Dear hustlers, founders, operators and visionaries,

Whoever orchestrated Jaguar’s latest rebranding probably didn’t sleep much the past nights. While the promotional video is showing models in bright colours but no cars, the move has been mocked online for a botched marketing gig.

Now, we promise we had no insider knowledge 👀 - but how’s this for timing? Exactly this week, we sat down with Andrea von Kaenel, CMO at Migros Online, to dive deep into the intricacies of rebranding LeShop to Migros Online. From execution hurdles to lessons learned, her insights are gold for anyone eyeing a brand overhaul.

Exclusively for our newsletter subscribers, Andrea has shared additional insights below.

Oh, we have lived through and executed rebrand on our own. In this episode, we also share own own experiences on the topic.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube and let us know how you liked this episode.

In the meantime: Follow the Gradient and stay tuned!

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How to do a rebranding

What you will get out of this episode

In our conversation, Andrea shares:

• How to approach the decision-making on whether to go for a rebranding or not

• Typical execution challenges and how to face them

• Why it is essential to place importance of internal change management

• PLUS: we talk about our own experiences on executing a Rebrand!

Our main take away’s

1. Preparation is key: A rebrand is a complex undertaking attached to short-term operational risks and long-term strategic ones. A thorough preparation is key, and will take more time than most people would think.
   

2. Execution will always be bumpy: There will be unknown unknowns. There will be things you did not expect. After all, brands are about emotions and it is difficult to predict emotional reactions on a change in your brand equity. Acknowledge that execution will be marked by challenges and prepare your team accordingly.
   

3. Tracking success is important: Determining objective metrics and defining how success looks like is key. Think about KPIs which may not be within the realm of Marketing: Sales metrics along revenue, deals closed or orders shipped.

4. Change management is underestimated: Rebranding can easily be overlooked as something only pertaining to external stakeholders. Yet, your biggest fans are your internal employees. Do not discount the importance of their voices.

Additional material on the topic

• Free Name Evaluation Test by Alexandra Watkins, Founder at Eat My Words and Author of “How to Create Brand Names That Stick”.

• “Rebranding in Public: ConvertKit to Kit” - watch the full video series

• Frontify’s “Encyclopedia Rebrandia” is your guide to rebranding

How to reach out to Andrea

• LinkedIn

Exclusive from Andrea

What are your top three tips for other entrepreneurs considering a rebrand?

Stay flexible: While thorough planning is essential, not everything goes according to plan. It's important to remain flexible and respond quickly to unexpected challenges.

Early and comprehensive planning: A successful rebranding requires detailed planning and clear goals. Start early to cover all aspects, from brand strategy to internal communication. This helps to smooth the process and minimize surprises.

Involve employees: An often underestimated aspect is internal change management. Your employees are the most important ambassadors of the new brand. Ensure they understand and support the change by providing regular updates, gathering feedback, and communicating openly.

What are some common mistakes to avoid during a rebranding process?

Focus on external communication: Rebranding is often used as an opportunity to communicate the company’s new positioning externally. However, it is often overlooked that rebranding also plays a significant role internally.

Insufficient attention of employees: While the rebranding process is often strongly focused on customers, the impact on employees is sometimes given too little attention. Employees are key ambassadors of the brand, and their engagement and understanding of the change are crucial to the success of the rebranding.

Underestimating change management: Change management is a long-term process, not a one-time project. It requires time, commitment, and ongoing communication. Management must be ready to listen, be present, and actively guide employees through the transformation process.

Are there any books, frameworks, etc. that you can recommend for those who want to dive even deeper or just resources that helped you or your team?

There are several resources that have been incredibly valuable during our rebranding process:

Books: "Brand Gap" by Marty Neumeier is a must-read that explores the intersection of strategy and creativity in branding. It provides valuable insights into how to bridge the gap between business strategy and creative execution.

Frameworks: The Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Change Management Model with its 7 phases is a powerful framework for understanding and managing the emotional journey employees go through during significant changes.

Workshops and Collaboration Tools: We utilized collaboration tools like Confluence and Jira to ensure transparency and collect feedback throughout the rebranding process.

These resources, among others, provided us with the insights and tools needed to navigate the complexities of rebranding effectively.

Talk to you next week! Until then, let’s continue the conversation on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and YouTube!

🫶🏼 Melanie & Christian

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