Reilly Newman | Tragically, boredom is a part of life. As humans, we can get bored in many different ways. We have always devised ways to keep ourselves entertained from books and movies to social activities and adventures. We have entire industries devoted to helping humans avoid boredom.
As much as we try to evade the lull of boredom, it will always be there. A toxic version of this boredom is common in business. This boredom will strike owners when they least expect it and drive them to poor decisions that harm their business. Becoming bored as a business isn’t bad in and of itself. It is when this boredom tricks the business into losing focus that the danger lies.
A great example of this is when a business gets bored and decides to rebrand. This reaction from boredom makes the business think that a rebrand will save or boost the business. It’s the shiny object that distracts them from their main mission as a brand. It derails their momentum and even dilutes their position in the market. “Bored branding” makes the business feel like they are being productive and doing something to help the “brand” — at this point, it is simply busy work.
As the old adage goes “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop”, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. These rebrands are a desperate way to throw away all the value that has compounded in the brand in order just to give it a new, shiny logo. The irony is that this “bored branding” leads to boring brands. Brands that lack purpose and focus.
These boring brands are the outcome of non-strategic actions. The whole point of a rebrand is to further strategize and plan ahead. A rebrand is to refocus and refine. These “bored branding” efforts simply do the polar opposite. They lack strategy, distract, and dilute the strengths it may have had or the connection it had with its audience. These efforts lead to a boring brands that neither resonates with its audience or internal team; except for those whose idea it was to “rebrand” (the business itself).
Of the several symptoms that are precursors to bored branding, boredom reigns supreme. Whether the boredom is in one’s position within the business or boredom in the market that you serve — they will both do damage. When we get bored, we will look for whatever is novel and exciting. We fall into this trap because that which is “shiny” is typically of both of these things.
Now this doesn’t mean a business shouldn’t explore and experiment. These two endeavors are crucial for a business to survive and thrive. These efforts however are done with a goal in mind. A goal that aligns with the core vision of the business. Unlike “bored branding,” these explorations and experiments are strategic and build toward a better future for the brand.
Now this gives context to a why a proper rebranding process would reap true reward. It’s not done out of boredom, but rather strategy. It builds upon the foundation of the business so far and uses what equity has compounded in the current perception of the business. It forces the business to focus and refine.
When left unchecked, boredom can lead to the demise of what you have built. It can fragment your foundation and begin eroding the brand equity you have built. A rebrand should never be reactive, much less done out of boredom. It should be handled with care and strategically devised to create an effective brand experience.
