To survive in challenging times and thrive thereafter, brands have to be brave enough to step up if they are to stand out.
Rebranding provides companies with a myriad of benefits that go far beyond just a new look and feel. It enables businesses to reach new customers, and helps rejuvenate the brand by enabling it to remain relevant, current as well as exciting for existing and future customers or clients.
Equally important is the fact that it excites staff and reinvigorates their drive to help the brand and business succeed, which is of paramount importance since employees represent the brand values and helps fulfil the corporate brand promise.
Checkers checks the right rebranding boxes and becoming king of the rebranding Castle
Checkers is a great example of how a brand refresh can unlock a pathway to reach many new customers. The global Coronavirus pandemic and consequent lockdown to help curb its spread in South Africa, emanated in significantly heightened demand for online shopping and deliveries.
To capitalise on this continued trend, Checkers rejuvenated their brand with their new Sixty60 app; expanded their footprint of stores across South Africa and is currently offering this service from over 100 stores.
Their app, which is the first local 60-minute grocery delivery service from a supermarket chain, has gone on to be crowned the Best Enterprise Solution at the 2020 MTN Business App of the Year Awards.
Another popular local brand, Castle Lager, rebranded to commemorate its 125th birthday which involved a reimagined look and feel.
The updated design tied the brand to its local roots with a modernised African Barley design; paying homage to the hops that are harvested near George and the barley being grown at Caledon and Free State.
A local brand roars with rebranded flavour
In their biggest brand relaunch in ten years, PepsiCo recently unveiled Simba’s brand relaunch in a multichannel campaign including digital, radio, and TV, elements as well as new packaging and new local flavours, The Simba team says that the relaunch emphasise their brand’s power to bring people closer together.
What these examples illustrate, is that when a company focuses on new aspects of its business and promotes them correctly, especially through rebranding, their target audiences will definitely take note.
A relevant and successful rebranding can deliver a much-needed energy injection; highlighting your business needs, introducing your new offerings and empowering your brand to create new avenues for growth, especially in an ever-evolving market.
To make a success of your rebranding strategy and execution, it’s key to find the right agency partner who can help tell your authentic and powerful brand stories, and deliver safe and memorable customer experiences that will keep your brand top of mind for customers.
This is an opinion piece to Wayne Flemming, Founder and CEO and Zubeida Goolam, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at BRANDTRUTH//DGTL.
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