When Do You Call a Branding Agency to Revamp Your Image?

The tech and social media world were rocked with the news recently that image-sharing application Instagram and messaging program WhatsApp are going to be rebranded by Facebook. While business people are aware that Facebook owns both Instagram and WhatsApp, the general public is not as privy. That’s why Facebook is calling for the rebranding of both applications, to remind the world that these are Facebook properties. Is it a good call though?

When is it ever the time to call a branding agency and help you with your business rebranding? Here are the best reasons to revamp your business.

Rebrand when you need a brand

This is for all the businesses that started without hiring a branding firm. It was only in recent years that having a corporate identity has actually become an important factor in business. For decades, businesses existed without having their own branding. They have names, logos, missions and visions, but they don’t exactly have a brand. Branding is the holistic imagery of the business. Just because you have a name and a logo doesn’t mean you already have a brand. In a way, a brand is a set of cohesive principles that your business strictly abides by in order to make your business distinctly identifiable. So if you have never had a brand, then it is time to start. It will still be considered rebranding since your business’s new persona will have to be launched. 

A branding company will be vital in creating a personality for your business. Since the firm is the expert in brand and digital matters, it would be easier for the business to craft that image that would best communicate the purpose of the company as well as its products or services. You need to establish that image, with the help of the agency that specializes in branding, and be consistent with it for years to come. It is not really advisable to rebrand every few years. 

Call a branding agency when your business is evolving

Did you know that the multi-national company Shell used to actually sell shells? According to its website, founder Marcus Samuel sold antiques in 1833. He expanded his business by including oriental seashells. Long story short, the company was passed on to the next generation and eventually merged with the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company, which was involved in the gasoline industry. Officially, the business is called Royal Dutch Shell PLC but its principal subsidiary in the U.S. is better known as Shell Oil Company. 
From selling shells to selling petroleum—that was a giant evolution. But it was successful anyway. This may seem like a difficult transition to market but branding companies do it with ease. It is the same for your business. If you think that it’s time to seek out other opportunities to make a better profit, then it is time to evolve and rebrand. The importance of keeping the name is because of your business following. You don’t want to lose your existing clients just because you are trying to court a completely different set of customers. 

When your reputation is failing you

Did you remember when Burberry was considered gang wear? If you don’t remember, then the fashion brand must have been successful with its rebranding. You probably can’t imagine Burberry being fashionable wear for gangs when you see that Emily Blunt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Zac Efron and Emma Watson are fond of the trademark black-tan-red-check pattern. But in the mid-2000s, there was some kind of backlash for the brand when there were reports that gang leaders and their families are fond of Burberry to the point where a couple of pubs in England banned customers who wear the brand. 

In the late 2000s, Burberry rebranded and named Watson, the sweet actress from “Harry Potter,” as its endorser. Over the years, the brand commissioned more A-list celebrities to become the brand’s face. As a result, Burberry sales went up and it is now known as one of the top brands in the field of luxurious fashion. 

So leave your bad reputation behind and create a positive brand with the help of a brand consulting firm. Craft an identity worthy to become a global brand. When your brand identity fails you, revitalize your image but keep whatever made your business popular. This way, you will still keep the clients that have been loyal to you over the years. 

Revitalize an old image

If your business was born over a decade or two ago, chances are a lot of your tools are outdated. One basic example is the logo. Perhaps when you crafted the logo years ago, you did not consider how the digital age will change the world of business. Your corporate logo might be off when the web design company launches a website for your business. Not everything that looks good on the signage and on paper will look good online. And in this generation, you need to be online as your web presence is essential in digital marketing. 

The logo is just a concrete example. There are other parts of your brand that may be considered ancient in today’s tech-forward entrepreneurial management. This would include the color scheme of the business, the fonts used in signs and communication, the attitude employed by your people. Your business could hire a design firm in order to update your business image and branding in various digital products. It is also important that your business will have a functional website with top-notch experience design, which is an output from the collaboration between web agencies and branding agencies. 

Don’t be afraid that you will lose your identity. A good branding agency will never let that happen. Rebranding is not obsolescence. It only means that your brand will be revitalized and updated so that it will be more competitive in the digital age. Find a design agency that knows how to handle rebranding but is also equipped with the expertise to handle web design and development, one such firm is Ramotion, which has a list of clients that range from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.