Brand identity refresh

Refresh or full rebrand?

Deciding what to keep and what to change

Protecting what customers recognise

The value of an established brand lies partly in recognition built over years. Before changing anything, it helps to identify which elements customers actually associate with the business. Asking a few long-standing customers what they remember, and looking at which elements appear most consistently, usually reveals two or three things worth protecting, such as a colour, a symbol or a particular style of photography.

A successful refresh keeps those anchors and modernises around them, so customers notice an improvement rather than an unfamiliar business.

Common reasons for a refresh

• Poor on screens

  A detailed logo becomes illegible as a social profile image or favicon.

• Inaccessible colours

  Text colours do not meet WCAG contrast guidance on the website.

• Inconsistent over time

  Variations have crept in and nobody knows which version is correct.

• Business has grown

  The look no longer matches the quality or scale of what you offer.

How a refresh is carried out

1. 01

   Audit

   Current materials and recognisable elements reviewed.

   Output: What to keep

2. 02

   Evolve

   Refined options that keep the anchors and fix the problems.

   Output: Chosen evolution

3. 03

   Systemise

   Updated colours, type and rules documented; files rebuilt.

   Output: Refreshed identity

4. 04

   Roll out

   Digital first, physical items as they fall due.

   Output: Consistent presence

Fixing accessibility in a refresh

A refresh is a good moment to fix colour contrast. WCAG 2.2 asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, and 3:1 for meaningful interface elements. Often the lead colour can stay for the logo and large shapes, with a deeper shade added for text and buttons. Text within a logo is exempt from the contrast requirement, but the website and documents around it are not.

Telling customers

Many refreshes need little announcement, because the business is recognisably the same. A short note on social media or in a newsletter can explain that the look has been updated, which also reassures anyone who notices the change. Where the logo appears on products or packaging, a clear message helps customers know that new and old versions are the same business.

Choosing the right moment

A refresh is easier when it coincides with something else: a new website, a move to new premises, a new product range or the replacement of vehicles. Pairing the refresh with an event that already requires new materials reduces the extra cost and gives a natural reason to mention the updated look to customers.

Avoid timing a refresh for your busiest trading period, when there is little time to check new materials carefully.

Writing it down this time

Many brands need a refresh because nothing was documented the first time, so variations crept in. Finishing the refresh with a short set of guidelines and an organised file folder stops the same drift from happening again.