Rebranding: Is It A Dream Or A Nightmare?

Learn the art of successful rebranding. Our blog provides expert insights and practical tips to guide you through the process of revitalizing your brand.

When you started your brand, you had great goals and you had a vision that was communicated through your branding. It precisely represented your identity and it spoke your message, you built a large customer base and you have been engaging with your audience. A few years down the line, you accomplished your business goals and efficiently scaled up your business. And with that, the need to upgrade your branding to reflect your evolved vision.

Is rebranding the right thing to do?

Find below two cases of successful and not-so-successful branding stories.

DREAM

Dunkin’ Donuts → Dunkin

What about the donuts? So why did Dunkin’ Donuts decide to concentrate on coffee? Dunkin's transition from donuts to coffee is, in fact, interesting and clever. The café scene was at its height in 2000, and the coffee shop craze was quickly catching on. Small businesses benefited from this culture, which also developed into a significant source of income. In 2003, Dunkin' Donuts cleverly changed its focus from donuts to espresso-based beverages in response to the trend. This adjustment contributed to a 5% increase in sales in 2006. Furthermore, Dunkin' sold more coffee in 2009 than Starbucks! Here is how they accomplished it. In October 2008, Data Monitor released a case study on Dunkin' Donuts that details the company's long-term goals and business strategy. They hope to establish 5000 to 15000 newly designed coffee-focused outlets worldwide by 2050. If you've been paying attention, Dunkin' has already begun taking calculated steps toward its expansion. Why? Considering that they are trying to expand the market for coffee and have higher goals. Well, it's true what they say: "If your dreams don't scare you, they probably aren't big enough." Everything was changed, including the packaging and the identity. Even the outlets now have LED screens playing persuading coffee videos. They started putting more emphasis on what visitors to Dunkin wanted to see. As a result, customer satisfaction increased by 4% at Dunkin' while it decreased by 3% at Starbucks. enough to describe the function and effects of a customer-centered strategy. They make an ongoing effort to please their customers with luxurious surroundings, comfortable packaging, customized products, unique flavors, and delicious food.

NIGHTMARE

Baskin-Robbins changed a few things. 

The 77-year-old ice cream shop updated its brand by changing its logo, employee uniforms, and packaging. According to the company, it's Baskin-Robbins' first significant update since 2006. For the first time, it will also start selling goods from a dedicated online store, such as bicycles and bucket hats. The refresh will also include new flavors from Baskin-Robbins. 

The Baskin-Robbins logo has been pink and blue for many years. The letters "BR" and "Baskin Robbins" were written in a blocky, childish font. This cutesy font has been replaced with a crisper one in the new logo. The new branding comes in pink and white, blue and brown, and brown and pink.

Why do we think Baskin-Robbins’ rebranding is a nightmare?

Because it has lost its soul and edge, it no longer states itself as a fun and cool place for their audience, losing the connection it had. Furthermore, the new, mature colors aren’t as appealing as the pink and white in the childish font, which won't naturally draw the attention of young children, the biggest target audience for ice cream.

By abandoning their main product and main audience, Baskin-Robbins is exploring new regions by introducing new flavors or entirely new lines of products.The new tagline is "Seize the Yay" instead of "More Flavors, More Fun", which takes away from their market position as a fun and nostalgic brand, ditching 77 years of branding in favor of uncalculated expansion.

Conclusion

Businesses operate under the core principle of ideal circumstances and timing. Dunkin's idea had a significant impact because they adopted the new trend at the ideal time. The first business rule is to keep an eye on fads and trends. If your idea is implemented incorrectly and at the wrong time, it will fail.

Rebranding can take many different forms, such as renaming your business or implementing a new operating system. Businesses must continue to connect and communicate with customers despite these changes.

When it comes to branding (or rebranding), look no further. Crepixa is ready to tell your story by making pixels talk.