Let’s begin with the basics – branding is more than just a logo or a catchy slogan. It’s the overall perception the public has of your brand and covers reputation, customer loyalty, and market positioning.
We all know that strong branding sets your bottles and operation apart from the competition. It highlights what makes you unique and valuable. Moreover, a well-crafted brand establishes trust and reliability, essential for attracting and retaining customers. Meanwhile consistent and positive brand experiences foster loyalty and encourage repeat business.
There’s a reason we keep picking up the same bottles over and over – and it’s not just down to flavour!
All of this is universally agreed by owners, founders and distillery operators. And yet, it’s all too easy to miss the tell-tell signs that things need a refresh. Or that what you have is not up to scratch anymore (if it ever was…). Just look at the shelves, or have a browse around a few websites and you’ll come across many who, respectfully, need to move on.
Here’s how to recognise when it might be time to rebrand and the steps you can take to ensure your drinks offering stays relevant and compelling.
Signs you might need to rebrand
When spirit brands fail to stand out in a crowded market, most operators find it difficult to get to the exact reasons. Too much choice and ‘category saturation’ are easy excuses to make. It’s likely price points play a role too, and so will route to market and availability.
Great offering, wrong price. Right product, wrong team. Cool idea, wrong timing. There can be many reasons for something not clicking. It’s worth acknowledging that it’s not always about aesthetics and brand values as often it’s not.
But if your Gin or Rum offering is of excellent quality, well priced, you have good contacts and you are actually on shelves but, despite this, you have stagnating sales (or dipping)… Then what? It’s possible that it lacks a distinct visual and emotional appeal.
Take a moment to figure out why.
Conduct a competitive analysis (SWOT analysis) to see if the root cause is hard levers like price and availability, or soft metrics like branding and messaging. Get an honest assessment.
You might like your look and feel, but if your brand doesn’t have a clear differentiation or standout factor at the point of purchase, you’ve got an issue.
In which case, a rebrand can help you carve out a unique niche.
Not only will a well-executed rebrand set you apart from competitors by clearly highlighting your unique value propositions, it gives you the chance to fix any misconceptions about your brand. This can improve public perception and help rebuild trust (and appeal) with your audience.
All of that assumes the status quo has remained the same. Spoiler alert – it never stays the same…
Most producers shift their strategy over the years. And when it comes to it, significant changes in business strategy often also require a realignment in branding.
For example, if you are shifting focus from B2B sales to a more direct-to-consumer model, you might require a different brand approach and bigger online presence. Major changes in how you go to market should be reflected in your branding to ensure coherence and effectiveness.
Ask yourself if you’ve changed your strategy significantly in the past two years, and how you adapted your brand to deal with that.
Times change, markets evolve
Market perceptions can change due to trends, competitors, and public relations. If your brand no longer aligns with market perceptions (say, of a category for example), it might be time for a refresh. By updating your brand messaging, you can ensure that every customer interaction resonates with where drinkers are at today.
It’s not only the market perception that changes and that you need to react to either.
Your own history will evolve in time and what worked a few years ago may not be the best way to bring your heritage or your origin story to life. Many companies rebrand because of a now stagnant, uninspiring or confused brand story and refresh their narrative to better connect with their audience.
Ask yourself if you’ve grown over the past three years and if that’s been reflected in the way you present the brand. Ask if drinking attitudes have changed for your category and for your core target audience over the past three years, and if you’ve also progressed with the times.
Changing drinkers and advocates
Another major area to look at in order to figure out if you need to rebrand, is when changing your target audience. This comes in many forms and isn’t as obvious as it first seems either.
As demographics shift, your brand might need to evolve to stay relevant. Younger generations might have different values and preferences. It makes sense then, to reassess your brand story and visual identity to align with the values and lifestyles of your new target audience.
For those with a brand that has been around for 20 or 30 years, it’s a necessity to do this.
But don’t forget that the average career in front line (on-trade / shop floor) hospitality is less than 10 years. Those who you educated at the beginning of your journey may not be the same as those influencing in-store bottles sales today, nor making the buying / pouring decisions any more.
