Don't rebrand for the sake of it. A successful rebrand should be a deliberate move to signal a fundamental shift in your business, such as an expansion, a new mission, or a deeper commitment to core values like sustainability. It's an external reflection of an internal change.

During slower business periods, audit every customer-facing brand touchpoint, not just marketing assets. This includes truck wraps, staff uniforms, on-hold music, and email signatures. This is the ideal time to identify brand inconsistencies and create an actionable plan for fixes when your team has more capacity.

Rowell's team initially underestimated their rebrand, thinking it was a simple logo change. They discovered it is a massive, time-consuming operational project, requiring updates to every asset from truck wraps to internal forms. This hidden complexity is often the biggest challenge.

The owner initially dismissed the focus on color, assuming their traditional red and blue was fine. Post-rebrand, the new, nostalgic blue palette receives the most compliments and is credited with effectively conveying their 65-year legacy. He admits he was completely wrong about its importance.

Instead of an email memo, Shanklin drove a newly wrapped van into their Christmas party and had their new mascot jump out. This created an unforgettable moment of excitement, instantly selling the team on the new direction and generating authentic buy-in.

Using Sprite as an example, Chris Burgrave shows how short-term budget cuts lead to a slow erosion of brand equity, eventual retailer delistings, and a massively expensive relaunch years later. The initial savings are dwarfed by the future investment required to regain lost ground, making consistent brand support more cost-effective.

Shanklin's rebrand was triggered by a strategic shift to focus on residential service customers, not just a desire for a modern look. This ensured the new brand served a clear business goal, making it more effective than a purely cosmetic update.

Rowell Heating's rebrand successfully used a hunting/outdoors theme that resonated with their team's personal interests. This fostered genuine excitement and pride, turning employees into enthusiastic brand advocates and strengthening company culture from the inside out.

Rowell's success stemmed from leaders who committed fully rather than taking a piecemeal approach. Their advice is to avoid doing a rebrand "halfway." Going all-in, despite the fear, prevents a diluted outcome and ensures maximum impact and internal alignment.