HOW TO LAUNCH A REBRAND

A rebrand is far more than just a new logo or tagline—it’s a complete overhaul of your brand’s strategy. It involves a mix of emotions, debates, and exciting revelations. And that’s only the beginning. Now comes the real challenge: bringing your new brand to life and launching it to the world.

THE ASSET CHECKLIST

You might not realize just how many places your brand exists until you undergo a rebrand. From internal tools and email signatures to ads, uniforms, onboarding materials, presentation decks, outdoor signage, and beyond.

To ensure nothing is overlooked, it's essential for department leaders to meet with their teams and review every touchpoint where the brand appears. Create a shared checklist to document all the necessary updates and assign responsibilities to the appropriate teams.

Remember, a successful rebrand requires a full, cohesive rollout—not a piecemeal approach.

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THE THREE LAUNCHES

Launching a rebrand isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. It requires careful strategy and planning to effectively communicate the changes to employees, customers, and the public. To avoid confusion or potential backlash, it's crucial to provide clear and comprehensive information. When mapping out your execution strategy, consider these three key launch phases to ensure a smooth and impactful rebrand rollout.

Internal Launch

Before revealing the rebrand to the public, it's crucial to first train your employees.

Start by explaining the why behind the rebrand. Help them understand the goals you aim to achieve with the new brand, the process you went through, and the factors that influenced the final decisions. Articulate how the rebrand will positively impact customers, stakeholders, and the company. This will help bring excitement!

Next, walk them through the updated brand platform—highlighting the new tone, personality, core values, pillars, and even the new tagline. Help them see how the brand's values directly relate to their roles within the company.

Be clear about what needs to change: How should they answer the phone now? What will their new uniform look like? How do they update their email signature? Empowering them with this knowledge ensures a smooth and consistent brand experience across every touchpoint.

Customer Launch

You’ll also need to think carefully about how to communicate your rebrand to your clients or customers. The approach will vary depending on your industry.

For businesses with close, personal relationships with clients—like financial planning services—you’ll want to adopt a more intimate communication strategy. Share the story behind the rebrand, clearly outline what’s changing and what’s staying the same, and reassure clients that their service remains a top priority.

For companies that are more direct-to-consumer or product-focused, a brief and straightforward explanation will work best. Leverage your new brand story to invite customers on the exciting journey, making them feel involved and connected to the evolution of your brand.

Each business is different and will require it’s own curated plan of action.

Launch to the World

You’ll need to plan how to announce your rebrand to the world. It can feel daunting, especially after all the hard work you've put in to reach this point and build recognition. But it’s important to remember why you decided to rebrand in the first place and embrace the opportunity to share your evolution.

Bring your audience along for the journey—consider interactive ways for them to engage, such as a contest or social media giveaway.

And don’t forget to ensure that all of your materials are updated simultaneously to create a seamless and unified brand experience, avoiding any potential confusion.

BE PREPARED FOR QUESTIONS

Some employees or customers might question why you underwent a rebrand. They may wonder if you’re planning to sell the company, or question the time and investment involved in the process. It's also possible that some people may not immediately resonate with the new brand. However, these concerns are temporary. As long as you stay consistent with your brand story and continue delivering exceptional value, the initial uncertainty will give way to long-term acceptance and appreciation.