The trade evolves and it’s not linear progression. There are always people at the start of their journey and others who are seasoned pros. The messaging each responds is varied and it changes just as much as it does when dealing with drinkers. Except, when it comes to the trade – trend cycles and surges in understanding and interest happen a lot more frequently that once a generation.
Besides, a need for a refresh can arise even when your target audience hasn’t changed at all.
For example, your whisky brand is expanding into international markets and / or introducing new variants, but the current branding doesn’t communicate this diversity. What’s core range, what is limited, what is export only, GTR and so on…
Ranges and range architecture and availability gets confusing very quickly, even to those familiar with you as a distillery.
You need to assess whether your current branding effectively supports new product lines. If not, a rebrand can help unify your expanded line-up under a cohesive identity.
Last but not least, the need for a refresh can come out of doing market research and through gaining a better understanding of the preferences and values of your current vs your potential customers.
If there is a small current audience that likes you, vs potentially bigger one that can be pursued if you had a different look and feel or different tone of voice and messaging… A difficult choice awaits.
Look beyond the idea that rebrands are about outdated visuals
Sure, in a visually driven market like spirits, outdated visuals can make your brand seem irrelevant or behind the times. Everyone knows this and it’s easy to see how a refresh can renew relevancy. But move past this – a brand is about more than visuals!
A brand identity is about refocussing around core values, a mission and a sense of purpose. And because of that, it’s not just about influencing external opinion. A rebrand can rejuvenate and align your internal team, boosting morale, productivity and their ability to convert sales.
Gather feedback through surveys or meetings. If there’s a consensus that the brand feels misaligned internally, it’s a strong signal for you to rebrand (or if you really don’t want to change – re-galvanise your team to get behind it!).
Use the opportunity that comes with a visual refresh to also update the rest, as well as recenter the team around objectives and KPI’s that directly lead to delivering core values.
Steps to a successful transformation
Start by defining your purpose and identity
Clarify why your company exists. This inspires both customers and employees. Then build a solid understanding around your mission, vision, and values. These are the pillars of your brand.
Once done, build further differentiation. Study competitors through SWOT analysis to identify the gaps, and use this analysis to stand out. That might be through unique offerings or a novel way of getting your message and core values across to drinkers.
Develop a consistent visual identity and personality
Once you’ve set your foundations and your point of difference, establish your brand’s personality by defining if your brand is friendly, serious, innovative, or reliable. Decide on your tone of voice.
From there, create a memorable logo and a style guide covering colours, typography, and how that tone of voice is applied. A rebrand allows you to create a visual identity that not only reflects where your brand currently stands but also where it is heading.
If you keep a forward-thinking approach, you can make your brand more appealing to current and future customers.
Then apply it! Ensure consistency across all materials, including websites, social media, and packaging. Invest in some content marketing like creating blogs, videos, and infographics that add value to your audience. Share your brand’s story, challenges, and achievements to connect emotionally with your audience. Be transparent and genuine in your storytelling.
And so that it’s not left unsaid, yes, it will also mean applying it to the bottle itself. Labels, shapes, closures etc. EVERY TOUCHPOINT needs to be consistent.
Rebranding is often about staying future focussed
Rebranding is a decision that requires careful consideration and a strategic approach. Recognising the signs that a rebrand might be necessary is the first step towards ensuring you remain relevant and competitive.
Stay attuned to the key signals such as declining sales, outdated visuals, or a misalignment with your target audience. These indicators can help you make the right call as to when you need a refresh.
The opportunities a rebrand brings are substantial. It allows you to create a visual identity that reflects where you are heading and what you stands for. It’s a moment to reassess how your brand story aligns with the values and lifestyles of your target customers, and update public perception to highlight your unique strengths.
A rebrand can correct misunderstandings too, reinvigorate your internal team, and position your brand for new market opportunities.
Staying open to evolution and growth is essential in the spirits industry.
Remember that while many things gain value over time, nothing remains fixed. It’s often easier and more effective to refresh your brand with thoughtful iterations than to rewrite the whole script. By periodically assessing and, if needed, fine tuning your brand, you can ensure it remains a powerful tool for connecting with your audience and driving business success.
Embrace the journey as an ongoing process. In doing so, your brand will not only stand the test of time but thrive in what is one of the world’s most competitive and fast paced industries.
