Corporate Rebranding

What is corporate rebranding

Definition: corporate rebranding is any change in the expression of corporate identity, such as name, logo, visual identity, brand architecture, or any combination thereof, intended to change the perception of the organization: a differentiated position in the minds of customers, competitors, investors and other stakeholders.

What is the Corporate Brand Matrix

The Corporate Brand Matrix is a tool for planning, sourcing, budgeting and staffing corporate rebranding programs… and a tool to help clients, consultants and designers speak the same language. By ‘plotting’ the historic mix and importance of rebranding drivers against the actual tools used, with benefit of hindsight we can identify what usually works best and why. We can then better understand the strategic issues, creative opportunities and process requirements of a potential future rebranding.

Corporate rebranding drivers

Structural drivers

Changes in corporate structure (composition and organization) that result from:

• a merger or acquisition
• a spin-out or de-acquisition

requiring a change in the branding of the parent company.

Strategic drivers

Leadership choices to change direction, scope, visibility, cultural and behavioral norms, distinct personality or perceived composition.

Functional drivers

Include:

• correction of a weak, misleading or me-too name
• a dated, inappropriate or otherwise ineffective logo
• a legal mandate

Corporate rebranding tools

Identifier tactics

The “identifier” is the communicative name, as expressed in logo form. Identification tactics can thus include:

• name change (and to what kind of name?)
• logo change (to primarily a wordmark, or to a symbol, and in either case, using what specific design strategy?)

Identity system

The identity system consists of all the verbal and visual tools in addition to the identifier that can be used to express the presence, composition and personality of the institution. This includes the nomenclature system (names of main units, slogans, etc.) and visual elements such as fonts, colors and unit signatures (brand architecture).

Situation Facts

Situational facts are perceived facts that, in the minds of different audiences, can help identify or “place” an entity, sometimes even more effectively than the name or logo. They can be made more visible or less visible, can sometimes be changed, and should always be considered.

Change event

The event of an identity change, which is a visible leadership action, creates a communications opportunity. It can be treated as a non-event, or linked to messages to key audiences, or it can provide the opportunity for a major institutional advertising campaign. The choice is an important strategic consideration that also affects the timing of the program.