Brand Activation: Why Rebrand?

Rebranding is something many businesses do for all sorts of reasons. But before we dive into all that, it's important to understand the value of having a brand in the first place. A strong brand builds customer loyalty, boosts awareness, improves marketing efforts, attracts top talent, and protects your business, giving you a competitive edge. But what exactly is a brand?

Some people think it's just a logo or a catchy name, while others focus on the experience or reputation you build over time. The reality is that a brand is a combination of all these things—and more. It's the way your business presents itself, how people feel about it, and the promises it makes to its customers.

But sometimes, businesses reach a point where their brand doesn't quite reflect where they're headed anymore. This can happen for all sorts of reasons—shifting markets, changing customer expectations, or even new company goals.

What is ‘Rebranding’?

Rebranding is a lot more than just slapping on a fresh coat of paint. Rebranding can breathe new life into your business. It's an opportunity to not just update your appearance but also to redefine your mission, values, and offerings. This might mean launching new products, updating your services, or even adopting new technologies.

Whether you're considering a complete overhaul, partial rebrand, or brand refresh, rebranding, when done well, can help you stand out from the competition, spark excitement with your customers, and boost morale within your team. Trust us, we're speaking from experience having recently gone through our own.

Why do businesses rebrand?

So, why rebrand? There are plenty of reasons—maybe you’ve gone through a merger or acquisition, faced legal challenges, want to target a new audience, added new services, or simply want to take advantage of market changes and fresh opportunities. Whatever the reason, when done right, a rebrand can drive growth, boost visibility, and help your business stand out in a crowded market.

Rebranding isn't just about changing your logo or tagline—it can have a real impact on your bottom line.

LOFT

Many brands have turned their fortunes around with a strategic rebrand. Take LOFT, for example. Back in 2009, they were facing some tough challenges, with job cuts and store closures. But just two years later, they were named the fastest-growing brand in America by RetailSails, with a staggering 161% year-over-year growth.

What made the difference? A smart rebrand aimed at attracting a more diverse, younger audience with affordable pricing. They even brought in celebrities like Katie Holmes to help reshape their image. Part of the strategy included dropping "Ann Taylor" and creating the separate LOFT brand.?

RH

Restoration Hardware, originally focused on home furnishings, made a bold move by expanding its product range to include baby items and outdoor furniture. As their offerings grew beyond the traditional scope of "restoration" and "hardware," their original name started to feel a bit out of place. So, they decided to rebrand, changing their name to RH to better fit with their evolving identity. The results were certainly impressive. Their stock price skyrocketed by more than 600%, and the rebrand earned rave reviews.

"They've really done a great job of building a brand that feels aspirational and, for lack of a better word, cool again," says Curtis Nagle, an analyst.

It is clear that the rebrand not only resonated with consumers but also positioned RH as a forward-thinking, trendsetting brand.

Dunkin’

A slightly more recent example is Dunkin'. In 2019, Dunkin' Donuts made the bold decision to rebrand itself as a "beverage-led company," dropping "Donuts" from its name altogether.This shift was aimed at reflecting a broader range of offerings, including coffee, drinks, wraps, sandwiches, and bagels—not just donuts. And it’s safe to say the rebrand paid off. Their stock price jumped from $39.40 in 2016 to $80.90 per share in 2019.

Tony Weisman, Dunkin's CMO, put it perfectly: "By simplifying and modernizing our name while still paying homage to our heritage, we have an opportunity to create an incredible new energy for Dunkin', both in and outside our stores."

Saint Laurent Paris

Rebrands can sometimes stir up controversy, as seen in 2012 when Hedi Slimane took over as creative director for Yves Saint Laurent. One of his first major moves was changing the brand's iconic ready-to-wear name from "Yves Saint Laurent" to "Saint Laurent Paris". He wanted to give the brand a more modern and energized feel, but this decision angered many YSL fans who felt it disrespected the legacy of the brand's founder. However, despite the backlash, the rebrand proved successful, doubling the brand's revenue during Slimane's first three years in the role and seeing a 38% growth in the first half of 2015 alone.

These are just some recent examples that show how rebrands, while challenging, can also be a transformative force for your business. They can breathe new life into your brand, increase your visibility, and even disrupt the market in your favor. It's a strategy that, when executed well, can lead to significant growth and success.

How can Elva help you?

When a business is considering a rebrand, there's a lot to think about. Finances, market research, understanding your audience, and maintaining consistency across all platforms are just a few key pieces of the puzzle. And then there's the challenge of knowing when and how to evolve your brand without losing the essence of what makes it unique.

It can feel overwhelming at times. This is where having an outside perspective can make all the difference. That's where Elva can be particularly helpful.

Having gone through our own rebrand recently, we completely understand the challenges and hurdles businesses face in the process. We've been there, we've done that, and we know exactly what it takes to get it right. This experience puts us in a great position to help you with your rebranding journey. But what makes us stand out isn't just our experience—but what we do. We are known for our design, which is where it all starts. However, design is just the beginning of what we do.

For us, it's not just about making things look good—it's about creating experiences. Design is what we create, what our clients receive, and what their customers experience. But we don't stop there. Our work is the perfect combination of design, technology, and strategy, blending tried-and-true best practices with an eye for the latest trends and innovations.

Where creativity meets functionality to drive results

What sets us apart is that we don't just create pretty pictures—we focus on creating solutions that work and drive results. Our designs push the boundaries of beauty and creativity, but never at the expense of performance. We understand that a beautiful design isn't truly successful unless it also delivers in terms of functionality and user experience. For our clients, this balance is key. They demand work that's not only visually striking but also effective, practical, and scalable.

We're constantly looking for fresh ways to elevate brands—taking what's already great and making it even better while making sure it fits seamlessly into a rapidly changing digital landscape. Whether you're looking to refresh your brand, connect with a new audience, or reposition yourself in the market, we're here to help you through it with a strategy that's designed around your unique goals.

Rebranding is a big step, but it’s one that can have a lasting impact on your business’s success. ContactElva now, and let's get started on your rebranding journey.