Rebrand Consultancy

Over more than 20 years, my studio has created much-loved logos and visual identities for organisations big and small. Building on my work as a brand designer and having gained in-depth experience in supporting clients’ diverse needs across sectors, I advise organisations about their branding strategy and help them with their rebrand projects. 

I recently advised a global publishing company with over 20,000 employees on their ground-up rebrand. This process increased the speed to launch and saved unnecessary iterations whilst ensuring the designers stayed on brand. The brand manager said,

I work with you as a business leader who is planning a rebrand for your organisation. Most likely, you will be planning this together with your senior team. I imagine that you are the person in charge of the rebrand. You might be the company founder, the CEO, the creative director for the business or the head of marketing.

I also imagine that, working in these challenging times, with a polarising political landscape, shifts in economic outlook and very rapid technological developments – including AI – along with ever-increasing competition thanks to the global marketplace, you have identified the need for your organisation to review its brand strategy and visual identity.

You know that rebranding will enable you to be clear about who you are and what you offer. You want to stand out above all the noise and you want to ensure you are recognised and trusted by your clients wherever they are in the world and however they connect with you.

Rebrands don’t happen very often. In fact, it may be that you have never planned for one before. A rebrand is a complicated process. It can involve research, brand strategy and visual identity, and it’s not unusual for these stages to happen with different agencies. 

As your ‘right-hand-man’ for the duration of the project, I help you navigate this journey, organising an efficient rebrand, avoiding pitfalls, embracing good practices and getting it right first time. I help you to avoid a chaotic, stressful project which provides little return on your investment of time and money. 

Brand design is the bringing together of creativity and commerce, and these two things can make awkward bedfellows. My experience allows me to offer a blend of practical and creative guidance, speaking your language and your agency’s language, enabling outcomes which meet your business goals and which achieve great creative outcomes. 

To begin with I listen to you and prompt you with lots of questions about your organisation’s past, present and desired future. We talk about why you want to rebrand, what level of change might be appropriate, and about budgets and timelines. We can then start taking practical steps together:

• Write inspiring briefs and talk with potential partners 
• Help you assess the pitch submissions
• Have discussions with your preferred partner about the budget–timeline–ambition equation    
• Help choose the rebrand team within your organisation and get clear on who the final decision makers are
• Discuss timeline and milestones with your agency
• Set up and attend regular check-ins with your agency

As the rebrand work gets underway, I will:

• Be on hand to help maintain great communication with your agency and promote an upbeat, collaborative spirit 
• Help with misunderstandings and disagreements arise within your organisation or with your agency 
• Be an external agent who can help you to keep a calm overview when things get busy or complicated     
• Help you reach a shared position as you discuss creative work with your colleagues, and prepare laser-focussed feedback for your agency
• Be another pair of eyes on the creative work, ensuring good ideas make it to the finishing line
• Work with you and your agency to make sure you get the right kind of deliverables and style guide
• Be present after launch to ensure a smooth transition to the new brand 

Over the years and over many projects, I have developed a framework which I refer to when I am designing a brand, or when I am advising others about their project. You can read about my framework in this article: How To Organise A Great Rebrand (For Business Leaders Who Have Never Done it Before).