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Your rebrand is a big investment, and a trademark attorney can prevent costly mistakes and backtracking — or a dreaded cease-and-desist letter. For instance, if you’re changing part or all of your name, a trademark attorney can tell you if it’s already taken and whether it’s distinct enough to qualify for trademark protection. Once your corresponding visual brand identity is designed, they can submit your branded elements for a common or registered trademark.
As part of your rebrand, you could also choose to change the name of your legal business entity. But that involves updating your contracts, certifications, and other annoying paperwork. More typically, our clients establish a d.b.a., “doing business as” designation for their new name. Either way, we recommend consulting your business attorney before you launch your rebrand.
Some assets need to be rebranded on day one while others can often wait. There are different schools of thought on this, but we don’t believe that you have to roll out your brand across every single asset all at once. By asset, I mean things like your signage, presentation decks, and swag.
A major component of asset planning is production. Quality, availability, timelines, and material options are just a few variables to consider. So, you will want to identify and involve production partners as early as possible to understand your full costs and lead times.
For example, if you decide to produce any aspect of your new brand — signage, merch, business cards — you’ll need partners who can source quality materials and help you get the most from your budget.
Other partners you may want to consider include: a domain registration service, a website hosting service, a website developer (if not included in your rebranding package with your agency), videographers and photographers, interior or industrial designers, and packaging or labeling providers.
Your branding agency may be able to manage some or all production of digital and physical items for you, but be sure to define this early. Then, you’ll know what your agency is handling versus what you’ll be sourcing directly.
Technical issues can trip up a rebrand, especially at the eleventh hour. Site migration, installation of brand fonts, and email changes require planning and coordination.
For example, if your name is changing as part of your rebrand, you’ll want to secure a new domain name to go with it. If your web domain isn’t changing, you’ll want to track down who owns the registration and ensure you have access to it. The same goes for social media accounts.
As part of your rebrand, you will inevitably need templates for all sorts of things, including proposals, presentations, and internal documents. To set you up for success, your branding agency will need to know who will be using these templates, how often, and in which programs.
Case in point, if multiple people on a team create presentations “on the fly” without a designer, Google Slides might be a good option. Conversely, if proposals can route through an internal designer, and strong visuals are critical, Adobe InDesign is likely the best bet.
As you prepare to launch your rebrand, you’ll want to work with your IT team to discuss any security considerations related to your domain and understand where your website will be hosted. Is your branding agency responsible for hosting your site? Or will you need to secure your own hosting partner?
Finally, if you’re changing your email addresses along with your web domain, your IT team can establish those and set up forwarding. IT can also assist with new firm-wide email signatures and installing fonts. Every platform has quirky requirements and workarounds, and a specialist will know what they are — they’ve seen it all before.
Remember that your rebrand should help your team, first and foremost. Your new brand should be easy for them to use, resonate with them deeply, and be a point of pride. They are the ones who are going to experience it day in and day out. They will be the champions of it. They’re the closest to it. What are some special things you could do to make them feel a part of the new brand?
As simple as it sounds, swag and merch go a long way to helping people embrace a new brand. Depending on the culture of your company, that could look like custom sneakers, lapel pins, or drink tumblers. Consider the quality of the items you choose. We recommend spending a little extra on name brands and letting your team have choices. Doing so can ensure that these items are appreciated and used (rather than thrown away).
Throw a party for your internal team where leadership presents the new brand, the case for change, and the roll-out plan. If you haven’t shared your vision with your team lately, this is a good time to do it. When your strategy is clear, your rebrand should be an extension of it. Provide a clear recap of why you rebranded and what you hope to get out of it. (This is particularly important for members of the team who weren’t closely involved in the rebrand development process.)
As you prepare to launch your rebrand into the big, bad world, ask yourself: who cares most about our brand?
If the answer is ‘our clients, partners, and closest friends,’ you can simply share the news in an email and post across your social platforms. Include why you did it, what it means for your future, and how it will benefit your clients and partners. Anticipate the big and small questions you may receive and be ready with your answers.
However, if you have brand devotees, before unveiling your rebrand publicly, share it with them first! Offer them a sneak peek, early pass, or limited edition, and let them know that they own your brand as much as you do. Be prepared: not everyone will like it. Be open with your reasons for changing your brand, and be confident in the change.
If you manage a brand, you have likely used a brand guide. If you’ve managed multiple brands, you know that brand guides can vary in depth and usefulness. At its simplest, a guide details your brand fonts, colors, and proper logo applications. But a brand guide might also include recommended image styles and document grids, your brand voice and key messages, and even sub-brand or campaign guidelines.
It’s helpful to understand which ‘level’ of brand guide your branding agency is proposing to give you, and work with them to coordinate your expectations. You’ll also want to understand if they’re planning to deliver an interactive brand toolkit or simply a collection of logo files in various formats.
Beyond guides and tools, your branding agency may also be able to provide training on everything from using your branded templates to updating your website content.
No one wants to launch their new brand to the sound of crickets. Involve your programmatic marketing team a few months in advance of the launch. Your social media managers, media relations consultants, content creators, and SEO partners will need time to learn your brand strategy and adapt to the new style. Rather than a cold handoff, there should be an intentional overlap and open communication between your branding firm and your ongoing marketing partners.
Legal Considerations
Asset Planning & Production
Technical Considerations
Internal Cultural Rollout
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