In this series we have been exploring reasons why a company may wish to change their corporate identity or rebrand.
The first part explored three situations, including a brand getting outdated, a change in the marketplace - or a need to reposition the brand as it heads in a new direction.
In this part we are going to continue to explore some more challenges and changes that can prompt a rebranding of a company or organisation.
Going Global
The internet has not only meant that we are living in a digital age - but also a global one. As small businesses grow they will often find themselves spreading to new countries and continents. That can create its own set of hurdles to overcome and challenges to push a company's branding to be reassessed.
With an international market may come cultural or linguistic barriers and in some cases a brand may not translate. If a brand is too specific to its origins then the meaning may become lost or - in the worst case it may have less than optimal connotations or meanings.
This can result in a full rebrand to create a more appropriate, holistic brand that works for all, or it may result in several brand treatments for the same products- some famous examples of this are Cif and Jif cleaning products, Walker’s and Lays crisps or Lynx and Axe body spray.
The latter can obviously make marketing more complicated and dilute the global recognition of a brand, however the former can risk being slightly too generalised and not unique enough to appeal to each individual geographical locations quirks and culture.
Some brands use their origins as a feature of their brand in order to overcome this issue. Noticeably many alcohol products double down on their individual roots and stories to create a narrative around their brand and lend themselves credibility and authenticity (whether fabricated or not). Examples of this are Jack Daniels whiskey or Bombay Sapphire Gin.