Demystifying branding

What is branding?

Branding is your company's unique identity that sets you apart from competitors. Branding goes far beyond a logo or colours to craft a narrative, a personality, and an emotional connection with a defined audience. An effective brand evokes trust, loyalty and customer advocacy, ensuring that your company, products, or services are the preferred choice amongst the competition. 

Our brand team is often asked:

How do I know if I need to review my branding? 

There are many reasons why your brand might need work. Here are some of the most common ones.

• Your logo isn’t flexible – it doesn’t work effectively across print and digital channels. For example, it might be too lengthy or have too much detail to be visible or create any impact on social media.
• Your messaging isn’t clear – it may be outdated, inconsistent, or doesn't reflect your mission, vision, and values effectively.
• Your brand identity looks like competitors – where brands in a similar industry follow the crowd and can start to look the same over time.
• Your company is changing – are you offering a new service or product line, targeting a new audience, or taking a new direction altogether?
• Your brand is inconsistent – common signs include not having a well-defined logo, no style guide, an inconsistent colour palette, or a lack of cohesive marketing materials. 

Brand evolution vs rebrand.

A brand evolution is a revamp of what your identity is already. There are many instances where this is the best direction for your brand.

Perhaps your company is approaching a significant milestone.

Looking at how far you have come is a great time to reflect on the next step forward. It’s important to take your customers with you on this journey. Brand evolution shows your audience that your company is growing and evolving, which promotes confidence. It shows that you understand their needs are changing and are listening to them. This approach keeps you one step ahead of the competition.

Developing a brand story is another example of when brand evolution works.

Perhaps you are trying to reach a new audience or enter a new market, but your current identity or messaging needs adapting to reflect this change in narrative.

In contrast, a rebrand is a significant shift:

“If a company rebrands itself or a product or service that it provides, it creates a new name or image for it, often to try to change the way that people think about it.” Cambridge Dictionary

A rebrand typically marks the start of a new era for a company, for example, if your business model has significantly changed. Your brand might have experienced negative associations, or the identity might no longer resonate with your audience. Perhaps your company is starting in a new international market, or your brand is merging and acquiring new companies.

For a successful rebrand, you need to ensure that your internal and external stakeholders fully embrace the changes. The best way to do this is to involve them throughout the process, from the initial research and concept feedback to an effective brand launch.

Whether you need a brand evolution or a rebrand, or you are unsure which is the best option for your company, the Dsquared branding team will guide you through the process, ensuring no stone is left unturned. Our experienced team of creatives love to solve branding puzzles, so whatever your brand challenge, get in touch and see how we can work together to ensure your new brand is a success from the word go!