I get this question often from businesses that have been in the game for a while, and feel the need to change things up, but are not sure exactly what to do or when to make the move that will help their brand. Over the years their products have seen an increase in sales, market share and consumer loyalty. They have appreciated good brand equity, but a brand can get stale if it doesn't adapt to changes.

Claude Lévi-Strauss, from his book, The Savage Mind , had this to say: “We’re a culture that is always looking for that other message, always looking for that new arrangement.” This is true. Changes in consumer behavior is just one sign that your brand and business could use a tune up. Paying attention to the signs and taking action is the next step. If you are a smaller business with a regional audience or a globally recognized brand with customers covering the planet, monitoring changes affecting your business and giving your brand a refresh could give you the boost needed. Here are some examples.

Taco Bell

For decades Taco Bell has lured customers to dine with them by creating distinct ways of serving up Mexican food: A Mexican pizza, the Chalupa, or Crunch Wrap, in addition to the expected tacos and burritos…but times have changed. With the rise in fast-casual dining options in their marketplace such as Chipotle, Taco Bell knew it was time to elevate its visual image. In 2016, Taco Bell embarked on a major rebranding. The new logo retained the ‘bell’ but used a sleek, monochromatic design, removing the outdated color palette. The strategic shift aimed for a more sophisticated and adaptable brand identity. With the fresh look and feel Taco Bell received praise from the press and patrons alike, which earned them an 8% overall growth in revenue since the rebranding.

Taco Bell’s decision to rebrand was due to a change in consumer behavior, combined with the rise of competition in their marketplace. Newly remodeled restaurants, marketing materials and media ads completed the rebranding project. With this thoughtful strategy and creative execution, Taco Bell is reaping the returns on their rebranding investment.

Oak Ridge Winery

In Fall of 2023, Oak Ridge Winery looked to unveil a new identity for its beloved, award-winning, estate-grown wine brand, Old Soul. The goal was to embrace their generational legacy with a nod to their future vision for the wines. The rebrand celebrates the tapestry of its vineyards, blending past traditions with aspirations for Old Soul’s next chapter, honoring six generations of family winegrowing. “For generations, the Old Soul vines have told the story of our family’s wine-making history and commitment to the land,” commented Rudy Maggio, founder, and Maggio family patriarch in a September 19, 2023, press release in the Advisor. “As we move into the sixth generation, it is time our label did the same. We are excited to bring renewed attention to the Old Soul brand as we position it for future growth.”

The label design tells their story crossing generations, symbolizing precise winemaking and commitment to the land through the image of an old oak tree with roots deeply anchored and branches reaching skyward. Their rebranding decision came from the need to move the brand forward to keep pace with today’s market while honoring their history and maintaining the brand equity they have built for nearly100-years. The wines have gone through a rebirth, and a new and revived audience is taking notice!

Why should we rebrand?

While you may not be facing a global product rollout or a nationwide critique of your brand identity, regardless of the size of your venture and the yield of your products, here are some signals that your brand and visible communication could use a tune-up.

1. Your brand is starting to feel stale and outdated. It’s been years or even decades since your brand was created. Have you noticed that your competitors’ brands look more modern? Is your brand represented throughout your offerings? Are trends in your marketplace passing you up? Is your brand still relevant? Reviewing your logo, packaging, website, marketing materials, brand assets and other customer touchpoints is a good and strategic starting point.

2. You are planning to expand sales or move into new markets. Simply put, if your new business directions are creating new channels of distribution and potentially expanding your sales into new geographies, a brand refresh could help marketing efforts by communicating a more consistent brand message and introducing your products into new and expanded territories.

3. Your brand presence is inconsistent. If your colors, messaging, and tone across all your marketing platforms and customer touchpoints are fragmented, this could confuse your audience. Rebranding along with your packaging, website, and all other customer touch points could build clarity about what you offer and who you are as a brand.

4. You are extending your current line of products or are creating something new. You may need to update your brand and/or packaging to create a new tier of products and to create brand consistency across all your offerings. If launching a new product that speaks to a consumer outside of your current market, creating a separate brand could mean a better ROI.

5. Your industry is changing. Technology advances, cultural changes, and new competitors may reflect the need to realign your business strategy and brand image to communicate your brand and product message to a more diverse audience, to gain a more competitive advantage.

6. You are merging or acquiring a new business or product. For example, when Facebook purchased Instagram and WhatsApp, it changed its name and brand to Metaverse or Meta; this communicated that the company was more than just Facebook and opened the messaging that the public could expect more from Meta in the future. If the goal is to unite the companies or products, a new or refreshed brand connects your message and helps consumers recognize the change.

7. Various negative factors. Negative publicity can easily sink a business. A refreshed brand identity can change all those negative connotations people have and give your business a second chance to do things properly. This visual brand refresh tells consumers it is not business as usual.

8. Customer sales have declined. This indicator could be a combination of all or some of the above, combined with ignoring these changes that affect your business. In turn, using change to keep pace in your market and industry by unlocking the potential of a revitalized brand could be essential for continued success.

It’s typically a combination of reasons that trigger a rebranding. In turn, doubling up on your strategy to address the issues and your design efforts could be key. For example, your sales may have slipped at retail in your grocery channel due to the increase in choices from similar products on the shelf next to you. You might conclude that your customers need to see a new look at retail showing that your offerings are still relevant. If so, a rebranding of your company identity and redesigning your packaging will renew attention for your brand and increase sales from your existing customers while attracting a new audience.

Remember, the overarching reason for a brand or packaging revitalization, is change! Once you have concluded which internal and external change conditions exist and how they are affecting your business, you can plan for what needs to happen next. In the beginning, you needed to build brand equity and awareness around your business and your offerings by crafting a consistent visual and verbal brand message. As things continue to change, staying relevant could mean refreshing your brand by reinventing that reliable brand message to reveal and remind consumers why you do what you do all over again.