Times change. Businesses evolve. Or, to use a word that COVID-19 ruined for most of us, pivot.
But not every but not every shift calls for a complete rebrand. Sometimes, a brand refresh—a strategic update to visuals, messaging, and positioning—is enough to get things back in line. Other times, deeper change is required. The challenge is knowing the difference. Here’s how to tell.
How deep do you go (and how much should you spend?)
Branding isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a strategic move that should align with long-term business goals. So when considering a brand refresh, it’s important to remember that a refresh is evolution, not reinvention. During a brand refresh, your core brand identity stays more or less the same while some parts are updated to stay relevant. This could look like:
- Updating your visual identity– Modernising your logo, colours, typography, or design elements
- Messaging refinement – Adjusting your tone of voice, positioning, or key brand stories.
- Brand architecture adjustments – Making sure your brand strategy is still cohesive across sub-brands, products, and services.
When (and how much) to invest
The simplest answer to the question of ‘when’ is when things have changed. These changes can come from within the organisation, like a shift in direction, or they can come from outside the organisation, for example changes in the audience or competitive landscape.
As for the question of budget, the short answer is, as always, it depends. The slightly longer answer is– it depends on what strategic work is required, the scope of the rollout, and what resource you have in-house vs what you need to outsource. The key is to think commercially—branding is an investment in business growth, not just a design update.
Do you really need a full rebrand?
Probably not, though even brand refreshes can range from small to substantial. A full rebrand is a complete transformation. New identity, new positioning, sometimes even a new name! It’s a high-impact decision that is usually only necessary when your organisation has dramatically changed.
Common catalysts for a full rebrand include:
- Your business model, industry, or audience has changed dramatically
- You’ve merged or acquired another company and need a unified identity
- Your brand reputation has been damaged and needs repositioning
- Your brand is failing to connect with its target audience in any meaningful way and you need to go back to the drawing board.
Many businesses go straight for the scorched-earth approach of a full rebrand when, in fact, a strategic refresh would have done the trick. If your brand feels “stale,” it might just require refinements rather than an overhaul.
Let internal and external brand perception guide your refresh
Assessing how your brand is perceived both internally and externally will give you important information to help guide your decision around refreshing or rebranding. It’s more common than you think, for example, for leadership teams to feel a brand needs updating when customer research reveals the opposite– or vice versa.
Here are some useful evaluation tools you can use:
- Conduct audience surveys and brand perception studies – Understand how customers view your brand and whether it aligns with their expectations.
- Evaluate brand consistency – Are your brand visuals and messaging aligned across all platforms, or are there inconsistencies causing confusion?
- Compare with competitor positioning – Have competitors modernised their branding in a way that makes your business feel outdated?
Making data-driven decisions about branding updates can prevent unnecessary overhauls and make sure your investment is focused where it can make the most impact.
Brand refreshes for B2B VS nonprofit organisations
For B2B companies, a brand refresh is often about refining messaging to reflect evolving expertise and industry positioning rather than drastic visual changes. Ensuring credibility, clarity, and consistency in communications is key. A well-executed refresh can help a business stay competitive without alienating existing clients.
For nonprofit organisations, branding must balance credibility with emotional connection. A refresh can help an NFP clarify its mission, refine messaging for donor engagement, and modernise visuals while preserving trust and legacy. With donor expectations changing, nonprofits must ensure their branding reflects transparency and impact. Nonprofits also may have more restrictions around budget to consider.
How we approach brand refreshes and rebrands
At Make It Happen, we take a strategic, commercially driven approach to branding. We don’t push businesses into full rebrands unless they truly need one. Instead, we help companies make the right-sized brand decision based on their goals, audience, and market position. We also take care to create brand collateral that is designed to be repurposed again and again, focusing on providing the most impact for our clients’ budgets.
Our process:
- Brand audit – Evaluating current brand perception, consistency, and effectiveness.
- Market & audience analysis – Ensuring alignment with evolving needs.
- Strategic recommendations – Refresh, rebrand, or minor adjustments?
- Implementation – Delivering brand identity, messaging, and rollout.
We specialise in B2B and NFP branding, understanding the unique considerations these sectors require—like donor trust, authority-building, and industry credibility.
Make a smarter brand decision
A brand refresh isn’t just a design update—it’s a strategic investment in your business’s future. But that doesn’t mean a full rebrand is always necessary. The key is making an informed decision. Should you refine what you already have, or does your business need a deeper transformation? If you’re unsure, we can help.
Not sure if you need a refresh or a rebrand? Let’s figure it out together. Book your free 30-minute consultation today.