Wondering if it’s time for a rebrand? You’re not alone. In our years of working with nonprofit organizations, there are six common triggers that preempt a brand refresh. If one or more of these reasons speak to you, then it’s probably time for a new brand!
1. You have a new strategic direction
We often hear from clients who are finishing up a new strategic plan and realizing that their current brand no longer reflects their organization. And that’s totally normal!
Your core services and programs may have evolved over time to be more nimble. Or perhaps the demographic you serve has shifted based on real-time needs. Or maybe you have new leadership and a shift in organizational priorities and values.
No matter what the impetus, your brand needs to reflect your intention and your impact.
2. Your name is a source of confusion
If your name unintentionally excludes your target audience, it’s absolutely time for a brand refresh. For example, if you used to serve a single county and now you serve an entire state…that should probably be remedied! Or if your name has no connection to your work — how will people know your organization is for them?
And, if people know you better as your nickname or acronym, what’s keeping you tied to the formal name? If someone doesn’t know the formal name and searches for you by the informal name, will you appear on Google? LinkedIn? Other marketing channels? Or are you missing an opportunity to engage a prospective client or donor?
Using a brand refresh as an opportunity to rename your organization allows you to reposition your brand in a way that will resonate with your target audience.
3. You struggle to differentiate yourself from your peers
Chances are you’re probably one of several organizations serving a similar population and providing similar needs. In that case, how do you ensure that people know what you do? And more importantly, how do you ensure that they choose you when they need support?
Understanding what makes you unique, why your audience is drawn to you (and wants to support you!) is key to a healthy, functioning brand. When faced with this challenge, a strategic brand messaging exercise can help pinpoint your key differentiators. You’ll also be able to tailor messaging to each audience to ensure that your value proposition is clear.
Best of all? You’ll have a new angle for all your future storytelling endeavors, allowing you to fully demonstrate your impact.
4. Your internal and external constituents struggle to explain what you do
If person A is talking about one thing and person B is talking about another, person C might be wondering, “Is this the same organization?” In turn, that may create a sense of apprehension or mistrust about your brand.
But when your internal and external stakeholders are on the same page about what your nonprofit organization does, it creates a sense of clarity and shared truth. It reinforces your brand’s credibility and invites trust. And trust engenders loyalty, respect, and yes, donations!
By undergoing a brand refresh, you can ensure your internal and external constituents share the same story about your organization.
5. Your visual identity feels stale
You know how you can walk through a house and immediately know when the kitchen was last updated? Your visual identity can tell someone that too.
If you want to lean into that retro vibe, more power to you! But if you’re feeling like you want something more reminiscent of today’s aesthetics, a brand refresh is the way to go. It has the potential to energize and rejuvenate your staff and community simply by shifting the brand colors or personality! It also can tell a prospective constituent that you’re relevant amidst today’s societal complexities.
There’s a reason why they say a picture is worth a thousand words…
6. Your brand identity feels diluted
This is an incredibly common reason nonprofits approach us for a rebrand: because their brand has become so diluted! If your print materials don’t match your digital presence and your brand voice is different on every single channel, it engenders mistrust.
For example, a brand that was created ten years ago may have undergone different brand managers who have added their own spin to the brand identity without documenting the changes. Or a new staff member may be completely unaware that a brand style guide even exists and create a new communications mechanism that looks completely different from anything else.
Undergoing a brand refresh can help bring everyone back together, tonally and visually, to ensure that your brand shows up as a cohesive, unified brand.
While these are the most common reasons we have clients reach out to us, what matters most is knowing what’s working — or not working — for you. If your instinct, your board, or your constituents are telling you it’s time for a brand refresh, it probably is.
Here at Sunny Side Creative, we like to start by understanding where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going. That’s why we start with our strategic brand messaging exercise — because once we understand your universal source of truth, everything else becomes crystal clear. That flows into your brand pillars, your brand colors, your tagline, your logo, your typography, your marketing materials, your website, and so much more.
Whatever you need, we’re here to guide you through the rebranding process with curiosity, creativity, and clarity.
