Rebranding: When to Take the Leap (and How to Do It Right)
By Bridget Harris, CEO of YouCanBookMe.
Jaguar’s rebrand has been front of mind recently, and it’s a perfect example of how rebrands can divide opinion and even risk reputational damage. This raises the crucial question: when is a rebrand actually necessary?
When Should You Rebrand?
A lack of awareness about your brand doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time for a rebrand. Often, this issue can be resolved with updated marketing tactics rather than a complete overhaul. Rebranding should be reserved for significant shifts: a new company direction, a change in services or product, or a move to target a different audience.
This was the case with my own business. We realised our branding and colour scheme were outdated and blended in with the competition. It wasn’t a matter of fixing marketing but of aligning our look and feel with the company’s evolution. Our last substantive rebrand had been in 2023—it was long overdue.
Lessons from the YouCanBookMe Rebrand
When we embarked on our rebrand, we embraced the principle that form follows function. Our new logo, ‘The Dot’, is the universal symbol for scheduling availability, reflecting our product’s purpose and simplicity. The process wasn’t rushed—it took 18 months of thoughtful evolution, not invention.
The key to our rebrand was keeping the product at the centre. While it might be tempting to sell a lifestyle or aesthetic, users care most about the reliability and familiarity of the product they trust. For us, differentiation wasn’t just about standing out visually; it was about deepening our relationship with our customers.
Insights Drive Rebranding, Not Opinions
The best rebrands resolve specific business challenges and are driven by insights rather than opinions. At YouCanBookMe, we focused on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs, a group often overlooked by competitors. Through extensive research and customer interviews, we learned that our users valued the customisability of our tool to reflect their own branding. They could have chosen any scheduling tool, but they trusted us to enhance their customer’s experience.
Our logo symbolises online availability, ensuring our brand reflects our product’s core function. This clarity and alignment have strengthened our identity and our customers’ connection to the tool.
A Rebrand Is Just the Beginning
Remember, your company’s identity and product are the foundations you’ve worked hard to build. A rebrand should showcase these strengths rather than overshadow them. Even the best rebrands are just the start of a new chapter. They should create momentum, spark conversations, and help you connect with a broader audience.
So before diving into a rebrand, ask yourself: is this an evolution that honours your existing identity, or are you starting from scratch? The answer will shape your success story.
