THE SCIENCE OF REBRANDING: GRAVITY, EINSTEIN (AND YOU)

Building a brand isn’t cheap.? Maybe you’ll get lucky. Something may happen and you go viral. For most of us, though, it’s a long, hard slog. To illustrate my point, consider the laws of Physics.?Yes, you read that correctly.? We’re turning to science for this one…

Einstein’s general theory of relativity states gravity is a result of mass and energy that distorts space-time.?Massive planets and stars create their own gravitational pull. So do the biggest brands.

To achieve that pull for your brand, you need mass. In our case, we will define mass as unaided awareness within a market. The trouble is that gaining such mass can take a long time or a lot of money.

?I asked AI a question.? It went something like this:? How much does it cost to create a brand with 60% unaided awareness in the United States??? Its answer was vague in the numbers, but not in the point.? “It can take years of sustained growth and spend, or $100 million+”. That’s a lot of energy to create mass.? It isn’t just the advertising—its happy customers, raving fans, a powerful value proposition, incredible products, and the “wow” factor.

?All these rules go out the window when you rename or rebrand.

?Unlike the laws of the universe, you can inadvertently destroy the gravity of your brand.?The best illustration of this is changing a name.? If you do it right, it creates energy and fuel that builds mass.? If you do it wrong, your universe comes crashing down.? Some have done it right:? Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC , Dunkin Donuts to Dunkin' . ?Subtle, but impactful.? These changes were meant to fuel the positive evolution of their brands.

?Renaming a brand to hide something may only make it worse. Imagine if Boeing changed its name right now as a response to its challenges.? It would reinforce the negative forever instead of addressing the issues to rebuild trust.? “They used to be Boeing…”.?? ?It would be a constant reminder—even if everything they do moving forward is positive improvement.?

?A name change can also deflate unaided awareness rapidly. You’re forced to invest and rebuild your brand to a new audience, all the while alienating your core who are now suspicious of the change.? They will be wondering why and will come to their own conclusions. It’s like starting over to build mass, but now you are fighting the forces that made you successful in the first place. ?

?Rebranding with fresh creative and personality may be a better choice.?There are countless examples of brands that updated and refreshed in a way that fueled their growth to new and existing fans. Burger King , Dr. Pepper, and Dunkin' (again) come to mind.?The key is always in clearly defining the objective of “why” you are doing it.?The change must reinforce the reason in a way that makes sense to your core customers—and attracts new ones.?

?Doing it right begins with a crystal-clear objective and constantly asking yourself what it will mean to your raving fans and how you will communicate it.? With that said, a reason to do it should NOT be a reaction to competition, a bad quarter, or a need to simply become more “upscale.”? Does the change reflect a clear, more compelling version of yourself, or does it make you more like everyone else? ?The last thing you want is to dive into a sea of sameness.?

?Look, you don’t have to be a physicist to be a good marketer, but you must respect where you are as a brand before making any drastic moves.? You’re not Einstein, but your decision will have a profound impact far beyond your time with the company. ?Think it through and you’ll do it right.?

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