Guide to Brand Refresh Services for Businesses in Hampshire

As a graphic design company, nothing makes us happier than when we hear how much our clients love their branding. It’s fair to say that as a business owner, you need to be passionate about your business branding - each element needs to feel right, and when it doesn’t, that’s where expert advice and inspiration can help.

At Abstract Creative Studio, we understand how all design ideas must be consistent and in line with your brand. As branding experts, we also know when something doesn’t feel right. You may think that now is the perfect time to consider a brand refresh, and this guide explains all you need to know about them and how they can make a huge difference.

What is a Brand Refresh?

Refreshing your existing brand image doesn’t always need to be a complete overhaul of your business logo, typography, design style, colour palette and so on.

A brand refresh begins by understanding and analysing how your brand is currently performing and tweaking it to reflect where you are as a business now.

If you are considering a brand refresh, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

• Does your brand design convey your vision, key messaging, positioning and point of difference?
• Does your brand design engage your target audience, or are you finding it lacking?

A brand refresh service would focus on using your existing brand strategy, but with updated visuals, to meet your customers’ needs, which are constantly adapting and progressing in today’s rapidly changing world. Therefore, a brand refresh is worth considering if you’re trying to:

• Attract more customers to your business
• Retain more of your existing customers
• Convert more of your leads and prospects

Difference Between a Brand Refresh and Rebrand

A brand refresh is not the same as rebranding your business entirely. Many people confuse a brand refresh with a complete rebrand, but they mean entirely different things.

Brand refreshes are essentially the process of giving your business a makeover, refreshing visual elements like logo design, digital graphic design, and other deliverables like social media graphics, templates, online brochures and so on.

Rebranding focuses on creating a new brand story, position, and strategy, often done before taking a business into a new, different sector or targeting slightly different consumers.

When is the Right Time to Refresh Your Business Branding?

A brand refresh is a big project that requires careful planning and should not be rushed.

If your refresh is handled by a professional branding and design agency such as Abstract Creative Studio, your revitalised brand identity will breathe new life into your business.

You may realise your business is due a fresh makeover if:

• Your visual identity feels dated.
• Your company has evolved or grown.
• You feel as though your business has lost its focus.
• Your customer base has expanded.
• Your business branding is too similar to a competitor or competitors.

What Makes a Good Brand Refresh?

Your brand identity is more than a collection of colours, text, infographics and symbols. It’s what forms your customers’ first impression of your organisation. When done correctly, a strong brand involves brand values, tone, professional business logo, imagery, themes and visual representations.

Your brand image is how you build credibility and trust with your customers. If you achieve these goals, your brand refresh will be considered successful.

Simplicity and clarity in design are how you connect with the modern consumer. Brands often scale back their messaging and visual brand identities to reflect their core values, which is a good starting point if you consider going back to the drawing board.

Your design style impacts how your business and services are viewed, so consult with your graphic design agency and discuss your intended audience and vision and how you can marry the two. Abstract Creative Studio offers a no-obligation 45-minute brand identity review which you can request via our contact form.

Brand Refresh Examples

Abstract Creative Studio provided a brand image refresh for a client in the retail and hospitality industry, which, as we know, was hit particularly hard during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poppy’s Coffee Shop, based in Fleet, Hampshire, was one of our clients who had our monthly credit packages until the first national lockdown. At which point, we had explored options for rebranding, which the client also felt was long overdue.

The client has since rebranded to Poppy’s Coffee Shop & Bistro, who gave the following testimonial:

“We have worked with the Abstract team to give our brand the inspiring and creative flair that it needed. Initially, I looked at it as just a business to generate income, but now I feel so emotionally connected.

The rebrand has completely transformed the place; our food was always something we have been great at, fantastic quality and top-notch. Now the branding and the place match this.”

Branding and Graphic Designers in Hampshire

At Abstract Creative Studio, we design with your customers in mind.

Your customers are vital to your business’s success, and investing in a brand refresh is a crucial decision, so it’s understandable you’d want to make sure your customers will benefit from your rebrand as much as you. We agree and will work with you to ensure that your brand and a wide range of supporting designs will not let you down.

Ready to chat about branding? Fill in our contact form, and we’ll be happy to help.