For the sake of this blog, let’s start with a basic assumption: you’re rebranding because there’s a real need—not because the new CMO wants to add a shiny line to their portfolio. 

Now, before we dive into the how-to, here’s the tricky bit: you’ll only know if a rebrand actually worked in hindsight. And by then, it’s usually too late to undo it. 

That’s because rebranding isn’t just a creative exercise. It’s part intuition, part research, part market-read, and a whole lot of risk. It’s pseudoscience—but it’s not a shot in the dark either. So, when someone says they’re a branding expert, what they really mean is: they’ve got a decent sense of what usually works. And we’re not claiming any more than that. 

So, if you’re here because your brand genuinely needs a reset—keep reading. 

The next 7 minutes will walk you through when to rebrand, how to approach it, and how to avoid making an extremely costly (and often irreversible) mistake. 

Your brand feeling off isn’t always a sign it needs a complete overhaul. Sometimes, a tweak is all it takes. Other times, you need to burn it all down (metaphorically) and start afresh. 

1. When your brand feels stuck (rather than preserved) in time.
   
   If your brand still looks and feels like it belongs in the early 2000s, but your customers have moved on, it’s time for an upgrade.  

Case in point: Burberry. The once-dated British brand was drowning in its own outdated luxury perception until it underwent a sleek, modern rebranding under Christopher Bailey. The shift? New logo, fresh storytelling, and a campaign featuring then-rising star Emma Watson. Suddenly, Burberry was cool again. 

2. When your audience has changed (but you haven’t).

If your brand still speaks to yesterday’s crowd, today’s audience will scroll right past.  

Baskin Robbins had to face that. For years, it leaned into nostalgia—pastel colours, the “31” logo, and a look that felt frozen in time. Comforting, sure. But to Gen Z, it felt like something from their childhood birthday parties. Not something they’d post about today. 

So, in 2023, BR rebranded. Bolder logo. Sharper type. A more confident, modern identity designed for the Instagram generation. It still sold ice cream—just no longer in packaging that felt akin to a time capsule.

3. When your brand doesn’t match your ambition.
   
   Maybe you started as a niche player—but now, you’re building something bigger. When your brand no longer reflects your scale or vision, it’s time for a rebrand. 

That’s exactly what happened with Facebook. What began as a college social network had quietly grown into one of the most powerful tech companies in the world—owning Instagram and WhatsApp, building VR hardware such as Oculus, and investing heavily in AI and AR. 

By 2021, the name ‘Facebook’ felt too limited for what it had become. So, the company rebranded to Meta—a signal that it wasn’t just running social media platforms anymore but building what it saw as the next internet: the metaverse. 

4. When your reputation needs a reset.

Not every rebrand is about scaling or evolving. Sometimes, it’s about distancing yourself from the version of the brand that no longer works—or worse, actively holds you back. 

For years, GoDaddy was known more for its marketing controversies than its actual product. Its Super Bowl ads—built around objectifying women, shock value, and frat-boy humour—drove brand awareness, but not credibility. And definitely not trust. 

By the late 2010s, that image had worn thin. The internet had changed. GoDaddy’s customer base was increasingly made up of serious entrepreneurs, many of them women—exactly the group the old brand had alienated. 

So, they rebranded. Out went the tone-deaf ads. In came a new identity: a cleaner logo and messaging that focused on support, inclusivity, and helping people build real businesses online. 

Step 1: Know why you’re doing it. 
 
Changing for the sake of it? Bad idea. Your rebrand needs a strong (almost) existential argument—whether it’s repositioning in the market, expanding to new audiences, or fixing an outdated image. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Let that be your North Star. 

Step 2: Understand why people are attached to your brand.  

If you’re at the point of considering a rebrand, it means you have a brand. And if you have a brand, it means people care about it—not just logically, but emotionally. There are customers whose identity is wrapped up in loving what you do. Rebranding isn’t about wiping the slate clean. It’s about knowing what’s worth keeping. Before you toss everything, ask yourself: What do people actually love about our brand? What would they fight to keep?  

Tropicana ignored this in 2009, ditching its iconic orange-with-a-straw packaging. The result? A $30 million sales drop in two months. They had to bring the old design back. Customers weren’t just buying juice—they were buying that carton. When it disappeared, so did their loyalty. 

Change what’s outdated but protect what’s irreplaceable. 

Step 3: Test before you commit. 
 
The internet is ruthless. What looks great in a boardroom can flop in real life. Run small tests, gather feedback, and make sure your rebrand resonates with the target market before rolling it out everywhere. 

Step 4: Own the transition. 
 
Be loud about your rebrand. Explain why you did it. Take customers along for the ride. When Dunkin’ dropped “Donuts” from its name, they didn’t just change the signage overnight—they made a campaign out of it, reinforcing their focus on coffee and beverages. People got it. No confusion, no backlash. 

Rebranding isn’t a magic fix. If your product, service, customer experience, or distribution is broken, no number of new logos will save you. But if your brand needs a fresh start, a rebrand done right can take you from forgettable to iconic. 

If you’re thinking of one, make sure it’s not just a change—but an upgrade. Because the only thing worse than an outdated brand is a rebrand that no one understands.