Reilly Newman | Your future rebrand, refresh, restart, or whatever you’d like to call it starts now.
As the old adage goes, “the best time to plant a tree was 100 years ago, the second best time is today.” The same principle applies to your company and its perception.
As a mighty tree continues to grow, from a small acorn to towering oak, similarly the perception of your business continues to change, grow, or even rot. It will face storms, wind, rocks, and little critters of all kinds, but if managed properly, it will reach for the sun and drive its roots deeper for better footing.
After many years in the branding business, it’s always around the new year when founders look at their companies and feel an itch to rebrand for that fresh start. Unfortunately, this behavior mirrors the all-too-flaky nature of those New Year’s resolutions. Most people set these resolutions and only kick into gear on January 1st, yet in reality, they should’ve started weeks or months earlier, leading up to a milestone. Yes there is psychology to the “Fresh Start” phenomena that comes with a new year, birthday, or even a life event, but to change our behavior (for good) we must start with those small habits and build to impact the behavior.
Your rebrand follows this same pattern.
Sure, the new year could be a great time for you to rebrand. You may feel what I call a “Brand Deficit” — a gap between where you are and where you want to be. This is the perfect time for a rebrand that helps you bridge the gap and reach the new heights you want to climb.
My point is that waiting for a “fresh start” is a mistake. Just as a tree grows gradually and is ever-evolving into its next phase, your company (and brand) is ever-evolving and changing. Don’t reduce your maturation to a one-time event with fanfare and a press release; instead, see your rebrand as a tree that is growing, changing, and transforming.
Now with the rebrand, there may be some redesigned visual elements like your logo, website, touchpoints, etc. that do feel like the grand reveal of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, but this is only to the eyes. The caterpillar was always determined to transform and had been transforming throughout the journey, not just in the cocoon.
Your business follows this same transformational journey.
So what does this mean in practice? Your rebrand starts now. Don’t delay your transformation because every day you should be growing, evolving, and changing. Your new horizon awaits as you journey onward in your business and career.
Your rebrand is more than just a new look. Yes, it may consist of a new logo, brand colors, and even an exciting announcement campaign to show off the fresh face. However, your transformation starts when you strategically take the time to look in the mirror and reflect on your business and its past—the many storms you have endured and weathered. More importantly, look at the market and see what’s on the horizon, where new opportunities peek through, and where you can grow next.
Rebrands are not a one-time event. Rebrands are a strategic path that you choose to take to better your business and grow your brand. They’re transformations that start before the “reveal.” Like that tree planted a century ago, your brand’s strongest growth happens gradually, season by season. The question isn’t whether the new year is the right time to rebrand. The question is, are you ready to start growing today?
