Re-branding vs. Brand Evolution: The difference, benefits and which one is best for you!

Welcome back to the blog! At iGen Creative, we are fuelled by our passion to create brands that stand the test of time.

The idea of creating a timeless brand is something we strive for with each client. We believe in classic, long-lasting aesthetics that 'never go out of style'. However, we are also in the iGen era and understand that certain modern worldwide trends need to be kept up with to some degree in order to stay relevant. This is why it is so important to build a strong reputable presence, while simultaneously laying foundations that have the capacity to grow and evolve with the brand.

With that in mind, it is possible to have a timeless brand that 'keeps up with the times,' it just requires a bit of thought. So, when is the right time to make alterations to your brand? Should you completely re-brand or is there a way for your brand to evolve gradually over time? Let's take a look at the paths there are and which works best for each unique situation.

What is Brand Evolution?

In simple terms, brand evolution is a series of small changes made over time in response to customer feedback, political situations, the marketplace, and even design trends. Brand evolution is a way to show consumers you are attending to their needs and maintains your stance as a strong competitor in your industry. It is a primary way of remaining current without having to change your entire reputation.

Brand evolution is natural and essential for you if you intend to have longevity in your field. Although it requires acknowledging trends, it doesn't mean changing everything you do just to 'fit in' to the current hype. It gives you the scope to add elements to your design that may not have existed before. For example, a new graphic technique may be in style and offer an opportunity to freshen up your website. This is something that is so minute that many people may not notice it immediately, but over time, multiple changes such as this one are what ultimately defines your brand evolution.

Simple little tech nuances are one way your brand will evolve, but what about the world around us. How does that affect your brand evolution? Well, the answer is HUGELY.

Changes in worldwide behaviour may encourage a brand to alter a brand element. For example, with approximately 79 million vegans in the world as of 2021, many fast-food chains now offer alternative food options to satisfy that consumer need. Nowadays, even steakhouses have a 'veggie option'. This is a particularly good example as they haven't rebranded to become entirely vegetarian, but in order to keep up with worldwide trends, they have intelligently adapted and evolved to remain attractive in the marketplace.

What does it mean to re-brand?

Re-branding means changing the identity of a company or organisation. This often involves a new name, logo, or complete design overhaul. A re-brand is a significant pivotal moment in how the brand presents itself, so much so that it may even lead to an entire relaunch campaign to heighten awareness of this major update.

Uber underwent a re-brand to reflect an update and growth in their values. They now focus more on the customer and place a huge emphasis on passenger safety and ease of use. This re-brand hasn't involved a name change, clearly, however they have re-vamped their logo in an effort to curate a cleaner look.

Re-branding impacts the entire flow of everything related to your brand. You may create an totally new atmosphere around your brand. This is ideal when the objective is to target a new audience or recapture your current one.

A certain political movement may highlight a new brand value that you want to incorporate or better highlight in your communication. It may be so important to you that you decide to re-brand. For example, the Black Lives Matter movement inspired multiple companies to re-brand involving changing their name and standards to become more in line with their value of racial justice.

Cadbury re-branded to better showcase their long-standing commitment to cocoa farmers and the environment. The famous 'glass and a half' logo has been altered to place more emphasis on the chocolate chunk with their aim being to highlight the quality ingredients in their chocolate bars. Along with this, they also wanted to create a more contemporary feel, which is clearly visible in their font change and signature tweak. The signature alone is another great example of how they have adapted to feel more modern while maintaining their recognisable identity. These two logo pointers indicate that Cadbury had many aspects they wished to evolve in consideration of deep-rooted themes. This is why a rebrand was right for them at this time.

Do you need a re-brand or are you more suited to a few brand evolving alterations? Let's take a look at the benefits of both!

Brand Evolution benefits:

 
• Stay current with new updates
 
• React to the wants of your customers
 
• Keep your current audience engaged
 
• Continuous improvement
 
• Remain recognisable during the growth phase without confusing prospects
 
• Respond to worldwide changes promptly without overshadowing core values

Re-brand benefits:

 
• Signifies your business and/or product has changed (if relevant)
 
• In a saturated industry, set yourself apart from competitors
 
• Keep up with the times, like Cadbury
 
• Target a new audience/demographic
 
• Re-engage your current audience
 
• Highlight new-found brand values

Either way, you're on track for brand success. Being hyperaware of your industry changes along with your internal business growth will mean that, having done your homework, whichever route you take will be the right one for you and your brand. As long as your aim is longevity, then you can achieve that by curating a timeless, yet up to date brand!

If you want more in-depth and specialised help with your brand path, you can click here to organise a call with one of our team members!

Until next time,

Sarah

Content Manager

iGen Creative