We’ve all been there: You’ve gone so long without rebranding that your logo doesn’t even really make sense anymore. In fact, it looks more like a strange relic from the past than a mark that represents your company’s mission and values. And those colors...what were you thinking? Were those actually fresh at the time? You vaguely remember that you were somehow excited about this whole “brand identity” at the time—but that time just feels so far away now…
Sound familiar? It sure does to us. Without further ado, 10 surefire signs that you’re due (or, more likely, overdue) for a rebrand:
Facing the prospect of updating your logo and brand identity can be overwhelming—but really, it’s a great opportunity to take a good look at what you do and where you’re going. Your visual brand is at the center of everything you do, and it has immense impact on your ability to attract new customers, maintain an engaged audience, and convert website visitors. And if you don’t feel good about your brand, it’s a fair bet that potential customers aren’t that impressed either.
It is our firm belief that rebranding does NOT need to be the painful, drawn-out, expensive process it's cracked up to be. Here at Good & Gold, we work with our partner (and superstar designer) Jen Wick at Fort Wick to guide you through a clearly defined, goal-oriented, six-week rebranding process that will not only deliver a suite of logos and a comprehensive style guide, but will reconnect you with your organization’s mission and values.
Week 0: Project Kickoff
Before we get started, we’ll discuss and approve the project scope and final deliverables, and sign a contract that outlines those details.
Week 1: Plan + Design Discovery
In our first week of work, we’ll set clear project goals and parameters, audit existing collateral, and review a brand questionnaire in-person with core team members.
Week 2: Research + Moodboard
This week, we’ll gather information and conduct research on the project, conceptualize solutions, and pull references together. We’ll then create a design moodboard that illustrates key concepts, and review that moodboard with core team members.
Weeks 3-4: Concepts + Design Exploration
Major visual concepts begin taking shape at this point, with style elements forming around them. At the end of this phase, a presentation will be created of two visual concepts and their corresponding style variants.
Week 4: Design Review + Feedback
At the end of week 4, we will review the two visual concepts as a group and filter through the feedback of core team members. Clients then have several days to discuss internally, choose a single direction, and distill feedback.
Week 5: Refine Concept + Full Design Presentation
This week, we deliver a final brand expression guide presentation that includes a refined logo, brand assets, and colors and typography, as expressed through several key brand deliverable mockups (business cards, letterhead, case studies, presentations, etc). Core team members are invited to deliver feedback for final modifications.
Week 6: Perfect Final Design + Handoff
Finally, we deliver all assets for the brand: A suite of logos and assets in all needed file formats, as well as a comprehensive style guide and any other collateral included in the project scope.
Because any commentary on branding would be incomplete without a good blooper reel, we give you “15 of the Worst Corporate Rebrands Ever.” And finally, some advice from Fast Company on how to avoid a rebranding disaster.
