December 15, 2022

Motivations behind Rebranding: Part One

The Dollars, Design, and Desire that go into a Decision.

As a designer, I can typically find a proper rationale behind rebranding most businesses or products based solely on their presentation. As a business owner, I can view the effort more in dollars than in design – and the drive for change lessens.

Having the desire to rebrand is difficult for many. Rebranding equals change, and many people do not like change – especially when they are tied to their brand through emotion, style, or obligation. However, it should be a carefully thought-out endeavor if you are ready for change. When done with proper reasoning, resources, and structure, rebranding can be a revolution against an outdated or underperforming public presence. It can also be an evolution when a business is looking to capitalize on current success and growth or clarify its message. You also may discover that it’s best not to rock the boat today and focus efforts on other advancements in business.

Knowing when you need to revolt, evolve, or stay the course is the challenge.

Option One: Revolt.

The most often debated, labor-intensive, and often an expensive option. A full rebrand is effectively a relaunch of your business personality and should be approached with thoughtfulness and patience. This is the opportunity to reflect, right the ship, and set the tone for the future. While there are many motivations to undertake an effort like this, let’s break it down to three reasons we see the most as a Brand Agency: Repair, repositioning, and modernization.

Repair

This is the “break glass in case of emergency” scenario. Companies can often have a negative brand position due to a lack of awareness, publicity issues, or mismanaged branding efforts. If this is your direction, approach it with psychology first and design second. The top question we ask of our clients in this process is, “Is the brand your story or your customers’ story?” The answer can be subjective; however, we push for a clear balance of the two. Your brand should cause viewers to feel like they are on a journey and that you are their guide. People need to first know you understand them and that you can solve their problems.

Acknowledging why you are in this position in the first place is also essential. Shoring up any business issues that have impacted your brand image negatively first before debuting a new look should be a natural part of this process. This also is the opportunity not to repeat a look and message that may have been attached to that negativity. You get very few shots to improve the customer experience by re-introducing your business to them; take advantage of it.

Additionally, we advise refraining from rebranding solely to cover for severe problematic issues in the business, like poor customer service or products. Branding is a powerful tool when used correctly, but it will not replace the effect of the actual transactional experience with you. While rebranding may give audiences something fresh on the surface, the effort can backfire quickly. For example, if the food still gets to tables late and cold, a restaurant’s rebrand simply becomes a new logo on the napkin that went in the trash.

Reposition

This effort can be based more on logistics than public presence. A shift in business offerings, market expansions, or mergers are just some scenarios that require a rebrand. While this is still wiping the slate clean in theory, it does not typically need to overcome as many public impression hurdles as a “Repair.” Repositioning should first assess what has historically made your themes and customer experience successful. Holding on to what has worked is critical. It avoids a complete re-set in the minds of your audience, keeps them comfortable, and avoids the potential for people to disengage with your brand. With that foundation set, you can build new assets that complement the past while establishing a clear direction for future changes.

Modernize

Sometimes you need to change with the times. If trends, competition, and technology are behind the need to modernize, be sure you are doing just that during the process…modernizing. Making a lateral design move by creating an updated version of what you already had typically puts you back in the same position in a matter of a few years…still needing to define your future. However, this doesn’t always mean going more modern in the literal design sense. It means first understanding what about the current market and your position in it is forcing you down this path. Then you will better understand your design direction and what message it needs to convey to keep your loyal followers and attract new ones.

Studying brand trends inside and outside of your industry is essential when thinking ahead. Your audience may have a significant cross-over into services outside your genre. Explore brands that are consistently advancing their message, visuals, and business model to keep their customer base engaged for the long haul.

In contrast to a “Repair” when a rebrand is done to overcome negatives, modernizing can often be done when a company is on top of its game. Change for the sake of change may sound unnecessary; however, in the case of capitalizing on the business momentum, it should be viewed as an excellent opportunity to put an exciting new spin on what has already been impactful.

Stay tuned for Option 2: Evolve

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110 Somerville Ave, Chattanooga TN 37405

Way-Finding Psychology

A significant degree of science is behind the interaction of a building and its visitors. Distance to typography size ratios, line-of-sight placement, cognitive patterns, physical barriers, and design simplicity are just some considerations when building a functional way-finding strategy.

When navigating a space, visitors look for three keys: information, engagement, and efficiency. How each of those aspects is delivered is where the psychology behind user habits comes in. Information is always the primary focus; providing clear and concise directions to destinations and features is necessary for the user experience. However, it can quickly become a negative visit when visitors are left in limbo and frustrations grow over navigation. These experiences, both positively and negatively can have a direct impact on your brand.

