Should You Freshen Up a Bit?
Last week, Pulaski County, Arkansas’ most populous county, unveiled its new brand. Gone from the seal is the iconic bust of Count Casimir Pulaski. In its place is updated artwork that represents the local landscape, waterways and infrastructure overseen by the county.
Make no mistake about it, rebranding is a big deal, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. But sometimes, the time is right.
When should you consider updating your business brand?
1. When something has significantly changed in your business.
Businesses evolve, and there can come a point at which you are a different business than you were a few years ago. Maybe you’ve expanded into new areas. Maybe you’ve had a growth spurt and your local brand needs to grow with it.
2. When your customers have changed.
Not only do brands change, but so do customers. McDonald’s customers have become more health-conscious, for example. Harley Davidson’s customers have gotten younger. With these changes have come significant changes in presentation of the brand. Has your customer base gone through a significant and long-term change? If so, does this need to be reflected in your branding?
3. Your visual brand looks stale. 
Eventually, even the best visual branding begins to look dated. What looked cool in 1966 (check out our original logo!) isn’t going to play today. Color trends, fonts, logos, and entire brand representations need a makeover every once in awhile. Until last week, Pulaski County’s logo had not changed for 15 years. How long has it been since your brand had an update?
4. When your customers just aren’t that into you.
Customer engagement can often be recaptured with fresh, new ways of marketing, but sometimes, there is something about the branding that no longer connects. If you can’t get sales out of a slump, maybe new branding can help prospects see your products with fresh eyes.
5. You look like everyone else.
When you opened your business in a hot new market 10 years ago, you were unique. But as new competitors poured into the space, that uniqueness is disappearing. If you are no longer standing out from your competition, fresh branding can help you break through.
