New corporate identity? Don't forget the roll-out!
As an entrepreneur in the field of marketing automation in general and Digital Asset Management in particular, I closely follow developments in my field. Lately, I see that there is a lot of attention on rebranding again. The top 10's of mistakes you shouldn't make are flying around your ears, but what receives far too little attention is the roll-out. Because both during the rebranding process and once your new, flashy corporate identity has seen the light of day, success depends on how well and consistently you can roll out the new brand and associated materials across key users, channels and markets. If you don't manage that well, your new corporate identity will end up in the Museum of Failures, right next to Philips' Video 2000 and Sven Kramer's switch in Vancouver....
After the creative work, the real work begins
Just google "rebranding" and the lists fly around your ears. From the top 10 mistakes companies make when rebranding (and how to fix them) to the 7 mistakes to avoid when rebranding. What's actually always missing from those lists is logistics. Of course, you should never copy your competitor. Yes, you should nurture the brand value you've built with your current corporate identity. And no, rebranding is not just about creating a new logo. But what many organizations fail to consider is how to ensure a flawless and manageable rollout of all those new brand elements and digital content once the creative work is done.
Bad timing
I sometimes compare it to the launch - or rather, lack thereof - of Video2000 by Philips. Philips had developed a technical masterpiece with the Video 2000. Not only was the picture quality better than that of the competition, it was also possible to record as many as four hours on each side of the reversible cassette. Still, the Video 2000 was not a success: the system simply arrived on the market far too late. The result? Consumers were already long and wide with VHS and Betamax.
New face of your corporate identity
It can be the same with rebranding. You spend a lot of time, energy and money on fancy agencies and fancy studios and you get the best creatives to think about how awesome your new logo should look, you do audience research and whatever else is involved. But if you're thinking about a new look for your corporate identity, take a critical look at how you're going to launch it and how - after the launch - you'll make it available and keep it manageable. Perhaps your corporate identity is also in need of a future-proof way to manage and distribute it? Because even during the rebranding process, marketing software adds value. From concept to final version, by using smart Brand Management software you easily manage and control the whole process.
Everyone at the same time accessing the same branded materials
Once the creative process is complete, you can make the new corporate identity - including all the components that go with it - available to employees, partners, resellers and other involved parties at the touch of a button. And even easier; set publication dates using Digital Asset Management software to ensure a well-timed launch of the right files and digital content. The assets of your old corporate identity can be automatically expired from the same time or made available only on special request. This way, there can never be a misunderstanding about what exactly is the latest version of your corporate identity, but everyone has access to the same - correct - materials. Smart Digital & Print Template solutions allow users to quickly and easily create new brand content themselves via dynamic templates in which the corporate identity guidelines are automatically applied and secured.
Inspired?
So yes, all those top 10 lists about rebranding are true, but also include management and rollout in the rebranding process. By using Brand Management technology, you can be smart about it. Because launching something and then not being able to access it is like launching a web shop without a product assortment. Or like launching Video 2000 and not filling the shelves. Do you want to launch one of our solutions in 2022? Wondering how Comrads can support your organization to more efficiently manage, communicate and share all your digital assets, brand files, content and media? Download our DAM guide on the benefits of Digital Asset Management or request a no-obligation demo. We like to think along with you. Now and in the future.