With a rebranding strategy chosen, creatives crafted and brand architecture engineered, you’ll now face the real challenge: brand implementation. This fourth installment in our series on mergers and acquisitions dives into the three-step program that transforms brand blueprints into tangible experiences. From conducting brand audits to implementing and monitoring success, learn to navigate the critical post-planning phase of your M&A branding journey.
The excitement of a new identity fades quickly when faced with the logistical labyrinth of brand implementation. Before diving headfirst into production, a thorough brand audit is essential. This critical first step acts as a roadmap, guiding you through the complexities of transitioning your brand from vision to reality.
Six key questions form the foundation of your audit:
For extensive rebranding projects, a dedicated team is vital. Assembling representatives from key departments like IT, HR, Legal, and Marketing ensures a holistic approach that considers every aspect of your business. This cross-functional collaboration fosters team bonding and knowledge sharing, especially during mergers and acquisitions.
Consider partnering with a rebranding specialist company. They can provide valuable templates, data capture tools, and expertise to streamline the process and ensure efficient data collection.
The best approach to data gathering depends on your resources and the nature of your assets. Technology can be your ally, utilizing self-surveys and AI to automate data collection for specific items.
Catalogue every physical and digital touchpoint that embodies your brand, from stationery and signage to your website and social media presence.
Leverage the knowledge of your on-the-ground teams. Equipping them with the right questionnaires and templates allows you to gather valuable data remotely with minimal disruption to their daily operations.
In today’s smartphone-driven world, capturing visual data is easier than ever. Encourage employees to snap pictures of branded assets and upload them directly to your server, creating a readily accessible visual library.
For in-depth data and accuracy, on-site surveys are the gold standard. Although more expensive due to travel and manpower requirements, they are particularly recommended for flagship locations or areas lacking a dedicated on-site team. Consider combining a detailed site survey with other tasks to maximize efficiency and avoid repeat visits.
Keep track of all the elements requiring your attention with a comprehensive rebrand checklist. This could include:
The brand audit culminates in a central database housing all the information gathered. This visual snapshot of your entire brand landscape serves as the foundation for:
Accurate planning and cost estimation: Knowing what needs to be done and where allows for precise budgeting and resource allocation.
Ongoing brand management: The database becomes a valuable reference point for future brand decisions and ensures consistency across all touchpoints.
With a clear understanding of your assets and their locations, you can set realistic budgets for the rebranding process. The audit will also reveal cost-saving opportunities, such as revitalizing existing items or divesting outdated ones.
There are various approaches to managing a global rebrand budget. A central budget for program management combined with local budgets for regional items often proves the most effective balance.
Remember: While minimizing costs is important, your rebrand is also an investment. Organizations like Brand Finance can help quantify the potential increase in brand value resulting from a successful implementation.
'There are various approaches to managing a global rebrand budget. A central budget for program management combined with local budgets for regional items often proves the most effective balance.'
Now that you know what needs to be rebranded, it’s time to consider the sequence of your rebrand activity.
Detailed analysis of your brand landscape will provide a clear indication of which brand implementation strategy is best for you. Armed with these insights, you can decide:
Often it is helpful to introduce your new brand internally before you launch it to customers. This improves engagement and allows employees to become familiar with your new brand.
A carefully considered communications plan must be created for both internal and external stakeholders. The order of play is important.
Beyond the operational team who are working on the rebrand, internal engagement can make or break your rebrand. For rebrand success, it’s vital to get all your employees onboard, understanding why you are rebranding, what your new brand purpose is and exactly what the benefits are to them, to the wider company and your customers.
Winning hearts and minds at every level is key. This is best achieved when it’s both bottom-up and top-down.
A rebrand is a strategic initiative – usually taken at the board level. Appointing high-level Brand ambassadors who take responsibility for their area of the business will have a hugely positive impact on your rollout.
A rebrand is not an everyday kind of activity. For this reason, your leadership team should be encouraged to make the most of the opportunity to create excitement and vision for the future.
Beyond the operational team who are working on the rebrand, internal engagement can make or break your rebrand.
We’ve already established that it’s vital to draw upon the network of your on-the-ground teams from an operational point of view.
They possess the specific knowledge of their area of the business to help you both identify and then deliver your branding across your entire organization.
Cross-functional and cross-border communication will help to smooth the rollout and promote a sense of unity.
A detailed communications plan for all external stakeholders is also vital – regulatory bodies, customers, suppliers and membership organizations. Consider:
To ensure consistency of your brand and quality control over your suppliers, you must have a single pivot point.
Program management is a science- there’s good reason for there being so many tried and tested project management methodologies – from Waterfall to Agile to Critical Path.
The complexity of managing a global branding program – suppliers, permits, materials, installers – is not to be underestimated.
A professional Project Management team will be the driving force for your rebrand and external resources can be a useful boost here.
Local Brand Implementation Success
Globalization has made the world smaller and we all inhabit a much more international community.
Occasionally it’s possible to use a single supplier who ships items across the world and dispatches a team of installers to different locations.
Aside from the obvious cost, we find that local works best and we generally call upon the members of our international network to fulfill regional requirements.
'Program management is a science- there’s good reason for there being so many tried and tested project management methodologies – from Waterfall to Agile to Critical Path.'
One of the key roles of your Project Management team will be tracking progress and reporting back.
There are many off-the-shelf software options for this, such as Workfront, Asana or monday.com, and these can usually be customized to suit your exact needs. For larger programmes, you may want to consider a bespoke system. Keep the long-term in mind – you are building up a powerful picture of your business that will set you in good stead for future developments.
How to Measure the Success of Your Brand Implementation?
It’s important to monitor your metrics so that you can recognize success:
When it comes to measuring the wider success of your rebrand program, think about:
Tell Your Rebrand Story
If you are dealing with a global rebrand that is not confidential, the reporting can easily be used as part of your marketing efforts. A powerful social media campaign could be a demonstration of the Mexican wave that your rebrand has created across the globe.
Be sure to capture photos and videos so that you can successfully tell your brand story.
Statistics are also useful in marketing terms. Track key metrics such as:
'One of the greatest tools for a rebrand is often a Digital Asset Management (DAM). This is the perfect opportunity to bring all your branded items into a single system where they can be managed.'
The Importance of Digital Asset Management Systems
One of the greatest tools for a rebrand is often a Digital Asset Management (DAM). This is the perfect opportunity to bring all your branded items into a single system where they can be managed.
If you already have a DAM, then it’s a great opportunity to do some housekeeping and tidying.
Any data should be carefully stored and can be used for future planning or brand updates.
Top Five Tips for Successful Brand Implementation
Stay tuned for part 5, where we’ll examine Brand Governance, taking a detailed look at the three key steps in protecting your brand throughout the merger and acquisition process.
Our team of rebrand specialists is on hand to help with your rebrand, from strategy through to implementation. Contact us for an initial no-obligation chat.
