Why you should be considering a brand refresh

Inevitably as your business grows and develops, the brand needs to reflect this so that the current vision and mission of the company is represented to the customer. In this blog post, we explore some key points as to why it might be time for your business to have a brand refresh and the importance of having a brand refresh strategy.

Is it important to have a brand refresh?

Every single brand should be flexible to meet the ever-changing needs of customers, social and economic development, and other changes or trends in the marketplace. Just look at how Microsoft has changed its image over the years. Whilst its core values remain the same, its brand has to evolve to stay as a market leader and embody the current trends.

Having a brand refresh will reflect a new, current and up-to-date image of your company. This is reassuring to its existing customers and attractive to new ones. Implementing a brand refresh can help magnify the impact of new ideas, collaborations, or growth within your company. 

It is important to steer away from feeling like a brand refresh is starting over, and more like improving. 

Should I refresh my brand?

For reference, click this link for the evolution of the Microsoft logo.

Now, imagine if Microsoft still used their 1975 branding today? Compared to Apple's current brand, it would look incredibly dated. Above, you can see how the logo has evolved over the years to reflect current trends, and improvement of their industry and sector. From the colourful, psychedelic logo in the 1970's to the slick, simplistic and functional logo currently used today, Microsoft have stepped up their branding game with a simple company logo refresh. 

So, why is it so important to have a brand refresh? The answer is simple. Without evolution, your brand will lose its edge against its competitors as well as its relevance with the target audience. No matter which sector your company is in, it is crucial your business keeps up with the times by considering a company logo refresh.

When Apple first started making personal computers, they were very much aimed at specialists and technically savvy individuals who 'knew what they were doing' in the computer world. As technology became more accessible, so did their products. This made their target audience grow massively. It then became very important for Apple to reflect stylish, user-friendly products with a stylish, user-friendly brand. This repositioning came with a brand refresh to set Apple aside from their rival competitors - Microsoft.

Here you can see the evolution of the Apple logo from when they were established in 1976 right up to their current logo in 2023.

A brand refresh for a new business endeavour 

When companies change name, merge or even separate, a brand refresh is a good method of representing change whilst remaining recognisable and maintaining the trust and loyalty established with your audience. 

When Lloyds and TSB split, Lloyds had to rebrand. By retaining the recognisable element of the brand (the black horse) and adding new, crisp typography - the newly formed Lloyds bank is still reputable on the high street whilst its logo refresh assures their customers that change can be a positive thing.

A brand refresh doesn’t have to be scary

Although having a complete brand refresh can be daunting, it doesn’t mean having to start from scratch and it is definitely not a complete company logo refresh, or company refresh. 

A prime example of a simple yet effective logo redesign would be Instagram’s logo refresh back in 2022. Subtle changes including an enhanced colour palette and bolder font made for a modern and effective branding refresh. 

Another good example of an effortless company logo refresh is Sprite. Keeping their classic, recognisable green colour, they got rid of their iconic ‘flash’ and kept it simple - leaving just the reworked typography behind. All in all, most logos just need a revamp, rather than a full-on identity makeover.

How do I go about starting a brand refresh?

Are you left thinking ‘should I refresh my brand?’. If so, there are a few things you should consider. First of all, you need to make sure that it's a worthwhile investment to do a whole brand refresh. It might be that your business just needs a logo refresh, or it might be that you need a whole brand refresh strategy.

Get in touch with a brand refresh agency for professional advice and request a brand audit; this will be an outside view of your business and analysis of the complete brand image. From here, the process of fresh, exciting designs can begin. Some expert guidance, coupled with updated, relevant designs will prove a great investment in the future of a business.

Here at JUMP, among our services such as web design and development, we offer a full brand refresh strategy including a logo refresh. To find out more, please contact us about getting your brand refresh process started.