Rebranding – changing a logo and elements of visual corporate imagery – can bring your organisation back into focus for customers and other stakeholders.
Consistent with the previous section, a shift in perceptions that represents real brand building is highly dependent on total organisational behaviour. However, changing the visual cues can give the organisation stronger visibility – especially in the crowded marketplace. That ‘shorthand recognition’ should immediately stimulate the positive perceptions that represent the total brand.
It is important that any vision for a corporate identity change must be broad enough that it leaves nothing and no one out; receptive enough that it considers all whom it may affect; and simple enough that no one is left with any questions.
Brand Name
In the case of your business name, it is intended to make the reasonably subtle but significant change to the company’s default brand trading name. That would appear to be relatively modest and a shift towards creating a more friendly, celebratory image. It should not meet much resistance but the company would do well to test the proposition, if it has not already done so (see Appendix 4 re the perils in such changes).
Brand Logo
Changing a logo involves more than just replacing one font by another. One should keep in the mind why the changes are needed, the stakeholders’ view, the potential impact and likely longevity of the new symbol.
Necessarily revamping a corporate image
When the image of the company has been tarnished, it is often necessary to revamp the good name and appearance by distancing itself from the negative images of the past (refer State Bank to BankSA and associated changes to visual corporate identity). Negativity damages image – the good reputation of the company or organisation – and it is sometimes necessary to make dramatic change to corporate identity. That is not the case in this assignment for
Marketing communications strategy
Many companies do not understand the importance of developing a strategy to support brand building by regular and consistent communication with its chosen target markets segments and key stakeholders.
Without a clear and supported plan it is impossible to define a company. The best results can be accomplished by investing time and money in cultivating a clearly developed, consistently applied and effective marketing communications strategy.
Although a new corporate identity should have some positive impact when employed in an organisation’s normal day-to-day operations, effective advertising and promotion helps gains the attention of the marketplace and is a major contributor to building a consistent brand.
Any campaign should also support – and be supported by – any change of imagery through a corporate identity revamp, especially a new logo. It will itself become a visual symbol of the goodwill that is the essential foundation for the organisation’s sustainable existence and sale of its products and services.
An effective campaign also will project and support any new logo as that shorthand recognition of the sponsoring organisation and its brand values.
