Your Complete Guide to a Rebrand in 2025

 

So, you’re wondering if it’s time to rebrand.

Not just slap a new coat of paint on your logo or swap out some fonts, but actually rethink how your business shows up in the world. And whether people give a damn.

You’re not alone. From scaling startups to global brands slowly becoming irrelevant, more businesses are rebranding not because they have to… but because they can’t afford not to.

This guide cuts through the rebrand BS. We’ll tell you what it really involves, how to know when it’s time (spoiler: probably now), what it actually costs (spoiler: not just money), and how to make sure it doesn’t flop spectacularly.

Whether you’re trying to convince a skeptical board or just yourself, from an experienced branding agency.

Your Rebrand Guide Contents:

  • What is a rebrand?
  • Why companies rebrand (and when you should)
  • What a rebrand includes (and what it doesn’t)
  • What does it cost to rebrand?
  • What to do before you rebrand
  • How to do a rebrand step by step
  • What to do after a rebrand
  • Rebrand FAQs
  • Useful links

1. What is a rebrand?

Let’s clear this up: a rebrand is not just a prettier logo.

Done properly, it’s a strategic overhaul of how your business looks, sounds, and gets remembered. It’s about shifting perceptions, not just pixels.

What actually changes:

  • Your visual identity (logo, colours, typeface, the works)
  • Your tone of voice and messaging (how you talk, not just what you say)
  • Your brand positioning (where you sit in people’s minds)
  • Your website and marketing materials (everything customers see)
  • Sometimes your name or even product structure (if you’re feeling brave)

A rebrand is perception surgery. You’re changing how people see, feel, and talk about your brand. Get it right, and everything gets easier. Get it wrong, and… well, don’t get it wrong.

2. Why companies rebrand (and when you should)

Here’s the thing: rebrands aren’t just for businesses in crisis. Some of the smartest ones happen when you’re actually doing well. But there are some classic warning signs that scream “time for a change.”

Signs it’s definitely time to rebrand:

Your brand is all over the place: Different teams are using different logos, fonts, colours, or worse: completely different vibes. Chaos isn’t a brand strategy.

You’ve outgrown your old self: Your business has evolved, but your brand is stuck in 2018. If your brand shows who you were, not who you are, it’s holding you back.

Your audience has moved on: The market shifted, your customers changed, but your brand didn’t get the memo.

You’re invisible in a crowd: Your competitors all look the same, sound the same, and frankly, you’re getting lost in the noise.

Hiring sucks: Top talent takes one look at your brand and thinks “nah, I’m good.” Your brand should attract rockstars, not repel them.

You’re going global: Expanding into new markets with a brand that only works in your hometown? Good luck with that.

The truth: Rebrands aren’t vanity projects. They’re clarity projects. And clarity drives everything else.

For some rebranding inspiration check out some of our latest branding work.

Ding

Creating Homeserve's Game-Changing Home Repairs Brand

Spacemade

Not Just A Pretty Space

Brilliant Planet

Harnessing the power of algae blooms.

Goolf

The Tinder of golf.

3. What a rebrand includes (and it doesn’t)

Rebrands usually included:

  • Brand strategy (your purpose, positioning, and personality – the foundation everything else builds on)
  • Visual identity (logo, typography, colour palette, and a system that actually works)
  • Messaging and tone of voice (how you sound when you’re not trying too hard)
  • Core assets (website, templates, key communications that don’t make people cringe)

Often left out (but absolutely shouldn’t be):

  • Internal brand training (your team needs to live this, not just post it)
  • Brand governance (rules to keep things consistent when you’re not watching)
  • A launch plan that doesn’t suck (because what’s the point of a great rebrand if nobody notices?)

Hot take: Most rebrands fail at the rollout stage. Don’t be most rebrands, hire a good branding agency who can execute ideas as well as create them.

4. What does it cost to rebrand?

The short answer: more than you think, less than doing nothing.

If you’re a scaling startup or mid-sized business with actual ambitions, you’re looking at anywhere from £30k to £100k+, depending on how far you want to go and how good you want to be.

