Is Your Brand Still Doing Its Job?
Your brand is the face of your business. It represents who you are, what you stand for, and how customers perceive you. But over time, even the strongest brands can start to lose relevance. Markets shift, customer expectations evolve, and competition intensifies, making it crucial to assess whether your brand is still doing its job.
If you’re wondering whether your business needs a brand refresh, here are five key signs to look out for. Plus, we’ll guide you through how to do it right using Viabrand’s award-winning Brand Visioning™ Framework.
1. Your Brand No Longer Reflects Your Business Growth
Your business isn’t static—so why should your brand be? Many companies start with a brand that fits their initial offering, but as they scale, introduce new services, or expand into new markets, their branding can feel outdated or disconnected.
✅ What to look for:
- Your company has expanded into new regions, but your branding still reflects a local business.
- You’ve introduced new products or services that don’t align with your original brand identity.
- Your business has evolved, but your messaging and visuals still feel like they belong to the past.
📌According to a study by Lucidpress, consistent branding can increase revenue by up to 23%. If your brand no longer represents your business, you could be missing out on valuable opportunities.
How to Fix It: Start with a brand discovery workshop—a key part of Viabrand’s Brand Visioning™ Framework—to redefine your positioning, values, and audience alignment.
2. Your Branding Feels Outdated
Trends in design, communication, and digital marketing change rapidly. If your website, logo, or marketing materials feel like they belong in a different decade, customers may perceive your business as outdated, too.
✅ What to look for:
- Your logo looks tired compared to competitors.
- Your website isn’t mobile-friendly or visually engaging.
- Your colour palette and typography feel dated.
📌A Gartner report found that 64% of consumers say shared values help them build relationships with brands. A fresh, relevant look can make your brand feel more in tune with today’s audience.
How to Fix It: A strategic brand refresh includes modernising visual elements while maintaining brand recognition. Viabrand’s Brand Identity Concepts phase helps businesses revamp logos, typography, and colours to ensure a modern, professional look.
3. Your Brand Fails to Differentiate from Competitors
In crowded industries, standing out is everything. If your branding is generic, forgettable, or too like others in your space, you could be losing customers to competitors who’ve built stronger brand identities.
✅ What to look for:
- Your brand voice sounds just like everyone else in your industry.
- Customers struggle to recall what makes your business unique.
- Your website and marketing materials look like competitors’.
📌 89% of customers stay loyal to brands that share their values (Harvard Business Review). A well-defined, distinctive brand strategy strengthens emotional connections with customers.
How to Fix It: Clarify your unique selling proposition (USP) with Viabrand’s Brand Visioning™ phase, which helps define core values, brand archetypes, and key differentiators.
4. Customer Engagement and Brand Recognition Are Declining
If you’re seeing lower engagement on social media, fewer inquiries, or decreased brand recall, your branding may no longer be resonating with your target audience.
✅ What to look for:
- Social media engagement has dropped significantly.
- Website traffic has plateaued or declined.
- Customers no longer refer to your brand name when discussing your industry.
📌 A study by Epsilon found that 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand that offers personalised experience, which means that branding that lacks engagement is a missed opportunity.
How to Fix It: A refresh that includes redefining audience personas and updating messaging can make your brand more relevant. Viabrand’s Brand Research and Discovery phase helps businesses analyse customer behavior and realign branding efforts.
5. Your Brand Doesn’t Reflect Your Company’s Values
Modern consumers expect businesses to align with their values. If your branding doesn’t communicate your purpose, mission, or ethics, you may struggle to connect with today’s conscious consumers.
✅ What to look for:
- Your branding feels too generic or lacks a clear purpose.
- Employees and customers struggle to articulate your brand’s mission.
- Your sustainability or corporate responsibility aren’t reflected in your branding.
📌 According to an Accenture survey, 62% of consumers want companies to take a stand on social and environmental issues—branding that communicates values can strengthen trust and loyalty.
How to Fix It: Viabrand’s Brand Touchpoints phase helps businesses integrate values into their messaging, marketing, and brand positioning for stronger connections with their audience.
How to Do a Brand Refresh the Right Way
A successful brand refresh isn’t just about a new logo—it’s a strategic process that involves:
✔️ Brand Research & Discovery: Understanding audience insights and market trends.
✔️ Brand Visioning™: Defining positioning, messaging, and unique brand attributes.
✔️ Brand Identity & Touchpoints: Modernising visuals and aligning marketing materials.
✔️ Implementation & Rollout: Consistently applying refreshed branding across all platforms.
🔹 Viabrand’s award-winning framework ensures businesses refresh their brand the right way, strengthening identity, engagement, and differentiation.
Is It Time for a Brand Refresh?
If any of these five signs sound familiar, it may be time to invest in a strategic brand refresh. By taking a structured, research-driven approach, your business can create a stronger, more compelling brand that connects with customers and stands out in competitive markets.