What’s Really Involved in a Brand Refresh

How long will it take? How much will it cost? When is the earliest you can deliver? 

These are reasonable questions for someone running a business or leading a sales team to ask when considering a brand refresh. But if you’re given a quick, boilerplate answer, there’s a good chance you’re getting a widget off a production line and not a custom, effective brand. 

As a specialized studio team, we know what we can deliver and what it’ll take. We’re flexible and we’ve bent to meet client deadlines countless times. Still, because of the nature of this work, we’ve seen there are two main determining factors when it comes to answering questions like these: the commitment and the committee.

The Commitment

Your brand should be the best reflection of your business. That means the quality of the end product will in part rely on the relationship we have with you—a relationship that allows us to explore behind the scenes and get an accurate sense of both the reality of your business and your vision for it. 

What do you actually want to accomplish with this initiative? What do you expect from it and what is it worth to you? What is the scope and do expectations align?

The Committee

In every branding project, the work we create has to go to a committee to review, advise and approve. You’re the head of it, and it’s up to you who else is on it. 

Is it a few select decision-makers from your team? Do they share your vision? Is the lineup set or will new members come and go? Is everyone’s opinion equal? How often will you meet and does everyone have time for it? What is your process for making decisions and how efficient is it?

The variables that most affect the schedule and the budget of a brand project, as it turns out, have little to do with the turnaround time of a layout or print run, and they have a lot to do with having a clear commitment and a willing committee from the beginning.

So if you’re thinking about a brand refresh, know that a quality provider will consider these questions before answering yours.