The How, Why, and When of Rebranding: Lessons Learned Transitioning from Evocati LLC to Evocati PR
Key Insights We Discovered the Hard Way
Lessons Learned
Whether you're a small business exploring a rebrand, or a professional trying to convince your boss it needs to be done, here are few lessons we learned to help you navigate the process starting with why.
Why did we rebrand from Evocati LLC to Evocati PR?
We decided to rebrand when our company chose to focus exclusively on offering public relations services. Before 2022, we were focused on PR and consulting services, mainly in the military-connected sector.
By 2023 we learned that we could have better product/market fit by becoming full-service PR firm—consulting while fun was not generating enough revenue. It had become an expensive loss leader for the company.
What did we learn from rebranding?
Bye Felicia!
Having gone through rebranding at previous companies, we knew a successful rebrand had to focus on three things:
The rebrand had to reflect our company values and services.
The logo design had to be simple yet distinctive.
The announcement had to be minimal—virtually no one cares that a small business like ours rebranded, but customers do care about the why.
What we learned in the process was that rebranding was an opportunity to ideate new ways to market our service. For example, during the process we tested taglines and discovered "PR with a Purpose" matched our values and spoke to what we offered: Purpose-driven PR that resonates with underserved communities. So, we went with it!
Rebranding also forced us to get creative in designing a logo that could appeal to prospective customers outside of the military-connected community. After many iterations, we settled on the Broadcast V as our iconic look and relegated the old shield logo to the past.
When is it time to rebrand?
Source: @TrungTPhan (Twitter)
When is subjective, but there are a couple decision points to look for that may signal a rebrand. You'll know it's time when your customers have lost trust in your brand or you're ready to update branding to reflect a new market position.
Many of the largest companies in the world have rebranded (AirBnB, Sprite, and Google) because their logos and designs were built for the 2000's and did not match current trends in media consumption.
We've also seen companies rebrand after new leadership enters, as they change their focus (that's us!), or as way to reposition a business for success following poor financial results. Looking at you, Max.
How do you launch a rebrand?
Source: Squarespace
Customers need to see the change and inherently understand this is a rebrand, not a new company. Maintaining the same iconography, colors, and some design queues help but it's not required. Remember, a rebrand is a shift in design and market positioning to help customers better understand the new you.
You rebranded as a way to better appeal to your target audience, show them that you care. If you have a new mission that puts them at the forefront, incorporate them into social media posts and other company content.
Promote your new look and feel on marketing channels to let customers know how this benefits them. For example, after we announced Evocati PR, we began publishing more meaningful content on LinkedIn and this blog to help entrepreneurs and professionals better navigate PR and marketing.
We saw a market opportunity to provide PR with a Purpose. Educational posts (like this one), more client success stories, and the incorporation of our brand and mission into these posts, are clearly visible since the start of 2023. Since then, we've seen an increase in site traffic, lead generation, and sign-ups to our newsletter.
We hope this insight helps you on your rebranding journey. We're here to help. If you'd like to learn more about the process or need expert guidance, contact us today.