90 Day Brand Transformation
Reilly Newman
Transforming Brands Beyond Business | Founder, Brand Strategist, Author, Podcast Host
I'm often asked how we transform brands. It's simple, but not easy.
Over decades of experience in rebranding businesses from 5 to 100 years old, we have developed very specific methods on how to take the best of a brand and position it for future success.
"Our company, with its 116-year history, had branding that hadn’t been fully addressed in over a decade. Motif Brands came in with deep market insight and a thoughtful approach, helping us create a brand that not only reflects who we are today but will carry us into the future. Their process was seamless, ensuring that we stayed true to our roots while embracing a more dynamic identity. The results go beyond a new logo and website—they gave us a strategic foundation that will guide our decision-making for years to come." -Cathleen Gruver, GruverCooley
When working with clients on their rebrand, it's not about just starting over. It's about rejuvenating and elevating. Whether a business has been around for 5 years or 20, their business has evolved, the behavior of your buyer has changed, and markets have shifted. By not keeping a pulse on this and adapting accordingly, a business can quickly become just a vendor and blend into the white noise of its competition. It's like the timeless Wayne Gretzky quote:
"Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been."
A business can only do so much skating and pivoting due to the constraints of its market. It must abide by some "laws" within a given market, but the brand of the business is what allows it to pivot, adapt, and grow. By transforming a brand, we can skate where the puck is going and leverage the existing assets and strengths of the business.
The expertise and perspective we bring to the transformation is what allows our rebrands to not only grow businesses but help them increase profitability. Heck, some of our brands even go on to win awards!
90 Day Rebrand
Yes, after many years, we have been able to refine our process to a 3-month window that not only flows seamlessly but results in a powerful rebrand. By focusing on the 3 P's of Brand (I talk more about that here: Link) we are able to effectively help a business not only be more unique but be distinct in its most powerful strengths that offer the most value to their audience and to the business' bottom line.
To best serve each business we work with, we create 3 seasons of rebrands. Each season is limited to 3 clients each. Below is an example of Season 1 for 2025:
As you see, the 90-Day Rebrand Program is boiled down to Onboarding followed by three phases. These aren't what developers would call "sprints" or steps as you may get in a DIY course. This program is designed to be like a personal trainer... but for your brand.
Similar to a personal trainer, we must first understand what you are wanting to accomplish with your business. Relieve a certain pain, prepare for a marathon, get a six-pack, etc. — most businesses come to us because they want to "grow", however, we must dig and determine what this means exactly for the business and them personally. This could be to build the business in a healthy way so they can sell in 5 years, increase profitability, or even increase their slice of the market. All of these scenarios would be approached in different manners to achieve the desired result and start building towards it.
As you may see, a rebrand isn't just a new logo or refreshing packaging. Any rebrand should be a calculated decision to achieve a desired goal. Whether that is to pivot and reposition, to increase pricing, or to expand your market your brand is your lever to do this by using the amazing power of perceived value.
Yes, 90 days is a great program for businesses that are ready to take things up a level. It not only helps owners reflect on how far they've come, but also review how their market(and business) has changed. Then we explore where the market is going and what would be a wise strategy for the brand to guide the business.
The Onboarding process is smooth and allows for us to start digging in. We explore and discover things about the business, team, and vision. We may even bring to light things the owner and team may have neglected or simply discounted. We look for ways that set the business apart, but also add value to their audience. Then with the power of brand, we are able to capture this value for the business.
Here's a brief outline of each phase.....
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Brand Transformation: Phase One
This is where we gain clarity. It is all about strategy and identity. We discover how the business should be positioned in the market and then create a comprehensive strategy around this. Based on these cornerstones, we gain clarity for how we need to portray the brand to the audience. This of course is mainly visual elements like the logo, color palette, typography, etc. but does sometimes include sonic branding and even custom scents.
Phase One is focused on establishing the North Star for the brand and creating the foundational protocols of how the brand's identity not only supports this, but signals it to the audience to appeal to them and capture value.
Brand Transformation: Phase Two
Focused on the customer experience, this phase envisions how the audience will engage with the brand. Here we outline the customer journey and highlight touchpoints along the way that the buyer will interact with. We also call this a major part of the Brand Experience. We encourage clients to think like Walt Disney who would often say "Everything Speaks"— because every aspect of your business says something to your audience and forms their perception of you (AKA your brand).
We also explore your brand messaging and tone in how your brand communicates. The brand experience can change based on your business model and the market you serve.
Brand Transformation: Phase Three
This is the "big show" where we tie up any loose ends, finish the development and production of materials and prepare to launch. We like to think of brand much like a theater performance. This phase (and onward) is the performance as you put on a show for your audience. You engage with them and tell a story that captivates them. You bring them value as they show their appreciation with their choice to watch and stay seated.
Your theater is more than just a stage, just as your business is more than just a storefront or online presence. The performance is always on, so let's give em a show they'll never forget!
From This To That: A Guarantee
As you can see, we've put quite a bit of thought into how a brand transformation is to be done. We apply our expertise to each client on an in-depth level and care for each of their success so much that you might even think we are a shareholder! All jokes aside, we truly care about this special moment for a business where they are given the opportunity to further their business. Not just refresh it or update it, but rejuvenate it and take their business to the next level.
This is precisely why we only work with a handful of clients each year and why we spend time writing about this world, doing podcasts, and even speaking about it. We have personally seen the positive impact brand can have on businesses and we guarantee our performance on all rebrands. We deep dive with each business to help them reflect, renew, and rebrand.
Transforming from this to that isn't always comfortable. It may challenge you and push your business, it may evade cliches and do unordinary things for your industry. However that's how great brands are born. We can't derive the extraordinary from the ordinary just as an extraordinary brand can't be derived from doing the ordinary.
Cheers,
Reilly