Done correctly, the benefits of a well-managed brand implementation are immediately obvious. It can boost staff and customer confidence and increase overall engagement.
Over the last 20 years, we’ve learnt a lot about successfully managing projects like these. We’ve worked on numerous multi-site rebrands and brand implementation initiatives for businesses across the world – including intu, Premier Inn, Emirates NBD, Santander, IQ-EQ, and Holiday Inn.
Extensive planning and coordination are key; as are effective staff communication, the right procurement strategy, and the final unveiling.
Here are five things to keep in mind as you set your company’s multi-site rebrand in motion.
1. Employee engagement is vital
Buy-in from across your business is a key component in your rebrand’s success. That’s why it's important to keep employees in the loop from the very start. Bringing them along the journey with you will help ensure everyone is on board.
Employee engagement at a local level can be achieved through local brand champions – team members who can spread the positive messages ahead of the launch date.
2. Collaboration between branding agency and implementation team is key
You can never be too prepared where rebrands are concerned. It’s crucial to make sure everyone involved is on the same page from the very start: particularly those coming up with the design ideas, visual identity and brand standards, and signage concepts – your branding team or agency – and those tasked with implementation; your corporate real estate team.
Bringing these two teams together at an early stage gives both parties an opportunity to work out the critical details around design and the pragmatic execution of colour matching and reproduction – both externally and internally.
3. Do you have the right procurement strategy?
Make sure your procurement strategy is high on the agenda during the early planning stages. This will give you an opportunity to appoint suppliers. One option is to appoint a local supplier in each geographical region; which ensures the majority of hardware is manufactured near each site. This can help to reduce any potential delays. Another option is to work with a large supplier, who can offer support at each location, which can minimise inconsistency.
4. Undertake the ‘debrand’ ahead of time
It’s tempting to schedule your ‘debrand’ and ‘rebrand’ at the same time. While the two need to follow each other, for more complex or larger sites it’s wise to initiate your debrand ahead of time.
That way you can uncover any hidden problems that might need addressing – which will help keep everything else on an even keel – ahead of the rebrand installation. However, the way you approach this will depend on the overall strategy you choose, as well as which sites you’re prioritising.
5. A ‘big bang’ launch isn't always the best approach
Whilst it might be tempting to consider a big bang approach when launching your company’s bold new rebrand; doing so can add a lot of unnecessary stress – especially if you’re unveiling it at every location on the same day!
One approach is to implement the rebrand in a test site or two – such as flagship premises or even the company headquarters – and phasing in the rebrand region by region afterwards; where possible.
Getting a balance is crucial. You should also ensure that both internal and external communications plans are aligned; so that everyone in and outside of the company knows what to expect: when the time is right.
The boost your brand needs
Overall, a multi-site rebrand is an opportunity to communicate your brand positioning in the built environment and to ensure consistent messaging throughout.
Bolstered by a positive set of messages, the right rollout strategy, and a well-coordinated project timeline, the effect on both staff morale and customer perception can be overwhelmingly positive.
Planning your multi-site rebranding or brand implementation project? Endpoint can help you with the entire process from the very start – on everything from audits and wayfinding strategy through to concept design and implementation.
Contact Paul Veness, Co-founder and Operations Director on london@weareendpoint.com or 0207 089 2670 for more information on our approach to multi-site rebranding.
Enjoyed this? Check out our article on ‘Maintaining your brand’