How your business can prepare for a successful rebrand kickoff

So your company has decided to invest in a rebrand, and you’re ready to sit down with your new branding agency partner and kick things off! A company rebrand is an exciting opportunity to strengthen your identity, invigorate your market presence, and even resonate with your employees to build excitement for the future of the company.

To ensure a smooth launch with your branding agency, preparation is key. This guide offers helpful tips, key questions, and a breakdown of the materials we at Grafik find most important to consider as you get ready to kick off your rebrand and set off on a new partnership.

Before you meet with your branding agency, have a clear understanding of your motivations and goals for investing in a rebrand. Consider these fundamental questions:

• Why are we rebranding? Is it due to a market shift, a merger, outdated visuals, a new target audience, or a change in company values?
• What do we hope to achieve with this rebrand? Do you want to increase market share, attract a new industry, modernize your image, or improve brand loyalty?
• What are our key strengths and weaknesses as a brand? Consider this from your own perspective and also the perspective of key stakeholders and customers.
• Who is our target audience now, and who do we want them to be? Understanding your audience is crucial to crafting a relevant brand.
• What are our core brand values and mission statement? Will these be updated alongside the brand?
• Who are our main competitors, and what do we like or dislike about their branding? This helps to identify opportunities and pitfalls in the creative process.

A good brand partner will help you understand these details in the early stage of the proposal/scoping process, but it’s good to be diligent and make certain the team is thinking through all possible needs. And while scope changes and addendums can always be drawn up during the engagement, it’s smoother and easier for the whole team to account for these needs at the very start of a project.

Gathering your toolkit: onboarding materials to prepare

In order for your new brand to feel like you (but better), your branding agency will need a comprehensive understanding of your business, history, and aspirations. At Grafik, we’ll also ask you for brand materials to understand who you are today:

1. Company history and overview
   Provide an overview of your company, including:
   • Company timeline: Key milestones and significant shifts in your company history. How has this affected your customers’ view of your company?
   • Mission, vision, and values statements: Current and any proposed changes.
   • Brand guidelines: Even if outdated, they provide a starting point to understand how your brand is followed internally.
     
2. Market and audience insights
   Your branding agency will conduct its own research, but the more data you can provide up front, the better the agency can tailor its strategy:
   • Target audience demographics and psychographics: Detailed profiles of your ideal customers (ICPs)
   • Market research reports: Any studies on your industry, trends, or customer behavior.
   • Competitor analysis: Highlight direct and indirect competitors, including their branding and market positioning.
   • Customer feedback and testimonials: Insights into how your brand is perceived.
     
3. Current brand assets
   Even if you’re looking for a complete overhaul, your existing assets provide context of how you think of and express your brand today:
   • Current logos: Including any variations.
   • Existing brand colors and typography: Any official guidelines.
   • Marketing collateral: Brochures, websites, advertisements, presentations.
   • Photography and imagery: Any existing brand photography or image libraries.
   • Brand voice and messaging guidelines: How your brand currently communicates.

Project communication and scope: setting expectations

The kickoff meeting is your first formal collaboration with the branding agency and is an opportunity to confirm how your teams will work together more effectively:

1. Team communication
   Defining your team’s preferred communication channels will affect every step of the process: 
   • Designate a core internal team: Having a consistent group of decision-makers and key stakeholders from your side will streamline communication.
   • Appoint a primary point of contact: This person will be the liaison between your company and the agency.
   • Clarify communication channels and frequency: How will you typically communicate?
   • Confirm how assets will be shared: The agency will make suggestions based on the tools available to them, but it’s important to consider what tools will make sharing assets internally easier.
2. Project scope and expectations
   You’ve likely already defined this in your agreement, but now is the time to clarify your expectations of the scope deliverables:
   • Desired deliverables: What specific items do you expect from the rebrand (new logo, website design, brand guidelines, social media templates, packaging, etc.)?
   • Timeline expectations: The agency will provide a detailed schedule, but having an idea of your internal deadlines and review process is helpful. Considering flagging office closures or major out-of-office dates.
   • Budget considerations: Being transparent about your budget allows the agency to propose realistic solutions.
   • Key performance indicators (KPIs): How will you measure the success of the rebrand?
   • Prepare your own questions: What do you want to learn from the agency? You may consider sending questions ahead of the meeting.

A successful rebrand is built through collaboration. By taking the time to prepare thoroughly, you empower your branding agency to deliver its best work, and ensure your company’s rebrand resonates with your audience and achieves your business objectives. Take a look at our recent work with ERT and Canopy Neurodiversity Foundation.