Many tend to think inspiration is not a central need in non-retail spaces. We tend to believe the opposite. Retail requires quicker decisions and navigation. The visits are shorter in time, and the reasons for visits are less broad than those in an educational or municipal space. Engaging with audiences in spaces with repeat visitors and frequent functional needs is where your brand can play an important role. Your brand story and why it matters to the viewer should be prominently displayed in thought-provoking ways to capture imaginations, build offline awareness, and, ultimately brand ambassadors.

The ultimate goal of this experience is guest retention. The odds of gaining an audience and getting them to engage with you again via future visits, social media, purchasing, or referrals depend on your connection with them. Way-finding and brand implementation are great opportunities to showcase your care and concern toward your audience. There are also opportunities for interactivity via technologies beyond traditional signage. Digital signage, mobile device interactions, and social media opportunities can elevate viewer engagement.

The experience of getting from point A to point B in a building should be much like navigating a website, efficient. As we all navigate online experiences, they can quickly make the process of absorbing content or making purchasing decisions either smooth or mentally taxing. Now think about your space as if it’s a website; when visitors can get where they need to go quickly, it increases the odds of positive referrals and return visits, or they can get stonewalled. Their brand interaction with you can become harmful.

Strategies to incorporate properly placed visual triggers and clear communications along every path of a visitor’s journey can ensure their visits are efficient. When visitors feel unencumbered with their ability to navigate a space, it decreases the chances of frustrations and confusion when they ultimately reach their destination or interaction. The speed at which we all consume content in media these days is breakneck; we scroll fast, click fast, and type fast. These are the same audiences in your space; keep up with them.

Below are some insightful articles on branded environments and way-finding effects on visitor habits and psychology.

110 Somerville Ave, Chattanooga TN 37405

Full-Time Marketing/Communications Strategist

Employment Type:

Full-Time, In-Office

Location:

Chattanooga, TN

Job Summary:

Saint Emblem seeks an insightful, diligent, and organized Marketing/Communications Strategist to generate effective promotional strategies for our clients and agency. 

The Marketing/Communications Strategist is a hybrid role, also requiring proficiency in managing creative projects, campaigns, and client objectives. This individual will be task-driven, responsive, and take an assertive approach to problem-solving.

To succeed in this role, you must be able to research consumer and client metrics, translating this information to Saint Emblem branded campaigns. The Marketing/Communications Strategist is primarily an idea-generating position within a creative agency, making the ability to bring unique and tactful thought to the table key.

About the Agency:

Saint Emblem is a small team based in Chattanooga, TN, specializing in brand and marketing strategy. Our philosophy is that great brands are created with a story-first approach, understanding the client’s and audience’s mission and goals before ever putting pen to paper or pixel to screen. We push ourselves daily to deliver tactful solutions that take an extra step in the creative process, providing an elevated result our clients may not receive elsewhere.

Responsibilities:

  • Create adaptable marketing strategies for clients and the agency (social media, digital marketing, and print marketing) at a variety of budgets.
  • Plan, estimate, and track progress on creative campaigns, branding projects, print orders, and more.
  • Keep remote and internal team members accountable for timelines, sprints, hours, and product quality.
  • Communicate consistently with clients and vendors via email and video call to schedule calls, record issues and requests, and present project outcomes.
  • Assist in managing the day-to-day operations of creative projects to ensure they are completed on time, within budget, and to the client’s satisfaction.( monday.com is utilized for agency project management – experience with the platform is helpful but not required.)
  • Assist in the planning, execution, and management of organic social media marketing for the agency (FB, Linkedin, and IG). (Later.com is utilized for agency social media – experience with the platform is helpful but not required.)

Requirments:

  • Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., marketing, communications) or equivalent experience
  • 2+ years of marketing strategy and/or client communications experience preferred
  • 1+ years of project management experience preferred
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively
  • Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
  • Experience with developing and implementing marketing strategies (social, digital, print)
  • Experience with Monday.com (Some training will be provided)
  • Experience with creative agencies is preferred but not required
  • Experience with Adobe Creative Suite is a bonus

Statement of Diversity:

Saint Emblem may be small; however, we think big in many regards. This is seen in a universal process of creative collaboration, no matter the size or theme of our clients. Our team’s creativity is best harnessed when the diversity of people and their thinking is embraced, regardless of ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, cultural beliefs, or physical/mental capabilities. These agency ideals are reflected in a spirit of equality, empowerment, and respect for those we work for and with.

Branding is all about fostering a connection with a message and, ultimately, the people behind it. We believe these connections can be generated or followed by minds of any background, providing a platform for all to feel welcomed.

Salary and Benefits:

Your Resume

651 E. 4th St | Chattanooga TN 37403 ​