Considerations to successfully implement and launch your new brand.

At Truly Deeply we often work with our clients for months, if not years on a rebrand. When we are in the final stages of creating the new brand identity, it’s important to develop a communication plan that considers how the new brand is introduced to all key audiences.

Communicating a rebrand effectively is crucial to ensure both internal and external audiences understand the reasons behind the change, embrace the new brand identity, and the rebrand ultimately achieve its objectives.

Key steps for launching your new brand strategy and identity.

1. Internal Communication

• Start by informing internal stakeholders such as employees, executives, and shareholders about the rebrand. Internal audiences must be aware of and understand the changes first. If they hear about the brand second-hand this can be disenfranchising and fuel negativity. Ideally, staff should be ambassadors for the brand change.
• Hold internal meetings to share why you are rebranding, what you hope to achieve, and how it aligns with the company’s new vision.
• Explain the new brand proposition, (in particular changes to the brand’s essence, values, beliefs, promise, and story) and any impact this has on the culture, way of working, products, and services.
• Provide employees with resources and training to help them understand the new brand identity and messaging and anything they need to do differently as a result of the brand change.
• If you’ve developed or updated your EVP (Employee Value Proposition) as part of the rebrand, make sure you explain the strategy and the benefits for current employees, before launching this externally. If you haven’t already, you should also plan a specific communication and engagement strategy for the implementation of the EVP internally and externally.

2. Plan your publicity and messaging

• Craft clear and concise key messages that explain the rebrand to external audiences. Focus on highlighting why there is change, the benefits of the rebrand, and how it will positively impact customers.
• Recognise heritage and equity, emphasise the continuity of core commitments, while also showcasing the evolution and improvements of the brand.
• If you are changing the brand name, don’t forget to provide a rationale for the new name.
• Brief your PR, social, creative, and media agencies (if you have them).

3. Update brand assets

• Work with Truly Deeply and internal teams to audit all existing brand assets, making sure everything that represents the brand is considered (including the logo, website, digital, stationery, advertising, sales tools, marketing materials, uniforms, packaging, environments, signage, etc).
• Develop a plan that considers what’s required and how long it take to update each asset (make sure you consider the longer lead times for website, uniforms, signage and printed assets).
• Prioritise what assets are most important and should be prioritised first. Ideally, aim for all of the key assets to be ready for the brand launch. However, there will likely be budget and logistical reasons why you may decide to transition some brand assets at a later stage (over the next few months).
• Update all brand assets with the new or refreshed identity, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints and how they all work to reinforce the new brand image.
• Develop or update brand guidelines to provide direction on how the new identity should be applied consistently across different channels and mediums.

4. Campaign and external communications

• Develop a comprehensive external communication and media plan to announce the rebrand to customers, partners, suppliers, and the general public.
• Work with your agency partners to define the right mix of channels (including press releases, social media, email newsletters, website updates, and advertising) to engage your key audiences).
• Clearly communicate the timeline for the rebrand, including when the changes will take effect and what customers can expect during the transition period.

5. Engage Customers

• Engage with customers directly to communicate the rebrand and gather feedback. This could include sending personalised emails, hosting events, conducting groups, surveys, or market testing.
• Emphasise how the rebrand will benefit customers, such as improved products or services, enhanced customer experience, or better alignment with their values and preferences.

6. Manage feedback

• Be prepared to address questions, concerns, and feedback from stakeholders regarding the rebrand.
• Monitor social media, review platforms, and customer service channels for feedback and respond promptly and transparently.
• Consider creating an FAQ document or webpage to address common questions and provide additional information about the rebrand.

7. Celebrate the rebrand

• Organise a launch event or campaign to celebrate the rebrand and generate excitement among stakeholders. This could include unveiling the new logo, hosting a rebranding party, or offering special promotions.
• Use the launch event as an opportunity to reinforce key messages about the rebrand and showcase the company’s commitment to its new identity.

8. Monitor and adjust

• Develop key metrics to monitor the effectiveness of the rebrand communication efforts and adjust strategies as needed.
• Track brand awareness, perceptions and sentiment, resonance, market share and sales to gauge the impact of the rebrand.
• Solicit ongoing feedback from stakeholders to identify areas for improvement and ensure that the rebrand continues to resonate with its target audience.

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