Is It Time to Refresh Your Brand? 6 Questions to Ask

Your brand is your first impression, and you want it to be the best. Think of branding as the outfit your business wears to interact with the world. Marketing with a subpar brand not only makes a poor first impression, it leaves a negative impression that lasts. Like wearing sweatpants to a job interview. You would never do that, right? Turns out, sometimes your brand is wearing sweatpants and you don’t even know it.

A brand is good — until it isn’t. The trick is knowing when it’s time for a makeover. So how do you know when your brand needs a glow-up? In this blog, we’ll explore six key questions to help you figure that out.

1. Has Your Target Audience Evolved? One of the most critical aspects of a strong brand is understanding your target audience. If your audience has changed over time, you need a brand that’s reflective of those changes. Ask yourself:

• • Have our customer demographics shifted?
  • Are we reaching a new audience that has different values and preferences?
  • Considering changes in our audience, does our brand still resonate?

If your current brand doesn’t align with your current audience, it’s time for a rebrand to ensure your brand remains relevant and relatable to your customers.

2. Are Your Competitors Outshining You? Keeping an eye on what your competitors are up to is essential to your success — and your survival. If your competitors are gaining more attention or market share than you are, your brand may need a revamp. Consider these questions:

• • Are your competitors using more innovative branding strategies than you are?
  • Are your competitors offering something unique that sets them apart?
  • Are your competitors’ brands more modern and appealing than yours?

If your competitors have the spotlight while you’re in the shadows, it’s time to reevaluate your branding strategy to stay competitive.

3. Is Your Brand Message Clear and Consistent? A strong brand message is the foundation for customer recognition and trust. If your brand message is confusing or no longer represents who you are, you absolutely need an update. Ask yourself:

• • Is our brand message aligned with our current values and mission?
  • Are our marketing materials and communications consistently delivering our message?
  • Do our customers understand what our brand stands for?

If your brand message doesn’t fit or isn’t easily understood, it’s time to refine and realign your message to ensure customers are engaging with who you really are.

4. Is Your Branding Visually Appealing? Visual aesthetics play a significant role in the perception of your brand, and will either attract customers or turn them away. If your brand is outdated or simply worn out, you need a fresh start with a brand refresh. Consider these questions:

• • Are your logo, color palette, and overall design still appealing and on-trend?
  • Do your visuals reflect the quality and personality of your products or services?
  • Is your branding memorable and easily recognizable as yours?

If your brand visuals don’t stand out in a meaningful way, it’s time for a brand makeover that differentiates and builds awareness.

5. Are You Expanding or Diversifying Your Offerings? To grow and evolve, businesses often introduce new products or services. If these additions aren’t aligned with your existing brand and are confusing your customers, you need a more comprehensive branding strategy. Ask yourself:

• • Have we recently expanded our offerings or entered new markets?
  • Do our existing brand elements accommodate the changes we’ve made?
  • How can our brand best represent growth without confusing customers?

If your brand hasn’t kept up and isn’t inclusive of your growth, it’s time to update your branding strategy to strengthen your market presence.

6. Are You Using Your Current Brand Consistently? When it comes to branding, consistency is mission critical. If your brand isn’t uniformly deployed across all channels and touchpoints, you need to rethink your branding strategy. Ask yourself:

• • Are we consistently adhering to our brand guidelines in all marketing materials?
  • Is our brand identity the same across our website, social media, and offline materials?
  • Do all employees understand and follow our brand guidelines?

If your brand is diluted then so is your impact, and it’s time for a refresh that creates a powerful, unified brand presence.

Your brand is a dynamic and evolving entity that should reflect your business’s growth, values, and customers. By asking these six questions to assess your brand’s relevance, effectiveness, and consistency, you can determine whether you need a brand refresh. And if it is time for a well-deserved makeover? A well-executed rebrand will breathe new life into your business, empowering you to connect with your audience in a more meaningful, memorable, and impactful way. Best of all, you won’t be wearing sweatpants to a job interview.

KidGlov is a boutique, full-service, advertising, branding and content marketing agency and certified B Corp, with offices in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, specializing in nonprofit marketing, healthcare marketing, financial services marketing, social impact marketing, and purpose-driven businesses.