{"id":17171,"date":"2025-02-13T18:20:55","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T17:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sortlist.com\/blog\/?p=17171"},"modified":"2025-03-05T00:27:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T23:27:22","slug":"rebranding-guide-red-flags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sortlist.com\/blog\/rebranding-guide-red-flags\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rebranding Guide: The red flags your company needs a reset"},"content":{"rendered":"

2025 will be the year of the rebrand.<\/p>\n

Just last year we saw an increase in rebranding<\/a> projects of 40.3% compared to the year before, and the trend shows that number will only continue to rise.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because, today, creating a brand has never been easier: the democratization of technology, the boom of no-code tools<\/a> to build websites and apps, and the rise of AI<\/a> have allowed companies to speed up their processes and entrepreneurs to create at a rate never seen before.<\/p>\n

This means that you could be competing today with more businesses<\/strong> than you\u2019d imagine. And it also shows that a rebrand is just about strategy<\/strong> as it is about changing your logo or refreshing your website.<\/p>\n

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But without the right expertise, experience and skills, a rebrand is a risky business. That\u2019s why it\u2019s one of the most misunderstood and undervalued business strategies.<\/p>\n

In this 3-part series, we spoke to three expert agencies that specialize in branding to get the most up-to-date insights about everything that involves brand creation. Rload Studio<\/a>, CRU Brand Consultancy<\/a>, and Designlaboratory<\/a> have worked on 500 branding projects since 2020 for companies worldwide, and have 20 marketing and design awards to back up their expertise.<\/p>\n

Read on to know the why\u2019s<\/em>, the when\u2019s<\/em>, and the how much\u2019s<\/em> to do a rebrand, backed by data from over 250,000 projects on Sortlist.<\/p>\n

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Why a strong brand matters more than ever<\/h2>\n

Even the strongest brands have expiration dates.<\/p>\n

As markets shift, customer preferences evolve, and competitors innovate, your once-perfect brand might start to feel outdated or out of sync.<\/p>\n

We saw as much on Sortlist: of the businesses requesting a rebrand last year, a tenth sought positioning<\/em> at the core of their rebrand.<\/p>\n

Studies show that 82% of consumers<\/a> are more likely to buy from brands that share their values. But it\u2019s more than emotional connection.<\/p>\n

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Strong branding can reduce acquisition costs, improve retention, and make your business more resilient in the face of competition.<\/p>\n

And staying on-brand pays off: a study<\/a> found that a quarter of marketers saw an increase of 20% in revenue thanks to consistent messaging.<\/p>\n

So if your brand is failing to deliver these outcomes, it\u2019s time to take a closer look.<\/p>\n

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Is it time for a rebrand? Spotting the red flags<\/h2>\n

Business owners and marketers deciding to rebrand can take the same advice that goes for writers and editors: don\u2019t be afraid to kill your darlings.<\/p>\n

The expert agencies we spoke to shared some of the clear signs that hint that a rebrand might be in order.<\/p>\n

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#1: Don\u2019t discard your gut feeling<\/h3>\n

CRU Brand Consultancy<\/a> is a Berlin-based brand consulting firm that specializes in bringing strategy, story, design, and experience together.<\/p>\n

Lasse Giese, CRU\u2019s cofounder, says that the first sign that a company may be in need of a rebrand is the gut feeling<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cUsually you know when something doesn\u2019t feel right. If you wake up as a founder or a C-level and you need to present something about your company, but you don’t know what to say<\/strong> or it\u2019s something you\u2019re not particularly proud of, that\u2019s a good indicator.<\/em>“<\/p>\n

–Lasse Giese<\/a>, cofounder of CRU Brand Consultancy<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

When your brand no longer feels like an authentic reflection of who you are as a company, it creates a deep sense of disconnect. If your brand identity is confusing<\/strong> or uninspiring<\/strong>, potential clients may hesitate to trust or engage with you.<\/p>\n

And a weak brand presence also affects business. If you hesitate when presenting your company, imagine how your customers feel. A brand that doesn\u2019t instill pride won\u2019t instill trust either, and trust<\/strong> is the foundation of customer loyalty.<\/p>\n

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#2: Mismatch with client persona<\/h3>\n

A brand should be a mirror of its ideal customer.<\/p>\n

The second indicator is a mismatch with the client persona<\/strong>. In particular, think about who your ideal customer is and how much the brand reflects that customer.<\/p>\n

In Lasse\u2019s words: \u201cIs there a wish to change the customer base? Is the current brand reaching the desired customer base?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rload Studio<\/a> cofounder Beatriz Carballo also agrees.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen we carry out rebranding<\/a> projects, our clients’ concerns are similar: their brand no longer connects<\/strong> with the target audience and they feel that they are outdated, stagnant, and vulnerable in their sectors.<\/em>“<\/p>\n

–Beatriz Carballo Mart\u00edn<\/a>, cofounder of Rload Studio<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Such mismatch can lead to wasted resources: if your brand identity attracts the wrong audience, your team spends more time filtering out poor-fit leads<\/strong> rather than closing high-value ones. Over time, this weakens your market positioning and makes competitors<\/strong> with a stronger, clearer identity the preferred choice.<\/p>\n

A brand that doesn\u2019t evolve with its customers risks becoming irrelevant. If your audience has changed, but your brand hasn\u2019t, it\u2019s time to realign.<\/p>\n

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#3: Clients leaving the sales cycle<\/h3>\n

The client mismatch is also intricately linked to pricing, especially if clients keep jumping off the sales cycle.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to reach a certain price level, but you can’t because your customers jump off the sales cycle, then it’s also an indicator that there is some mistrust and that it\u2019s time to work on the brand,\u201d Lasse argues.<\/p>\n

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This is frustrating from a business perspective. Your team puts in the effort to generate leads, nurture relationships, and guide prospects toward conversion\u2026 only to see them disappear before signing the contract.<\/p>\n

When a brand doesn\u2019t communicate trust, credibility, or value, potential clients hesitate<\/strong>. They may love what you offer but feel uneasy about committing. They might wonder: does this company really deliver? Is it worth the price?<\/em><\/p>\n

If your pricing and positioning signal one thing, but your branding signals another, the disconnect creates doubt. In business, doubt kills deals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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#4: Difference in internal vs. external perception<\/h3>\n

Lasse also identifies internal versus external perception problems<\/strong>, noting that when the internal perception of the company is better than the things people or clients see from the outside, it\u2019s a clear sign that a rebrand is in order.<\/p>\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean a rebrand is the first thing a CEO or a marketer thinks about at the start. One of CRU’s clients, Symbio, had a 20-year history in B2B process management with large clients, but in the words of Lasse, they had \u201creached flat growth.\u201d<\/p>\n

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