What are you afraid of?
Joe Temple, managing partner, director of brand at Minds + Assembly, explores the fear behind rebranding and the honesty it takes to move forward.
Of course rebranding is risky. You’re changing something everyone can react to, and spending money to do it. You’re asking people inside and out to let go of what’s familiar. And there’s always the possibility you get it wrong.
That fear is real. But sometimes fear is the sign you’re confronting what it really takes to grow. And sometimes honesty is the only way to cut through that fear. The world goes through risk periods. Risk appetite right now is probably as low as it's been in decades. Economic uncertainty, AI, pressure on jobs. Marketers are being asked to prove their value, but not swing too big to do it. Without the full view, the idea of a rebrand can feel like a dice roll. But a brand that lacks clarity, confidence and conviction is the risk you should really be worried about.
A lot of execs are afraid of losing brand equity. The hard truth is that most companies overestimate how much of it they have. People should be proud of what they’ve built, but honest enough to separate what the world knows about them from what they know about themselves. And if even that isn’t clear, you’ve got a bigger problem. Here's the test I always come back to: ask a few leaders at your company a few basic questions. What does our brand stand for? What’s our purpose? What makes us different? If the answers don’t line up, you probably don't need to worry about equity. At that point, rebranding is less risky than not.
From the outside, the process can look much more unpredictable than it is. If you don’t know that a rebrand is more than a visual identity, if you don't realise how much of a journey it is, how much research and collaboration goes into it, of course it would freak you out. But a rebrand really isn't a dice roll; it’s strategy and creative coming together to guide logical, necessary changes.
It’s also never about trashing things for the hell of it. The best rebrands hold onto something that people deeply connect with and serve it up with new energy. Heritage is everything. Designers love heritage, and we good ones never throw things away just because. Like a wardrobe, you don’t throw everything out when you need a refresh. You find the pieces in your closet that feel like you, strip away the excess and build from there. It can be a lot of work, but it's not just to look good. It's to feel good, too.
The hard part is deciding what deserves to stay and being honest about what doesn’t. That honesty can get uncomfortable fast, especially when it’s time to defend it. Why are we changing this? Are we sure? What about the old way?
The right partner can get you to honest answers, but it has to go both ways. We'll tell you when something isn't working, even when it’s uncomfortable or costs us the job. We're not here to take the money, nod and tell you what you want to hear. It can be scary to take that same approach back to your company, but if you can’t, you’re probably not ready to rebrand.
We’ll be honest with you. Are you afraid to be honest with yourself?
