“Houston, we have a problem.”
“Luke, I am your father.”
“Beam me up, Scotty.”
Surely you have heard, and maybe even uttered, these famous quotes from the Apollo 13 mission, The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Trek. But guess what? You have been misquoting these famous lines and you’re not alone.
Wait, WHAT?! How can that be? The correct quotes from those famous movies are actually:
“Ah, Houston, we’ve had a problem.”
“No, I am your father.”
“Kirk to Enterprise, beam us up, Scotty.”
We were all so close! Does it even matter that we were a few words off? After all, we recalled the essence of the quote and even so, some of the “misquoted” lines have a better cadence than the original.
So, who cares? Any and EVERY company or organization with a brand cares, that’s who!
Slight variations of the famous quotes above don’t change the context or dilute its impact–that is a good thing! Likewise, it’s vital that organizations yearning for minor adjustments–or tweaks–to their brand identity establish and implement clearly defined objectives and strategies to ensure the brand is still recognizable. Organizations need to strive for consistency in their messaging, colors, and logo(s), but small deviations can be successful if consumers still feel connected to and can continue to identify the brand.
If you are looking to rebrand in the slightest manner–tweak your brand, if you will– remember that strategically planning and executing is imperative in guiding you through a successful process. The following two brands underwent minor identity adjustments with successful outcomes:
Successful Refreshed Slogan
We all know a slogan is supposed to be a catchy and memorable statement or phrase to convey a message or value associated with a product, service, company, or organization–and Subway’s “Eat Fresh” catchphrase is definitely unforgettable.
Because Subway was the first quick-service chain to brand themselves around freshness, they wanted to capitalize on their uniqueness from competitors with a concise and memorable slogan. Fourteen years after the “Eat Fresh” slogan was introduced, Subway unveiled three more slogans but ended up returning to its iconic “Eat Fresh” phrase.
A few years ago, Subway revised their menu, adding upgraded deli meats, improved bread offerings, and new sandwiches with new ingredients. The new slogan? “Eat Fresh Refresh.”
Successful Logo Transformation
Mastercard is a great example of a company that has successfully redesigned and evolved its logo throughout the years. They have implemented changes, such as minor tweaks to the logo’s color palette and typography, but preserved and maintained its strong core identity with its interlocking circles. Even though the present logo doesn’t have text, we recognize its familiar circular identity.
How can you successfully tweak your brand like Subway and Mastercard? Here are some steps to follow:
-
Assess your current brand by thoroughly evaluating your existing brand identity and identify areas that are working and those that need improvement.
-
Clarify your objectives by defining your goals and understanding your audience. Are you trying to attract new audiences or create an updated design or tagline for a contemporary feel?
-
Review your brand guidelines and determine which elements need adjusting (and if your organization doesn’t have a brand guidelines document LMD can help!)
-
Update your marketing collateral and brand assets across all materials and digital platforms.
-
Revise your current communication strategy to inform and educate employees on how to implement your brand changes. Your employees are your brand ambassadors who help shape the public perception of your organization, its products, and its services.
-
Monitor Monitor Monitor the use of your updated brand identity to ensure a consistent and uniform brand presence and adapt and evolve the brand as necessary to be flexible and adaptable to market trends and changing consumer preferences.
Tweaking your brand can be beneficial because it serves as a vehicle for modernization, infuses a sense of freshness, can captivate shifts in target audiences, along with a plethora of other reasons. Furthermore, if done correctly, minor rebranding offers organizations the opportunity to adapt a brand without losing its core identity and can help position themselves for continued relevance in a constantly evolving world.
Looking to conduct a partial or entire rebrand? LMD can help!
