Does your brand need a refresh? 8 signs that don’t lie!

The years aren’t always kind to design. After 10 years, your visual identity may already look outdated—or worse, amateurish. If your business can’t adapt and evolve, it risks losing credibility.

Refreshing your brand helps position your company as up-to-date, in control of its image, and more professional overall. In short, people will take you more seriously. Wondering if it’s time for a brand refresh? Here are some telltale signs, compelling arguments, and real-world examples.

What’s the difference between a rebrand and a brand refresh?

Here’s a helpful way to explain it to colleagues or leadership. A brand refresh involves updating specific elements while maintaining a solid foundation, including your company’s values, visual components, key messages, and more. Think of Google’s logo evolution since the ’90s: a few colour tweaks, a new font. No need to start from scratch!

A rebrand, on the other hand, involves a more profound transformation. It may impact the company’s visual identity, logo, mission, promise, or vision.

Put another way: refreshing your brand is like repainting a room or adding a garage. A full rebrand? That’s knocking it down and building it all over again—or moving altogether.

Quick reminder: what makes up a brand identity?

If your team needs a refresher, remember that a strong brand identity includes both strategic and visual elements. On one side: the company name, mission, vision, values, backstory, and tone. On the other hand, the logo, colour palette, typography, and visual universe.

Should you refresh your branding? 8 signs to look for

1. An outdated visual identity, or one that blends in

Staying visually relevant keeps your brand competitive. While looks aren’t everything, your visual identity is what first grabs your audience’s attention and signals your professionalism and expertise. If your branding blends into the crowd, it won’t stand out, and you’ll fall behind.

That said, don’t go all in on design and forget the user experience. If your beautiful website has no “buy” button or can’t answer your audience’s questions, you’re missing the mark.

2. Declining brand awareness indicators

Tracking how your brand is recognized—using the right KPIs—helps you stay on course and adjust when needed. There are plenty of ways to boost brand awareness, and refreshing your identity is one of them.

When you update your brand, you want it to feel like the same organization, but better, bolder, more current.

Just make sure not to become unrecognizable to your loyal customers!

3. A lack of consistency

Quick test: visit your website, LinkedIn page, and Facebook profile. Do they use the same visual language? The same tone of voice? The same key messages?

Consistency helps build a strong, recognizable brand. Across campaigns, departments, and platforms, your audience should encounter a familiar and coherent ecosystem—one they trust.

4. New or evolving products and services

Have you added a new service? Maybe your logo was initially built around one offering that’s no longer central. A brand refresh can help better reflect today’s reality.

It’s also an excellent opportunity to reintroduce your main products and services, and demonstrate how your newer ones complement or differentiate themselves from them.

5. A shifting target audience

Struggling to reach the right people? Refreshing your brand can help you better connect with your target audience or open up new markets. You may need to align your tone with your value proposition (such as a dynamic service promoted with a flat campaign) or highlight elements that address new audience needs.

In recent years, topics such as sustainability, diversity, and inclusion have gained greater importance. Show how you actively contribute to these priorities, whether in your company story or your vision statement.

6. Internal changes

If there’s one constant in business, it’s change. Whether it’s a restructuring, a merger, or even a new office location, branding should adapt to reflect those shifts.

The goal? Ensure a smooth, coherent transition that builds on your identity, rather than breaking it, and leverage the opportunity for renewed energy.

Clarifying your vision or updating your brand architecture can also boost morale and team alignment.

7. Competitors investing in their branding

When your competitors level up their brand, it’s worth paying attention. Their repositioning might challenge your market position—and push you to clarify what sets you apart.

This isn’t about copying their look or tactics. It’s about staying competitive and visible in your space.

8. Unpredictable growth patterns

There could be many reasons for this, but branding is one of them. If sales are flat or underwhelming, giving your brand a fresh perspective might just spark renewed momentum.

Brand refresh pitfalls to avoid

• Trying to change your company culture with a new logo colour. If you need a complete rebrand, don’t settle for a superficial refresh.
• Diving in without planning. A total of 180 is risky if you don’t know whether it’s the right direction.
• Doing things halfway: researching but not acting, refreshing but not aligning your internal teams.
• Lacking a brand guide. Without clear guidelines (mission, vision, values, tone, design standards, key messages), your brand identity weakens fast.

How do you refresh or build a strong brand identity? Ask the right questions!

Change for change’s sake won’t get you far. To shine brighter, first understand your strengths and build upon them, anchored in a clearly defined brand strategy and goals.

Need help thinking strategically through every branding decision? You can count on our team of brand lovers.