Rebranding Reality Check

My friend, the CEO of a retail product company, recently expressed frustration with an agency’s rebranding approach. His cutting observation, “They’re not rebranding; they’re just making a better logo. This feels like expensive decoration, not rebranding,” struck a chord. Unfortunately, rebranding often gets reduced to re-logo-ing.

So, What is Branding?

Branding is a promise made and kept, a story told, and a problem solved. It’s the ‘soul’ or essence of a company. A logo is merely an identifier; it tells you who someone is, not what they stand for. Consider the name ‘Don,’ for example. If Don is known for being dishonest and self-centered, that’s his brand.

Consider Apple, The Beatles, Maya Angelou, Patagonia, and Amazon. Their names don’t explain what they do or sell, but they’ve earned reputations through their work, stories, and values. If your brand isn’t hitting its stride, it might be because you’re not keeping the promises your brand implies. Or maybe you haven’t clearly stated those promises.

Who is your brand for?
Call them ‘avatars’ or ‘personas’; they are the people you aim to reach. What do they believe, value, and want? What do they think, feel, and do? What unique promise do you deliver that others don’t? What are their unmet desires? Focus on answering these questions, and the rest will follow.

Branding isn’t about everyone understanding you; it’s about resonating with those who matter. The aim is to connect deeply with the right people. Every great brand understands that “We made this especially for you.”

What will people say?
Discussing the depth and breadth of Adam Grant’s work might be hard, but talking about the value of rethinking is easy. Branding goes beyond a name or logo. When people talk about your brand, do they feel confident and informed? Can they share your core stories, promises, and value with enthusiasm? Like Adam’s book “Think Again,” a great brand is a story well-told.

Should you ignore the logo?
Maybe. Most agencies focus on design. Outside the design bubble, people don’t care much about logos. But a great logo has value. It’s not about winning awards but aligning with your core beliefs. A beautiful logo is nice, but what truly matters is doing meaningful work that earns respect and gets shared.

What happens if you don’t act now?
Usually, nothing changes—“maybe later” is the default. Without tension, there’s no push for change. Businesses change when forced by economic reality or when they start dreaming of a brighter future.

I’ve seen many branding projects stem from a crucial need for change driven by human and financial factors. When economic pressures mount—like losing market share, reputation hits, missed opportunities, high turnover, or customers flocking to competitors—leaders often courageously choose brand evolution. This transformative journey inspires change and growth.

A good brand strategist drives strategic outcomes. Making things look pretty is secondary. A brand strategist is your partner in shaping your organization’s strategy, aligning your goals, people, beliefs, behaviors, and audience to ensure your business thrives.

What about culture?
It’s people, not companies, who make and keep promises. They shape the customer experience. For better or worse, employees living up to the brand promise directly influence customer satisfaction, empowering them with the responsibility to uphold the brand’s integrity.

Your brand defines what you believe; Your culture lives those beliefs.
Your culture creates innovations; your brand tells stories about those innovations to the market.
Your brand makes promises that create expectations; Your culture delivers on your promises.
Your culture creates trust; Your brand creates interest.
Your brand invites and engages customers; Your culture serves and cares for them.

Understanding the link between brand and culture is non-negotiable if you want people to trust your company. Remember that trust is the social currency all healthy businesses and societies trade in.

The fusions above hint at the strategic importance of brand-culture integration.
Your brand is too vital to leave to marketing alone.
Your culture is too critical to be separate from your brand.
Your business is too important to operate in silos.
Together, your brand and culture drive results to achieve your business goals.

This fusion of brand and culture, aligned with business strategy, creates impact and team synergy. Your team knows this, your customers demand it, and your future hinges on it.

Nothing is more powerful than a united group of souls ignited by a common cause with love at its core. If you want that kind of power, I can help.

If you want a more trusting team, a culture of belonging or a magnetic brand that attracts more of the right customers, I can help. If you'd like to explore if working together makes sense, drop me a line.

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