Agencies play integral part in successful rebranding exercise

Laura Snoad’s article about rebranding (MW last week) rightly points out the importance of gaining support from staff, stakeholders and audiences along the transition trajectory, but what about the need to involve the agencies more closely?

Agencies must be given the opportunity to get under the skin of the brand, otherwise you will end up with more examples like the failed Coco Pops rebrand when public outcry forced Kellogg to ditch the new Choco Krispies moniker after less than a year.

A successful rebranding involves overhauling a company’s goals, message and culture, not just changing a name or a logo.

Closer collaboration between agency and brands in the process is intrinsic to effective creative invention.

David Wood

Creative director, Iris Associates

Laura Snoad’s advice on rebranding (MW last week) is good practice not just for brands, but agencies too. Although both camps should ensure their activities are faithful to the new image they want to project, this is too often an after-thought, leaving a business open to criticism about its claims. The obvious example is the ’green’ rebrand, whereby a company will project an image of sustainability that its practices don’t live up to. The planning around a rebrand must be integrated across a whole business, and not just fall to the marketing department.

To be successful, it requires all departments to become brand advocates who believe in, practice and can prophesise the values.

Danny Turnbull

General manager, Gyro Manchester

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