To get a CEO fully invested, position the rebrand not as a marketing initiative but as foundational infrastructure that touches every part of the business, from HR and recruiting to sales and customer operations. This reframing elevates its importance and ensures cross-departmental adoption.
A significant rebrand or category shift can initially confuse the market and cause a temporary dip in key metrics. Proactively communicate this to the finance team, budgeting for a potential 15% drop. This prevents panic and secures the long-term commitment needed to see the strategy through.
When your own company operates with a "building the plane as we fly" mentality, intentionally seek an agency with a rigid, structured process for a rebrand. Their structure provides the necessary discipline and guardrails to keep a complex project on track, even if it means you must adapt to their workflow.
The most compelling reason to initiate a rebrand isn't a desire for a refresh, but when your name no longer reflects what you do. When the name is tied to a service that's now a fraction of your business, it becomes a clear, non-negotiable guardrail that forces the difficult decision to change.
If a rebrand coincides with defining a new category, conduct two distinct internal training sessions. First, teach the team about the new category—the market, the problem, the landscape. Only then, in a separate session, train them on your new brand's specific position and story to avoid confusion.
Keep the rebrand decision-making council intentionally small to maintain momentum. The ideal group combines key leadership (CEO), the project lead (Head of Marketing), an external strategist, and a key internal implementer (Content Manager), deliberately avoiding an all-executive committee to prevent disconnect from execution.
The marketing leader should own the initial strategy and vendor selection for a rebrand. Once the visual and verbal identity is locked, a dedicated, detail-oriented project manager should take over execution. This person becomes the central point of contact for all departments, managing tactical details like deck updates and office signage.