Why is a brand refresh so important? When’s the right time to change things up? We interviewed Creative Director Linda Bartling and asked her a few questions about refreshing a brand. Here are her thoughts.

1. Brand Refresh:
3 Signs You’re Ready
for a Refresh

2. Creative Director, Linda Bartling
provided her thoughts on
refreshing a brand.

3. “I like to compare a brand refresh to a home
remodel: fresh paint, new shingles and
landscaping can add curb appeal and
enhance the chance of selling a home and
getting the best price.”

4. It’s the same with your brand!

5. A refresh enhances the perception of a
brand when a solid foundation and
framework already exist.

6. Like a remodel, a brand refresh retains
some visual equity along with just enough
change to introduce a new attitude.

7. It respects the company heritage
and positions the brand for the future.

8. In what situation should a company
consider refreshing their brand?

9. Over time, styles, attitudes and
perceptions change.

10. Brands need to change in order to
reflect these shifts in consumer
preferences.

11. If your logo is too complex, it may not
adapt well to digital and social media
platforms.

12. Many brands were developed before
the digital age and have had to evolve
to be better suited for these platforms.

13. When optimizing your logo for
digital and social media, consider
this rule of three.

14. If it’s…
1. too wide
2. too tall
3. too detailed
it will become unrecognizable
when scaled down.

15. So, what are 3 questions you can ask
yourself to determine if you’re ready
for a refresh?

16. 1. Is your branding outdated?

17. Consumer preferences change
and brands can become visually
dated.

18. Letting your brand become too
outdated will have a visibly – quite
literally – negative effect on your
brand image.

19. 2. Are you reaching your target
audience?

20. 2a. Has your audience or offerings
shifted over time?

21. A refresh will allow you to more
accurately target the new or expanded
audience.

22. For example, if you’ve expanded to include a younger
demographic, you will need to adapt your messaging
strategy, visual presence and marketing channels in
order to reach a segment that is using an
ever-increasing variety of social networks for news
and information.

23. 3. Has your branding become
inconsistent?

24. In order to build and maintain brand
recognition, it’s important to be
consistent with your branding.

25. Buyers want to support someone
that’s well organized and thoughtful in
all its actions and all aspects.

26. This doesn’t just apply to taglines
and logos.

27. If your online presence and marketing materials don’t
align, it can confuse audiences and make you appear
less reputable.

28. So why is updating your brand
important?

29. Your brand is your company’s face,
reputation, and identity.

30. To continue the home improvement
analogy, it’s the view from the street that
sets you apart from the neighbors, draws
buyers in and creates a lasting impression.

31. Have you gone through a
brand refresh?
Are you thinking about a
brand refresh?

32. Leave us a comment if you have questions
or go to www.altstudios.com
Questions? Contact Us!