To do a rebrand well, many organisations undertake a strategic brand review. A strategic brand review (including research, message development, and design) usually takes 12-14 weeks. A campaign to roll this out may take 2-3 months. Some projects are shorter or longer than this, but it is a good guide to know roughly what to expect.
Here’s how it breaks down:
Preliminaries
This includes a credentials meeting, agency appointment, and kickoff meeting
Timeline: 2 weeks
Stage 1 – Discover
This is a comprehensive analysis of your brand today, its challenges and opportunities, as seen by those who know it best. During this stage we hold team workshops, stakeholder interviews, and conduct online research, before finally presenting an insight report back to you which guides our strategy for the rest of the project.
This stage is highly variable. For example, it may be shorter if you have your own research. It may be longer if we need responses from many audiences and stakeholder groups.
Typical timeline: 3 weeks
Stage 2 – Define
It’s during stage 2 that we develop and define your unique Brand VOICE (values, offer, image, culture, and essence). This may include defining the brand strategy, brand architecture and naming, core messaging and communications planning. The communications planning will start at this stage but continue throughout the project.
Timeline: 3 weeks
Stage 3 – Design
Creation of an identity system that cuts through any and every channel, with clarity, consistency and impact including your brand look and feel, brand guidelines, core assets and templates, and brand basics. We also test the work with key stakeholders to ensure launch success.
Timeline: 4-5 weeks
Stage 4 – Deliver
This includes content, campaigns and communications that will change the way people think, feel and act. The goal may be to launch your new brand, product, or service, strengthen your employer brand, or persuade your audience to buy, give, act or get involved. It all depends on what stage of growth your organisation is at.
Timeline: The delivery of any launch campaigns can only be scheduled once requirements are fully understood. But we usually produce the initial body of essential communications materials within 2-3 months.
Considerations
Here are a few things that may impact your timeline.
How fast can we go?
We often get asked this question. And the truth is, usually faster than our clients. Our process has been refined over the last 18 years to be as thorough and efficient as possible.
In this 12-14 week timeframe, we work with you to discover the insight to navigate change, define the ideas to cut through complexity and deliver the impact to move you forward.
Ready to get started?
If you’d like to discuss our process, or have additional questions, please give our Growth Director, Karen Newbold, a call on (+44) 01926 678368 or email her at karen@rblteam.com.
