More more more: what do clients expect from rebrands?

We’ve been in this game long enough now to know that businesses don’t decide to rebrand just for the hell of it (especially when budgets are being pushed so far Salt-N-Pepa would be impressed).

No, rebranding is usually a strategic decision that’s gone through a whole lot of people, checklists and meetings that could well have been emails before it gets the go-ahead. 

Because it’s not a decision that’s taken lightly, brands are understandably looking to squeeze as much as they can out of the agencies they work with to get more bang for their buck. They’re not just looking for a visual refresh any more – they want to build an authentic brand that’s consistent with their broader business goals. 

So, let’s get spicy and walk through what your clients want, what they really really want, when it comes to a rebrand.

Digging deep

The key to creating a brand that actually achieves what a client’s going for is all the work that goes in before you actually create anything. As you’ll definitely already know, you can’t just use a trendy font and colour palette and call it a day. You need to figure out what the brand represents. 

Sometimes, if your client’s business strategy is shifting, that could well mean they’ll expect you to roll up your sleeves and get in there to help them figure out exactly what the new brand will be from the ground up, starting with the mission, vision and values. 

Keeping it consistent 

Once you’ve got those core brand elements in place, they’ve got to translate across all platforms. As our digital worlds expand, not only is the barrier between brands and clients thinner than ever, but the whole world is watching how those brands act, talk and connect. They need to work even harder to stay consistent – and they’ll want the agency handling their rebrand to help with that. 

No prizes for guessing what that means – nailing the brand’s voice as well as their visuals.

Putting it into practice

So you’ve done all the work and created a perfect brand that brings to life everything your client stands for. Job done, right? 

Nearly, but not yet. Your client’s going to be expecting all the tools they need to take what you’ve done and run with it. Yeah sure that means detailed guidelines about using their logo and making sure they don’t stretch it or crop it. But it also means putting the same amount of detail into their brand voice guidelines.

How do they talk to their different audiences? How does their voice change across different platforms? Which words do they need to avoid and which can they go to town on? These are all the tasty tidbits brands need agencies to help them with to make their rebrands a success.

And if you want to really go the extra mile, you might even consider brand guardianship – being the go-to agency for when your client needs a little training or editing to keep their materials on-point and on-brand. 

Ultimately, whether the brands you’re working with expect more or not, why would you not give it? Providing more in your rebrands means more value, more referrals, more awesome projects, and more revenue. So why would you settle for less?

If you don’t have the in-house know-how to deliver top-notch brand voice services, you know where we are. Drop us a line.