In this blog, Mark Wilson, Whiteoaks’ Creative Director, looks at:
- Key reasons why B2B tech companies should consider a rebrand
- The scope of a rebrand, from messaging and logo to video and website design
- How an integrated rebranding programme boosts market positioning and company perception
There comes a point in any B2B tech business’s lifecycle when it feels like it’s time for a rebrand. There can be any number of reasons – the need to scale up, a change of ownership, the launch of a new product suite or a sense that everything just looks and sounds a bit tired.
Without a rebrand, audiences may assume there is nothing new going on because a company’s graphics, website and messaging have been the same for half a decade. Sometimes, however, the impetus is simply to match a competitor’s rebrand, or to move on from a setback and make a fresh start.
Whatever the reason for it, a rebrand is not magic, but it can have a dramatically positive effect on external and internal perceptions, especially if it is part of a broader reappraisal and messaging renewal.
The integrated rebranding strategy
Best results come from a fully integrated programme that combines creativity and design expertise with understanding of how B2B branding and PR work together. This is a Performance PR approach that teases out how the business sees itself, where it wants to go next and how that meets its customers’ needs – and uses this to weave together a complete or partial rebrand.
Fresh insights into market positioning and messaging help create a new look and feel for everything from marketing materials to website design, video content and social media posts. LinkedIn headers, PowerPoint templates, blogs, customer quotes, eBooks and event invitations – everything should be revised and rebranded harmoniously, instead of in silos.
Companies can include internal communications in a rebrand, covering newsletters, stationery, slide decks, email formats, eBooks, guides and instruction manuals. This should energise employees and make them feel they share the momentum in a dynamic organisation.
Kicking off the process with a new look at messaging
Planning for a rebrand needs to be meticulous without becoming bogged down in tiny details. The rebranding process should start with getting senior leaders together – not to flick through some online sample books, but to capture the rebranding brief.
This is an opportunity to cover the full scope of what is required from a rebrand and the aims and objectives behind it. Many rebrands run into problems because they set off without a guiding principle or single-minded proposition. Ill-conceived rebrands can easily end up repeating what competitors are already doing.
Values and personality
A rebrand is a chance to clarify what the company stands for now, and the mission and values that will guide it next. From this foundation, the work becomes translating intent into a single-minded proposition which is, in essence, the real reason why a prospect would decide to buy a product or service from the rebranded company.
In Performance PR, the single-minded proposition is used to measure the effectiveness of each element of the rebrand, ensuring everyone who sees, reads about or listens to the company, is receiving the right messages.
That proposition then needs to be expressed through a clear set of key messages that appear in every piece of content. The wording can shift depending on the audience, but the substance should stay steady, carrying the company’s values and personality into the market in a way that is recognisable and repeatable.
Establish the scope early on
It’s vital that the full scope of the project is established early on, to manage costs, keep timelines realistic and avoid sudden changes. A structured approach makes that easier. It helps a business decide what needs to change now, what can wait and what should remain untouched for continuity.
Should the project encompass logo refinement, for example? It can be risky to drop a well-known logo, but refinements can convey both renewal and continuity, without sacrificing customers’ trust.
The same applies to digital touchpoints. In B2B tech, the website is often where prospects form their first view of the company’s credibility and capability. When businesses are scaling, the website can lag behind what the company has become, which then holds back lead generation and sales conversations.
Defining whether the work is a redesign, a restructure, a content refresh, or all three, prevents drifting requirements and ensures the website supports the new messaging rather than working against it.
Think about the advantages of short-form video
Video is often where a rebrand either comes to life, or falls flat. Applying a rebrand to existing video content ensures it reflects the new look, tone and messaging, bringing consistency to what prospects are already watching and reading.
A rebrand is also a good moment to create new short, animated video content. This is highly effective for explaining complex concepts or connections through simple graphics, punching home key messages in an easily-digestible way. They work well on landing pages, in sales outreach and on social media, where attention is limited and clarity matters.
Bringing video into the rebrand at the right point helps avoid the common problem of bolting it on later, when the identity has already been locked and timelines are tight. When it is planned in from the start, the visual style, voiceover, motion design and on-screen messaging all reinforce the same proposition, rather than competing for attention.
The final pieces of the jigsaw are training for internal teams to use the new identity and messaging correctly, while a set of brand guidelines makes it easier to stay consistent across content, campaigns and future assets.
Changing conversations
Conducted with insight and creative experience, a fully integrated rebrand can deliver results fast to meet all company objectives. By ensuring every element conforms to the single-minded proposition, a rebrand combines that vital spark of creativity with hard-headed business messaging.
Organisations can quickly stand out in their markets as more dynamic, innovative and responsive, changing the nature of business conversations in an entirely positive way. Their employees feel they are part of a forward-looking business that is never prepared to stand still.
If you are considering a rebrand and want to reduce risk, control scope and make sure the work supports real business goals, find out about Whiteoaks’ expertise in this area and how we approach integrated rebranding.
