Is it Time for a Rebrand?

Rebranding is a marketing strategy that involves partially or totally modifying the set of elements that identify a business or brand, in order to improve or expand its positioning in the market. This could include anything from your logo to the fonts and color palette you use, and much more. Just as interior designers get to know their clients and gather information about their values and tastes in order to reflect who they are in their designs, your brand should reflect the spirit of your company, and your clients should see themselves reflected in it as well.

It’s a process that the biggest names have gone through, and many times over. Household names like Google, Nike, Apple and a host of others have rebranded over the years, but they have managed to retain certain elements to remain familiar and trustworthy to consumers, while communicating an expansion or new values.

So, is it time to rebrand your interior design firm? Think about what has changed in your company, whether your niche or target customer has shifted, and what you’ve done so far to illustrate those changes to the public. Here are some reasons to consider rebranding.

The industry is evolving - One of the most common reasons for rebranding is simply to keep with the times. Interior design is an industry in which it is particularly important to demonstrate up-to-date design knowledge and an awareness of new client needs. However, don’t just jump on a trend bandwagon and blend in with the rest. Standing out is one of the goals!

Your company is evolving - Perhaps you have decided to cater to a new or different customer and want to attract that profile with a relevant corporate image. When announcing news about your company, such as the launch of a new service, it’s time to review if your corporate image still represents the essence of your company or if it requires some adaptations to reflect the changes you are implementing.

A lack of clarity or consistency - Your logo, mission statement and overall style need to be congruent and harmonious. Aspects of the graphic design should also be versatile enough to be functional across platforms. You should work with a brand book with specific fonts, logo formats and colors as a reference to project a unified image. If you aren’t yet, you may be able to pare down and consolidate the styles and elements you’re already working with and see if that’s enough of an improvement.

As we’ve seen so far, rebranding may include a makeover of your corporate logo or colors. In some cases, it can mean changing the very name of your company. But it’s important not to neglect other elements you communicate, such as how you describe the company and present your team on your website. You may even need to reevaluate your usual processes, such as your intake questionnaire and briefing format, to make it all fit together and work. In short, rebranding is like renovating a house. We can simply redesign the logo or change the visual, emotional and functional aspects of the brand at a much deeper level.

However, rebranding is not always the solution. It’s a significant investment that can’t be taken lightly. In addition to brand consultancy services, you will need to update your website, stationery, business cards, or even company vehicles if you have them. Everywhere your brand appears. This transition can be done somewhat gradually if necessary, but it’s best to keep this period as short as possible. If you have a well-established brand, it’s a good idea to do thorough audience research before discarding the current one. Sometimes a few simple changes with a bit of guidance or “restyling” are enough to get your current brand aligned.

If you think that your interior design business could benefit from a rebrand, set up a meeting with a branding expert. Create a moodboard together that expresses the feel of your design firm. They should help you by studying your case and carrying out a market study to make the change meaningful and strategic, not just a makeover for the sake of it. You can even consider asking your followers on social media to vote on their favorite new logo options by creating a poll on your Instagram stories, for example. It’s a way to get real feedback before taking the leap, as well as boost customer engagement.

Once you do define your new corporate image, take the opportunity to announce it loud and proud to your audience with a marketing campaign, sharing and celebrating this new chapter in the story of your business and a new appeal to your clients.

xx, Danae