We’ve rolled out our rebrand in recent weeks, and while our name hasn't changed, our brand identity certainly has and our brand story has evolved. New colors, new fonts, new shapes — all add up to a fresh, modern take for our legacy company. After nearly 30 years, Amperage has changed significantly. It’s time for the Amperage brand to reflect our current leadership strategy and evolved vision for the future.

What does it mean to rebrand? The answer to that depends a lot on who you ask. We’ve seen major companies “rebrand” and completely change their name. Meta, for example, the parent organization for Facebook. Or brands keep the name but change the logo. The latter is tricky, and audiences can be unforgiving if it’s not done well. This isn’t just an issue in the automotive industry, but Jaguar and KIA logo changes stand out as examples that generated more head-scratching and criticism than positive buzz.

There’s also the nuanced “brand refresh,” in which a brand just tweaks its existing brand identity. Even that definition is open to subjective interpretation, though.

I define what Amperage has done as a rebrand. We started by refining our brand strategy, and when it became apparent that our strategy and image no longer aligned, we changed our brand identity, too. We’ve introduced several new elements in our brand identity and, while many of them have clear ties to our past, what we’ve accomplished is far more than just a refresh. We’ve also refined our brand story and messaging to authentically reflect how we talk about ourselves. All those things together make up our brand, and I couldn’t be more pleased with where we are today.

Rebrands are exciting — and a large investment of time and resources. All stakeholders need an open mind and a willingness to be honest. It’s soul-searching work that should answer the question: Who are we, really? A brand can be aspirational, but to succeed it must be authentic. I believe that’s where other brands have failed. The rebrand just wasn’t authentic to them. If you say: This is us! but you don’t live up to your brand promise, authenticity is the critical missing piece.

What is the value of a rebrand?

• It signals change. With an established brand, the audience also has established thoughts, feelings and beliefs about the brand. A rebrand reintroduces you to the marketplace. It reframes who you are as a company, the value you provide, your position in the marketplace, perhaps even your why. Your value proposition evolves over time, of course, and a rebrand is a way to make your customers sit up and take notice. And it gives you an opportunity to relate to them on a different level.
• It elevates your message. At Amperage, our why — to do work that positively impacts people’s lives in significant ways — is something we’ve said for a long time. It is so authentically us, and it’s not changing. The marketplace has changed, however, and more brands and consumers are searching for ways to feel like they’re doing good in the world. It’s why brands like TOMS and Bombas are succeeding. It’s why we choose to work in industries like healthcare, education and nonprofits. And as an agency of authentic storytellers, we help brands tell the story of the good they do. People want to feel like they are part of something meaningful — and so do we. Going through this rebrand has allowed Amperage to elevate that message and double down on who we are.
• It defines who you are. People have a lot of respect for a company when you can be clear about who you are and who you are not. The Amperage rebrand refines what we are to the specific group of clients that we want to serve. A rebrand for any organization should do the same.

When is the right time to rebrand?

If your brand doesn’t seem as relevant as it once was or if your audience seems less engaged, it’s time to look at who you are, what you’re selling and how you’re selling it. Some questions to ask:

• Does the brand reflect your company’s current vision, mission and values?
• Are your company’s products, services or market focus evolving?
• Is the brand aligned with your long-term growth strategy?
• Is your brand differentiated enough from your competitors?
• Is there a disconnect between your brand and customer expectations?
• Is the logo, tagline and overall design aesthetic outdated?
• Is the tone of voice consistent and resonate across all touchpoints?
• Is brand recognition strong in your market?
• Are sales or engagement levels declining?
• Does your brand translate well across digital platforms?

The answers to these questions will help determine when you’re ready to rebrand.

Amperage’s 3 steps to rebrand

• Research. We always recommend that clients start here. Dig deep into understanding your target audience — their problems and motivations, their beliefs and desires, their perceptions. Without that understanding, you cannot hope to relate to them, make an emotional connection or start building trust.
• Brand platform. Next, dig into the foundational elements of your brand and the value you provide. Mission and vision, key elements of your story, tone and voice, how you want to position yourself in the market. Define your brand and be able to clearly articulate it, or others will define it for you and it may not be what you want.
• Brand identity. To many this is the fun stuff because it’s more visually appealing. It starts with a logo and tagline/branding line, if you choose to have one. Then we explore color theory and build out colors and aesthetics that reflect your brand personality and voice.

I don’t believe a rebrand has to start with a willingness to “throw it all out,” but you do have to be willing to completely rethink everything, how it’s been used and if anything should be carried forward with intentionality and purpose.

Our journey started with thinking this was a simple brand refresh. We had a lot of non-negotiables in the beginning, but as we started to build our new brand identity, we realized that some of our non-negotiables didn’t align with the story we were trying to tell. So in the end, we still had a few non-negotiables, but a lot more that we recognized needed to change — just like we did over the years. AMPers are excited for the changes, as am I. The brand feels reinvigorated, and that has made all the work worthwhile.

If you’re ready to refresh or rebrand, or just want to explore the possibilities, reach out to me at eearnest@amperagemarketing.com. I’m happy to answer your questions.