When and why to refresh your business brand

Maria Nelson

Guest Columnist

December 8, 2025

Even the biggest, most well-known businesses need to keep up with changing markets and shifting customer tastes.

Often, a well-executed brand refresh is the answer – it can inject new energy into a company, help it connect with today’s audiences and stand out in a crowded market.

But it’s not without risks, and the stakes are high.

Get it wrong and you can end up confusing your audience or alienating your loyal customers. 

Some of the biggest brands out there – like Domino’s, Burger King and Dunkin’ Donuts – have nailed their rebrands, but not everyone gets it right.

Take Cracker Barrel, for example, its new logo and updated restaurant interiors left many long-time customers feeling like the brand had lost touch with its roots.

Whether it’s tweaking a logo or making bold branding shifts, understanding when to refresh your brand and how to do it right is key.

Rebrands can be essential to recapture consumers and enter new markets, but disruptive moves can be harmful to a brand’s equity.

Before making any major changes, brands need to conduct market research, pinpoint target audiences, update business goals and establish the reasons for the rebrand.

Understanding all things branding

Before we can talk about a brand refresh, we need to understand the basics.

Understanding the fundamentals of branding is essential before diving into a brand refresh.

At its core, a brand is defined by the name, symbols or features that distinguish its goods or services.

These visual elements of the brand identity, such as logos, color palettes and typography, make it instantly recognizable to consumers and set it apart in a crowded marketplace.

However, a brand is more than just its visuals.

Brand equity represents the value a brand holds in the mind of consumers, shaped by their perceptions, experiences and trust.

This equity plays a critical role in driving market share, fostering customer loyalty and building long-term relationships.

A strong brand not only attracts attention but also creates lasting connections that influence consumer behavior and business success.

Recognizing the signs of a brand refresh

Amid the fast-paced demands of running a business and the constant influx of new competitors, maintaining a modern and relevant brand can be a significant challenge.

Brands facing outdated visuals, shifting audience demographics, market expansion or declining customer engagement should consider a brand refresh.

Dated brand elements can make a business appear disconnected from modern audiences, ultimately impacting trust and engagement.

Logos with muted or clashing color palettes, illegible serif fonts or dated design trends can position the brand as out of touch.

Additionally, stale messaging that no longer reflects the company’s missions or its audience’s values can further alienate consumers.

As businesses expand into new markets, understanding cultural differences and local landscapes becomes essential to connecting with new audiences.

The strategy behind a brand refresh

A rebrand is more than just a new logo – rebranding determines how your business is perceived while ensuring it aligns with your business goals.

By refreshing brand identity, businesses can create visuals and messaging that reflect the company’s mission and growth strategy.

It’s essential to make your purpose clear to both consumers and stakeholders.

For example, Dunkin’ Donuts’ rebrand to just “Dunkin” reflects its evolution from a donut-focused brand to a beverage-led company, particularly in its coffee selections.

This move positioned it to compete with coffee competitors like Starbucks or Caribou, increase its brand equity in the growing beverage space, capitalize on a significant revenue portion and expand market share in beverages while still offering quick food options.

Not only does a polished and clean brand enhance credibility, but it also helps businesses stand out in a crowded market.

A well-executed rebrand is an opportunity to create a memorable identity that differentiates you from your competitors.

Key elements of a successful brand refresh

A successful brand refresh starts with crafting a compelling brand story that resonates with your audience and conveys your brand’s mission and unique identity.

This is crucial to the design of a rebrand, as your narrative serves as the basis of all visual and messaging elements.

Next steps consist of updating visual elements like color palettes, typography and logos across all touchpoints, marketing collateral, websites, social media and advertising.

Red Shoes assisted a Wisconsin-based public transportation company with a strong local presence to modernize its brand.

The goal was to keep the brand feeling familiar while making it adaptable for future growth and expanded services.

The result was a modernized logo that retained the same colors but was redesigned to better accommodate service expansions.

The risks of avoiding a brand refresh

Evading a needed rebrand can be detrimental to a company’s long-term success, resulting in possibilities such as losing relevance in a competitive market, missing opportunities for growth and being perceived as disconnected from consumer desires.

Not only could you lose loyal customers, but an outdated brand makes it even more difficult to attract new ones and expand into new markets.  

In fact, 74% of S&P 100 companies have rebranded within their first seven years, indicating that even well-known companies need to rebrand.

Though local businesses may not operate on the same scale, the principle remains the same: a brand refresh can help adapt to changing customer expectations, stand out in a crowded marketplace and seize new growth opportunities.

It’s equally critical for local businesses to maintain their connection with the community and even expand to newer ones.

The next steps towards a brand refresh

For a smooth rebranding process, it’s important to consider every angle.

• Conduct a brand audit – Evaluate your current brand assets, messaging, market position and brand equity to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement.
• Engage with stakeholders and customers for insights – Gather feedback from employees, customers and partners to understand the perception of your brand. Businesses often provide customers with a survey link and an incentive on a receipt.
• Partner with professionals – Collaborating with brand experts can provide a more comprehensive view of the marketplace and design trends, making developing a cohesive strategy and execution more efficient.

A brand refresh isn’t just about changing a logo – it’s about redefining how your business connects with people.

When approached with care and strategy, it can strengthen relationships with your current customers, attract new business and lay the foundation for future growth.