When You Should (and Shouldn’t) Rebrand

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact

You probably shouldn’t rebrand your social impact organization.

Except, of course, when you really should. (wait, what?)

Because when the conditions are right, a rebrand can be one of the most powerful ways to reach your mission faster. But how do you know when it’s the right time to invest in a rebrand?

Let’s be real: a rebrand is a big swing move. And it’s a tempting play to run when:

↳ You aren’t making the impact you need to
↳ You can’t seem to get your story or message across
↳ You aren’t getting engagement from customers or donors
↳ Your current brand feels dusty and dissonant

BUT

There are times when you absolutely, positively, shouldn’t do a rebrand.

And if you try to push one through anyway, the results can be disastrous and might even cause a huge backlash from your community of supporters.

In this week’s Episode of Designing Tomorrow, Jonathan and Eric discuss how you know if it’s the right time to invest in a rebrand for your social impact org. And maybe even more importantly, what to watch out for to make sure you are ready to make the most of it.

Episode Highlights

• Introduction to the topic of rebranding social impact organizations.
• The importance of rebranding as a significant investment.
• The role of rebranding during organizational growth or inflection points.
• Rebranding as a solution for organizations stuck in a stagnation loop.
• Rebranding during large strategic shifts and the concept of nonprofit life cycles.
• Addressing outdated branding and content strategies.
• The importance of effectively communicating your story to supporters.
• Discusses the pitfalls of rebranding without a clear strategy or measurable ROI.
• Emphasizes the importance of having broad support within the organization for a rebrand to avoid pitfalls and ensure effectiveness.
• Advises on the integration of rebranding efforts with strategic planning for a cohesive approach.
• Highlights the necessity of adequate resources and long-term planning to sustain a rebrand beyond its initial launch.

*** If you liked this episode, it really helps a new podcast if you can help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you!

We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at [e-mail]

Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.
Resources:

• Article - Dare to Be Bold: Making a Case for Better Social Impact Branding
• Article - Unexpected Ways a Rebrand Can Supercharge Your Team Culture
• Article - Navigating a Rebrand: Nine Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Book - Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-Based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity by Susan Kenny Stevens

Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.

Kapitel

1. When to Rebrand Your Organization (00:00:00)

2. Strategic Considerations for Rebranding (00:12:34)

3. Strategic Planning and Rebranding Considerations (00:21:44)