3 lessons for rebranding

Source: © 123rf 123rf Charlie Wannell, head of marketing, Mediamark shares three learnings on branding from when MediaMark rebranded

There’s no denying that connection matters and that your brand can influence customer connection.

When it comes to potential customers, your brand plays a crucial role in shaping the emotional connection with and the expectations of these customers before they even engage with you.

Fostering connections with new audiences comes down to brand perception, brand personality and brand positioning.

Just over a year ago. Mediamark rebranded and with this rebrand came positive energy, new connections, and opportunities.

Looking back, we thought we would share some of the learnings, especially for those marketers sitting on the fence about whether to take the plunge or not.

Learnings when you decide to rebrand

Stand out from the crowd

When products or services may appear similar, a distinct and compelling brand identity becomes crucial for capturing attention. Through a brand refresh, businesses can create a memorable and differentiated brand experience

This not only fosters stronger connections with existing customers but opens the door to welcoming new customers. Rebranding is about more than just the look and feel of a company, it also is a chance to reimagine the brand perception and brand personality.

Brand personality is the ‘human-like’ characteristics that are consistent with your company values that are attributed to a brand. When a rebrand is executed carefully this ‘personality’ can shine through all brand interactions.

In Mediamark’s experience, rebranding enabled us to build a host of new connections. Through our rebrand, we’ve moved from a corporate DNA to infuse our brand with a more fun, inclusive, and approachable personality.

Building bridges for solutions

In seeking out solutions to customer problems, you should go beyond engagement to cultivate a genuine connection with them. This will break down barriers, and nurture the customer’s vulnerability and their willingness to share with you.

Fostering a connection with the brand isn’t just about fostering new or existing customer connections. It is also important for employees and other stakeholders to feel connected with your brand. B2B strategies, now more than ever, rely on authentic brand connections.

Gone are the days of simply wooing stakeholders with trinkets and trash – or expensive trips. Making them count takes thought and alignment with your brand objectives.

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The courage to reconsider

In my opinion, too many businesses don’t continue to capitalise on the energy and change management that comes with a rebrand. The key to a rebrand is harnessing the renewed energy that it injects into the business.

Our rebrand has given us the bravery to push the envelope, play in new spaces and reimagine old ways of working. For example, although Black Friday is a tried and tested revenue driver for us, we’ve harnessed the energy and momentum from our rebrand during this year’s Black Friday activations.

Our own version of Willy Wonker’s Chocolate Factory, ‘Silly Sonke’, has been a playful and vibrant way to energise our sales team and agencies at a time of year when people are feeling burnt out.

In conclusion, enhancing your brand extends beyond aesthetics; it is a strategic necessity to ignite a new energy and kindle meaningful connections.