attention to how your audience reacts and be prepared to make adjustments based on their feedback.
What to Monitor:
- Social Media Comments: Are customers responding positively to the changes?
- Engagement Metrics: Look for increases in website traffic, click-through rates, and social engagement to measure success.
- Customer Feedback: Reach out to loyal customers for honest opinions on the refresh.
Example:
When Instagram introduced its new logo in 2016, the initial backlash was intense. However, the company stood by its decision while using user feedback to fine-tune other aspects of the refresh, ensuring the updates resonated over time.
How twelve-o-one Can Help You Refresh Thoughtfully
At twelve-o-one, we understand that a brand refresh is about evolution, not reinvention. Through our expertise in branding strategy, identity development, and creative direction, we help businesses refine their visuals, tone, and messaging without losing what makes them unique.
Whether you’re looking to modernize your logo, connect with a new audience, or refine your messaging, we guide you every step of the way. A refresh shouldn’t feel like starting over—it should feel like stepping into the future with confidence.Ready to refresh your brand without losing your identity? Let’s create something that resonates with your audience and elevates your business. Contact us today to get started!