Why a Rebrand Rollout Plan Is as Important as the New Identity

Design and messaging are one part of a rebrand. How, when and to who it gets introduced is the other and is just as important. A new visual identity that appears inconsistently — on some materials but not others, on the website but not in email signatures, in new collateral but not at the trade show booth — creates confusion and dilutes the impact of the new identity.

What To Consider First

Before the design work begins, there are strategic questions to answer that will shape every decision that follows. Having those answers upfront can also save significant time, money and friction later.

• What specifically has changed about the business, the market or the audience that makes a rebrand necessary now?
• Who are the key stakeholders whose buy-in is required for the rebrand to succeed internally, and when and how will they be brought into the process?
• What does the current brand communicate, and what does the new brand need to communicate differently?
• How will success be measured in terms of market perception, employee alignment and business outcomes?
• What is the realistic timeline, including both the design phase and the full rollout, and does the organization have the internal resources to support it?

What To Include in Your Rebrand Rollout Plan

Timing and sequencing: Who hears about it first, in what order and on what timeline.

Internal preparation: Making sure employees understand the change, why it happened and how to represent the new brand correctly before it goes public.

Asset management: A complete inventory of every place the old brand lives and a plan for updating each one, prioritized by visibility and impact.

Communications: What gets said to employees, customers, partners and the market, through which channels and by whom.

Brand education: Guidelines, templates and training that give the people who use the brand daily the tools to apply it correctly and consistently.

Launch moment: How the new identity is introduced publicly, whether that’s a formal announcement, a press release or a social media campaign.

Governance: Who is responsible for maintaining brand consistency going forward and what the process is for approving new applications of the brand.

A rebrand is one of the more significant investments a company can make in how it presents itself to the world. Done well, a rebrand clarifies what it stands for and gives everyone inside and outside the organization a more accurate picture of who it is.