Five Signs It’s Time to Rebrand

Are you thinking about giving your brand a fresh new look? You want compelling copy, show-stopping design and a website you’re proud to share. Here are five signs it’s time for a rebrand and the key differences between various rebranding approaches.

1) Your product or service has evolved
Every product or service exists to meet a particular need for a specific customer group. Over time, the scope or focus of the product or service will likely evolve to match changing consumer tastes, technology and other market forces. If your product or service has evolved in a way that no longer fits its former identity, it’s time to rebrand.

Sometimes it’s the owner’s tastes that change. An example of this is when someone decides to switch from a done-for-you model to a teaching model or vice versa. They’re now offering the same expertise in a different container.

2) To distinguish yourself from competitors
Organizations with similar markets and audiences that don’t differentiate their branding may inadvertently start to look the same to prospective customers or clients. Sometimes, one brand will even intentionally copy another more successful brand.

Your brand is your opportunity to communicate what makes you different from your competition. If you need to rebrand to strengthen your points of differentiation, think about your organization’s long-term unique purpose. Don’t just react to trends among the competition.

For example, both Box and Dropbox, companies whose services are essentially the same, evolved their brands to adhere to the needs of their specific target audiences. Box is a very popular choice for enterprises, while Dropbox has dominated the consumer market. Dropbox announced a rebrand in 2017 using the tagline, “The world needs your creative energy.” This indicates a shift to focus on creative industries, along with small businesses and startups. The differences between these two companies’ focus areas are heavily reflected in their visual identities.
3) To appeal to a new audience
After a brand’s initial novelty wears off, the fight to stay relevant begins. In crowded markets, strong competition can cause customers to drift toward other options and disconnect with your brand. In this case, going through the process of rebranding can help you refine your brand messages and forge stronger relationships with your target market, or potentially expand into new markets.

Social media platforms are great examples of this. As Facebook’s audience aged, it recognized the opportunity to become a go-to platform for business owners. From private Facebook groups for advertising, the company’s growth is largely driven by businesses. TikTok, whose future remains uncertain, skyrocketed in popularity by appealing to young millennials and Gen Z, many of whom turned viral videos into full-fledged careers.

4) To recover from an outdated message or design
Sometimes your message no longer resonates with your clients or customers. Remember when Walmart’s slogan was “Always Low Prices”? It worked for years, and then it didn’t. Research found that people equated low prices with inferior products. Walmart changed its slogan to “Save Money. Live Better.” to more closely align the brand with customer perceptions. The core message of affordability remained, but they took the slogan in a more positive, benefit-focused direction.

Sometimes, the formerly beloved design of a brand can feel outdated. MasterCard rebranded its card image for the digital age, and sometimes, like in this case, a rebrand is limited to a new logo or design.

5) To show growth, maturity or evolution
Rebranding is a sign of innovation. If your brand has significantly expanded, added markets or significant services, or if you, as the owner, have undergone a metamorphosis, then your brand should change to reflect this new era.
If any of the five scenarios I just explained sound like your organization, it’s worth considering a rebrand. Whether you conduct the rebrand in-house or work with an agency like Prosper for Purpose, it’s important to step back and approach the redesign through a holistic lens. Get input from your clients, employees and other stakeholders. Let that feedback and your owner’s intuition guide you to think about your goals for your rebranding process.

When done correctly, rebranding your product, service, or entire business can have a tremendous return on investment. Rebranding can be the difference between thriving and being forgotten.

But how much—and what kind—of rebranding do you really need?

Rebranding is a marketing strategy that involves recreating part or all of a brand to establish a fresh, differentiated identity in the minds of your audience. Maybe you want to refine your messaging so it’s clearer and more compelling, or perhaps you’re looking to change your brand colors to shift the overall energy.

If you’re updating a few elements while keeping most of your brand intact, that’s called a brand refresh. Think of it as repainting your house rather than renovating it.

A full rebrand, on the other hand, is a complete transformation—often keeping only the business name and core offerings while everything else evolves.

Then there’s upbranding, which focuses on offering a new version of an existing product or service with a more premium or luxury feel.

Whether you’re updating visuals, refining your message, or elevating the entire brand experience, rebranding is an external reflection of your brand’s heart. As you or your offerings evolve, your brand should grow with you. Choose the approach that aligns with where your business is today—and where you want it to go. A rebrand or refresh should feel like a natural next step. If it doesn’t feel natural to you, Prosper for Purpose is here to help you move through the process with creativity and intention.