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Thought & Insight

5 signs your branding is dying (and what to do about it)

01.2023 | By Jennifer Allen

Life changes, people evolve and the same goes for businesses. The visions, goals and target audiences of businesses regularly change - and it would be unrealistic to think otherwise. But sometimes, those changes can be a sign that you need to give your business a re-brand. Whether you’ve stopped reaching your target audience, your products have drastically changed, or you seem to have lost your identity, re-branding your business is often the only solution.

If this sounds familiar, then don’t worry, recognising that your brand isn’t quite working anymore is the first step in the right direction. In fact, on average, a business tends to re-brand every three to five years - so you’re not alone. At Klutch, our design creatives discuss five warning signs that your branding is dying - and better still, what you can do about it.

1. Your customers are changing

It comes as no surprise that peoples’ likes and needs can change, which means your target audience might be evolving. In fact, you shouldn’t rely on your target audience to stay loyal to your brand forever. If you’re finding that you’re struggling to speak to your customers, it’s time to rescue your brand before it’s too late.

2. Your products or services have dramatically changed

Rather than your audience changing, perhaps your business is. It could be that you’ve drastically changed your services and products, which means your business is now attracting a different type of customer. If you can feel yourself nodding in agreement, then this is a clear sign that it’s time to re-visit your brand and look at the way you’re connecting to potential custom.

3. Your initial branding isn’t helping you achieve your goals

It’s completely common for a business’s current mission, vision, values and goals to be completely different to what they were when they started out. If your brand isn’t growing with your business, then it could begin to damage your reputation and development.

4. Your customers no longer understand what your business does

If the purpose of your business has become unclear, then you’re in danger of potentially losing customers. If your audience can no longer understand your products or services, then the chances are they won’t stay loyal for much longer. Simply put, your branding needs to be both clear and engaging.

5. You’re blurring into the background

If you’re beginning to find that your business is starting to blur into the background, then this is a definite sign to have a look at your branding. There’s no denying that the market is saturated with businesses, making it vital that your brand is memorable and stands out from the competition.

What to do if your brand is dying

If any of the above sounds familiar, then you’re probably now asking the question: ‘how can I stop my brand from completely fizzling out?’ Here are our top tips for giving your brand a much-needed reboot:

  • Reach out to a creative agency that can help rebuild your brand’s identity - and decide whether you need a complete brand overhaul or a simple refresh

  • Spend time researching your target audience and re-brand around them

  • Invest in some much-needed market research - you can then decide whether you want to follow industry trends or go against the grain

  • Create a set of brand guidelines. Once re-branded, you must create a document (or in other words, brand guidelines) to ensure your message and identity - including the correct logo, fonts and imagery - are consistent across all platforms.

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