Here in D.C., the Redskins are in crisis as they consider the recent negative associations of the team name and what to do about it. But a rebrand doesn’t have to be rocky. Do it right, and it can reinvigorate a company’s image and build positive momentum with your target audience.
Here are four tips to rebrand without the drama:
- Know what you want to change—and why. A rebrand can be a major investment or a major mistake. Know your reasons for rebranding and make sure they’re the right ones before moving forward. It’s not always as obvious as the Redskins’ need for a new name. An arbitrary change could confuse or lose your followers.
- Identify the new brand’s values. Now that you’ve identified what associations your brand needs to drop, what are you moving toward? Your new brand needs deliberate, focused development for the results to resonate. What will your new brand reflect about the company?
- Get buy-in from your audience. There’s many ways to get buy-in and fans like to feel included. For example, the Redskins could have a contest to let the team’s fans suggest ideas for the new name, and let them vote from top picks to determine the new name. Another way to include your followers is to give them sneak peeks as your new brand develops. Regardless of how you do it, engaging your followers not only helps get buy-in from your most loyal fans, it will also build positive buzz.
- Tell a compelling story. How do you turn that positive energy into something more long-term?
Forge that connection with followers through your brand’s story. Your new brand stands for something. What is it? Share this in a compelling way, and your logo becomes much more—it becomes a symbol of what the brand stands for.
As the Redskins are demonstrating, a rebrand can be a precarious matter, especially if you have loyal fans hanging in the balance. But a rebrand doesn’t have to trip you up. With a deliberate and thoughtful process, you can rebrand can reinvigorate your fan base and bolster your brand power.
