10 Signs You Might Need to Rebrand.

This is a bit of a circular discussion, but it’s an interesting one to try and nail down the most common reasons we see for clients wanting to take the plunge and go all in for change.

Rebranding is expensive. Time-consuming. Risky if done without the right intent. Get it wrong and you don’t just waste money. You lose clarity, momentum and trust.

So, let’s strip this back. Before you brief an agency or sketch a new logo on a napkin, here’s the question to ask:

What’s actually broken?

Because sometimes it’s the foundations. Sometimes it’s the execution.
And most of the time, it’s not a rebrand you need - it’s a recalibration.

Wait - what do we mean by ‘rebrand’?

Let’s clear something up. When most people say rebrand, they picture the big dramatic moment. New name. New logo. Full identity overhaul and fireworks!

That happens – but in my experience, it’s extremely rare. In reality, most businesses don’t need to reinvent the brand. They need to evolve it.

That might mean:
•    Reviewing the foundations
•    Sharpening the story
•    Clarifying the offer
•    Refreshing the visual identity
•    Rebuilding internal alignment

It’s about reconnecting the brand with who you are now and where you’re going, not wiping the slate clean. So, whether you’re heading for a reset or a refinement, here’s a checklist we use with clients to figure out what’s really going on - and what kind of change is needed.

The Brutal Brand Health Checklist: 

How many of these hit home?

1. Nobody can explain what the business does - in the same way.
   Sales says one thing. The website says another. HR and recruitment have their own version. If the elevator pitch changes by department, the brand is fragmented.

    

2. You can’t navigate your own product portfolio.
   Too many product names. Too many sub-brands. Too many exceptions.
   If even your sales team struggles to explain how it all fits together, what chance does a customer have? When the brand doesn’t provide a clear structure for how products are named, grouped or presented, confusion sets in. Internally and externally.

    

3. You’re attracting the wrong kind of work, or the wrong kind of people.
   Leads that aren’t a fit. Applicants who don’t align with your culture.
   If the brand’s pulling in the wrong crowd, something’s off.

    

4. You look and sound just like everyone else.
   Blur out the logos of your top five competitors. If your message, tone and visuals could belong to any of them, you've lost distinction, and probably direction.

    

5. You’ve outgrown the story you’re telling.
   Maybe your offer has evolved. Maybe your market has shifted. Maybe you're selling to different people in different ways. But the brand hasn’t caught up. And that creates drag.

    

6. People inside the business aren’t using the brand.
   Templates get ignored. Tone of voice is loose at best. People either don’t get it or don’t believe in it. That’s not a visual issue; it’s a foundation problem.

    

7. You hesitate before sending someone to your own website.
   This is a big tell. You know it’s out of date. It’s clunky, confusing or off-brand.
   If you’re cringing, trust your gut, it needs some work.

    

8. You’ve been “refreshing” things for years - but nothing’s improved.
   A new logo here. A shinier slide deck there. But the core issues remain.
   Tinkering with outputs won’t fix misalignment at the heart.

    

9. The people now driving the business weren’t part of the brand’s creation.
   Leadership has changed. The strategy has shifted. But the brand is still built on old decisions. If the people shaping the future weren’t involved in defining the brand, it's probably not fit for purpose.

    

10. You can’t tell if the brand is helping the business grow.
    This is the big one. If you don’t know whether the brand is building trust, shortening sales cycles, or driving pricing power then what’s it doing?

So… rebrand or evolve?

If your brand still holds meaning (if it’s respected, recognisable and rooted in something true) you evolve it. That means making it fit your current strategy, market and ambitions.

But if it’s outdated, confused, or actively working against you - you rebuild it.
Either way, don’t treat it like a design project. Your brand is a business tool. And if it's not helping the business grow, it’s time to do something about it.

Want help making the call?

We help B2B businesses figure this stuff out. Quickly, clearly, and without the fluff.
Get in touch if you want a straight answer.