So, you’ve decided to rebrand – congratulations! Before you hit “launch” on your shiny new look, let’s take a step back. Rebranding is about more than just slapping on a new logo and giving your website an update. It’s an opportunity to revitalize your brand and connect with your audience in a whole new way.
At Ironmark, we’ve recently gone through this very process, and let me tell you, it’s no small feat. Our new mantra, Success, Simplified, is all about blending physical and digital marketing strategies to maximize the performance of both. From refreshing print marketing materials to implementing a complete website overhaul, we reviewed and revamped every customer touchpoint to ensure it aligned. And trust us when we say that getting to this point wasn’t as simple as we make success look! We’ve been there, done that, and we’re here to help guide you through the rebranding maze.
Related: Telling Your Brand Marketing Story in Print and Digital Media
Work With the Pros to Guide Your Rebrand
Rebranding isn’t a solo walk in the park. It’s more like a group hike where having an experienced guide by your side can help you avoid wandering off a cliff. The tricky part? There are so many elements to consider: colors, visuals, voice, positioning, and the overall essence. If you’re not paying attention, you might end up with something that confuses your audience instead of connecting with them. Enter the marketing experts. Here’s what we’ll catch so you don’t have to:
1. Choosing the right Colors
Sure, you might like a certain shade of neon green, but does it make sense for your brand? Colors have a psychological impact that goes beyond aesthetics. When we refreshed the Ironmark brand, we retained our signature black, red, and white since we’ve been wearing these colors for almost 70 years now. Then we added in a new highlighter blue that evokes simplicity and creativity and can be used to help our audience focus on the messages that matter most. From your digital work to your print marketing materials, consistent colors are crucial to a successful brand refresh. A pro will help you navigate the endless color wheel and select tones that align with your brand’s message and emotional appeal.
2. Visuals: Crafting the Right Image
Your visuals aren’t just there to look pretty (although compelling content is massively important too) – they’re there to tell your brand’s story. Every image, graphic, and video needs to align with your new identity. For Ironmark, that meant blending the visual elements of print marketing materials and digital marketing, ensuring that everything delivered our key message: we simplify marketing across the supply chain to help your business grow.
3. Finding Your New Voice
Are you serious and professional? Quirky and fun? Whatever your tone, it needs to be consistent across all platforms and touchpoints. Finding that perfect balance isn’t easy – it takes time, research, and, yes, expert guidance to make sure your new voice resonates.
4. More Value, Less Guesswork
Let’s be honest: a DIY brand refresh sounds fun, but it’s a lot like trying to build boxed furniture without the instructions. You’ll likely end up with extra parts, or worse, something that doesn’t work at all. Hiring experts means you don’t have to guess whether that font choice is going to age well, or if your website update makes sense for user experience. We’ll look out for all the things you didn’t even know could go wrong, saving you time, money, and a potential marketing headache.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Rebranding
- Not Confirming Before You Print
Skipping the step of final confirmation on color accuracy, image resolution, word placement and more can lead to costly errors. During our rebrand, a test print revealed the wrong shade of blue, allowing us to make quick corrections before a full print run. - Ignoring Data
Numbers don’t lie. Before you make any big decisions, make sure you’re using data to back them up. What does your audience respond to? What’s worked well in the past? The experts can help you sift through the numbers to find the golden nuggets of truth that should inform your rebrand. We tap comprehensive, proven strategies to help you understand your audience better so you can reach them better too. - Going It Alone
We can’t stress this enough: Get help! Rebranding is a big deal, and having a team of pros on your side will make all the difference. At Ironmark, we’ve seen firsthand how having the right expertise can turn a good rebrand into a great one.
Related: How Visual Hierarchy Helps Print Tell a Story
Success, Simplified: It’s What We Do
At the end of the day, a rebrand or brand refresh should simplify your message and help you connect with your audience on a deeper level. That’s exactly what we’ve done at Ironmark and it’s what we can help you do too. Your print marketing materials and digital marketing materials all need the same thoughtful brand refresh. So, before you dive in, give us a shout – we’re here to guide you through it with the expertise and experience you need to make your refresh a success!
