Quite Rebrand (Without losing your regulars)
Evolve what’s dated; keep what’s loved. Communicate early, change gently, and honour the familiar.
All of our most loved brands—think Apple, Lego, McDonalds and Instagram have all gone through some sort of rebranding throughout its lifetime.
I’m sure we all (perhaps not the young Gen Zs, wow I feel old) remember when the brown camera application logo of Instagram transformed overnight into the colourful minimalistic logo that we are all familiar with now.
Rebranding is crucial to maintaining a business that’s relevant through generations.
It’s also the one thing that could erase or dilute a brand equity if not executed thoughtfully.
Here are some industry know-hows on a successful but gentle rebrand:
- Inventory ‘Keepers vs. Changers’—think colours, tone, hero product names. Preserve signature cues to leverage familiarity.
- Run a soft launch: signage and packaging first; website/menus second; legal name last. Communicate the “why” and what’s not changing
- Create a Rebrand FAQ: what’s new, what stays, how to spot fakes, where to give feedback
- Track trust signals for 6 weeks (repeat rate, direct traffic, branded search)
The dating app Bumble updated its logo with the tagline “We’ve changed, you don’t have to”.
Their logo had some subtle changes like shifting from lowercase to an uppercase “B” and removing the hexagonal icon to convey a softer, or mature impression.
Even such subtle changes can bring a huge impact on how a brand is perceived. It’s important to do things with intention and care.
Rule of thumb, go slow and go small and keep your eyes peeled and ears open.
Interested in a not-so-successful example of rebranding? Read the article ‘Don’t try to be a teenager’: lessons from Abrdn’s disastrous rebrand’ from the Financial Times.
