Yet too many businesses hold off on fixing their brand because they assume they need a “clean slate.” They worry about past decisions, imperfect execution, or the baggage their brand has accumulated over the years.
But here’s the reality: branding is never done in ideal conditions. And it doesn’t need to be. The best agencies don’t need a perfect starting point - they just need to get started.
The Myth of the Clean Slate
Most clients we work with have a nagging fear before they engage us. They worry their brand isn’t in great shape, that things have been neglected, or that they’ve made decisions they’re not proud of. They’re almost embarrassed to show us the reality.
But here’s the thing: branding never starts from perfect conditions. That’s a myth.
Why Branding is Always Messy
Much of the theory, case studies, and ‘awarded’ branding work assumes an ideal world. A world where businesses have time, space, and perfect conditions to overhaul their brand. But in real life, that’s not how it works.
Brands evolve while businesses are in flight. They carry baggage - legacy design, past decisions, half-finished projects, and conflicting priorities. It’s never a clean slate, and it doesn’t need to be.
The Problem with the Branding Industry
Our industry has, unfortunately, created a belief that agencies always want to change everything. Clients sometimes hold back from engaging with us because they assume we’ll push for a total reinvention. Many have told us outright: “We just don’t have the time or energy to fight for massive changes right now.”
And to be fair, they’re right to think this way. There’s a lot of snobbery in branding - people obsessed with tiny aesthetic details or critiquing new logo rollouts without understanding the business context. This kind of purist thinking can make branding feel exclusionary and impractical.
What Actually Matters: Getting Stuck In
For us, branding is about impact, not ideology. The best agencies don’t need a perfect starting point - they just need to get started. Whether the circumstances are ideal or not, we like to think we roll up our sleeves and make it work.
We’ve had clients bring us in when:
- Their website project is already underway, but their brand strategy is still unclear.
- They’re running campaigns without a strong brand foundation.
- They’re launching new products without defining their value clearly.
- They’re trying to patchwork solutions without fixing the bigger picture.
And that’s fine. A colleague of mine has a slide in every presentation “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”, but the road to a better brand starts wherever you are.
The Bottom Line
If you’re waiting for the perfect time to fix your brand, stop waiting. The best branding work happens in the thick of things - not in an ideal world, but in the real one.