"At what point is it advisable to abandon a brand's image or persona?"
In the dynamic world of business, brands often find themselves in need of a makeover to stay relevant and appealing to their target audience. However, the line between successful reinvention and a disastrous rebrand can be a fine one. Here's a look at some examples of brands that have successfully navigated this balance, as well as those that have stumbled along the way.
Successful Brand Refreshes
Brand refreshes often involve updating elements such as logos, messaging, or packaging while keeping the core identity intact. Examples of successful brand refreshes include:
- Ben & Jerry’s updated its messaging to embrace social consciousness, enhancing relevance while keeping its playful, socially aware roots.
- 7UP (2024) introduced a vibrant, modern look with refreshed logos and playful graphics that stayed true to its core traits of refreshment and fizz, combining nostalgia with modern appeal.
- Pepsi (2025) celebrated its 125th anniversary with a redesign that modernized typography and simplified the logo but retained essential visual DNA, honoring legacy while appearing current.
- Dunkin’ modernized its image to appeal to contemporary customers without losing connection to its heritage, a classic example of refreshing while preserving brand essence.
Successful Rebrands
Rebranding involves deeper changes to a company’s identity, positioning, and perception. Successful rebrands are those that align with strategic shifts and customer expectations. Examples of successful rebrands include:
- Old Spice transformed from an "old-fashioned" brand into a trendy, humorous icon appealing to younger consumers, aided by viral digital campaigns.
- Burberry shed its stodgy luxury image by modernizing its logo, embracing digital marketing, and associating with youthful pop culture figures, successfully marrying heritage with new sensibilities.
- Domino’s in 2009 rebranded by focusing on fixing product issues and customer dissatisfaction, combined with tech-forward ordering systems; this rebrand increased market share and loyalty.
- Tupperware revitalized its image and messaging to reconnect with both consumers and sellers, emphasizing confidence while tying new branding to company origins.
Failed Rebrand Examples
Not all rebrands are successful. A misstep can lead to a backlash from customers and a loss of brand equity. One example of a failed rebrand is Gap's 2010 logo change, which was widely criticized and quickly reversed, illustrating the risks of drastic visual identity changes that alienate loyal customers.
Striking a Balance Between Reinvention and Preserving Heritage
The key to a successful brand refresh or rebrand lies in striking a balance between reinvention and preserving heritage. Successful brands like Pepsi and Burberry update visuals or messaging but preserve recognizable elements tying back to their heritage and customer expectations. They also align with audience values, such as authenticity and social responsibility, and use digital innovation and contemporary marketing without losing the brand’s original promise or story.
A customer-centric approach is also crucial, involving customer feedback and positioning changes that reflect evolving desires. Clear communication is essential to reduce confusion and preserve trust, as demonstrated by brands like Stylehaus, which focused on inclusivity and sustainability.
Recent Rebrand Examples
In 2015, Mini reinvented itself as a fun, adventurous car brand while keeping hold of its most valuable brand codes, such as its name, the Mini dashboard, its proportions, and its cheeky spirit. In 2022, Hermes rebranded to Evri following a damning investigation that concluded it was the UK’s 'worst' courier. In the same year, Lululemon rebranded itself as a holistic wellness brand rather than just a fitness wear brand.
However, not all rebrands have been successful. In 2024, Jaguar disowned 100 years of heritage, which felt like a risky move for a brand with such a rich and storied heritage. abrdn came under fire for appearing to try too hard to modernize and recently reneged on its controversial name change.
In conclusion, the best outcomes come from refreshing key elements to stay relevant while preserving core identity, and rebranding deeper only when aligned with strategic shifts and customer expectations. This balance ensures renewal without losing loyal customers or brand equity. Last year's Jaguar underwent a wholesale brand reinvention, which divided opinion and taught the lesson that such transformations should only be undertaken when a brand is failing to support the wider business ambition. Big brand changes can be dangerous, as demonstrated by Tropicana's packaging change in the early 2000s, which made the product unrecognizable on the shelf and led to a drop in sales. Therefore, careful consideration and strategic planning are essential when embarking on a brand refresh or rebrand.
- Successful brand refreshes and rebrands often involve updates to packaging, logos, messaging, or other elements while preserving the core identity of a brand.
- The playful, socially aware roots of Ben & Jerry’s were accentuated through an update in messaging, while maintaining its essential brand traits.
- The modern look of 7UP features refreshed logos and playful graphics, staying true to its core traits of refreshment and fizz, combining nostalgia with modern appeal.
- Pepsi's redesign modernized the typography and simplified the logo, retaining essential visual DNA and honoring its legacy while remaining current.
- Dunkin' modernized its image while maintaining a connection to its heritage, a prime example of preserving the essence of a brand during a refresh.
- Successful rebrands, such as Old Spice, Burberry, Domino’s, and Tupperware, have aligned with strategic shifts and customer expectations, resulting in increased market share, loyalty, or a revitalized image.
- On the contrary, Gap's 2010 logo change was widely criticized and quickly reversed, serving as a reminder of the risks of drastic visual identity changes that alienate loyal customers.
