I groan inwardly whenever I hear of a company proudly introducing a ‘massive corporate rebrand’ whose main impact is to allow consultants to put in a bill for hundreds of thousands of pounds (or more). This is because more often than not, it’s a sign of a company whose management has run out of ideas.
But we shouldn’t confuse this with genuinely necessary investment in branding. Sometimes – just sometimes – a corporate rebrand is needed. Visual identity is important, and companies of all sizes often neglect it for far too long. There are plenty of companies around (especially small ones) whose logo, typography, colours and tagline pre-date the internet and were often created in a hurry by someone with no experience. The same people who launched the company thirty years ago have been living with it for so long that they can no longer see how dated the company looks.
Looks are important, even in boring old industry. Just because a logo never clinched a sale doesn’t mean that corporate image didn’t help get the enquiry in the first place. Prospective customers browse the web, look at websites, and make enquiries based on whether a company gives them the impression it’s one they could see themselves working with. If your company looks like it operates out of a shed, that’s how it’ll be perceived.
What’s more, a strong brand identity will increase recognition and make the connection when prospects and customers see you in different media. These things matter.