 

What affects the price of a rebrand? I.e. What makes rebrand projects bigger (and longer):

Starting from zero vs. building on what works: Blank slate = more thinking time, more options to weigh, more back-and-forth.

How many things need the treatment: Logo refresh for a consultant? Or full rebrand for a company with products, packaging, retail presence, and a trade show booth? Both these briefs will wildly alter the amount of budget you’ll need.

Name changes and positioning pivots: Want to keep your name? Great. Want to change it or completely flip your market position? Add months, not weeks.

Too many cooks: More stakeholders means more rounds of feedback, more meetings, more “can we just try one more option?” moments.

The cheap rebrand trap: Cut corners on strategy and you’ll be back in two years wondering why nothing clicked. Brand work that actually moves the needle takes time to get right.

 

5. What to do before you rebrand

Get everyone on the same page: Rebrands create chaos if your team isn’t aligned. Have the hard conversations early. 

Audit your current brand honestly: What’s actually working vs. what you think is working? Be brutal.

Talk to your people: How is your current brand helping or hurting them every day? Their frustrations = your rebrand brief.

Actually listen to your customers: Are they seeing the same business you think you’re running? The gap might surprise you.

Steal inspiration shamelessly — Look at competitors, adjacent industries, and brands doing interesting things. Build a mood board that doesn’t suck.

Define what success looks like — Are you rebranding for clarity? Growth? Market expansion? Get specific or get disappointed.

If you’re struggling to get buy-in from your boss, we wrote an excellent blog recently on ‘How to Convince Your Boss You Need a Rebrand’.

6. How to do a rebrand (step by step)

1. Immerse

We dig into what’s working (and what isn’t) with your current brand. Through brand audits and stakeholder interviews, we figure out what to keep, what to kill, and what needs a complete overhaul. No point throwing away brand equity that’s actually working.

2. Discover

This is where we map out your rebrand territory. What’s changing? What’s staying? We identify the gaps between where your brand sits now and where it needs to be then plot the route to get there without losing your audience along the way.

3. Concept

Time to break some rules. We explore new directions for your brand personality, voice, and visual approach. This phase is about pushing boundaries while keeping one foot planted in what makes commercial sense for your business.

4. Design

Your rebrand gets real. We craft the new visual identity, messaging framework, and brand architecture that’ll carry you forward. Every choice is deliberate, from colour psychology to typography that actually reflects your brand’s evolved personality.

5. Build

We map your new brand across every touchpoint, creating systems that work harder than your old ones. This isn’t just a logo swap, it’s rebuilding your brand infrastructure to support where you’re headed, not where you’ve been.

6. Produce

The big reveal. We help orchestrate your rebrand launch across all channels, making sure nothing gets lost in translation. Internal teams get trained, external audiences get introduced, and your rebrand hits the market with impact.

7. Refine

Rebrands need settling-in time. We monitor how your new brand performs in the wild, making adjustments where needed. Think of it as brand physiotherapy, keeping everything aligned while you get comfortable in your new skin.

8. Deliver

You get the full rebrand toolkit, guidelines, templates, and everything needed to keep your refreshed brand consistent. Plus ongoing support because even the best rebrands need a steady hand during those first few months.

7. What to do after a rebrand

Roll it out properly: This isn’t a logo swap. Update everything or don’t bother.

Get your team genuinely excited: Brand only works if your people believe in it and live it.

Measure what matters: Track changes in brand awareness, engagement, perception, and yes, revenue.

Stay the course: Brand value compounds over time. Don’t panic and pivot when you don’t see immediate results.

Remember: A rebrand isn’t a magic bullet. It’s a foundation for everything else you’re trying to build.

8. Common Rebranding Questions 

Q: How long does a rebrand actually take?
A: 12–16 weeks for most small to mid-sized companies. Enterprise brands take longer because… enterprise.

Q: Should I change my business name too?
A: Only if your current name is actively holding you back. Name changes are high-risk, high-reward moves.

Q: Will a rebrand magically fix my sales problems?
A: No. But it’ll make every part of your go-to-market strategy sharper, more credible, and easier to execute.

Q: Can I just do this internally instead of hiring an agency?
A: You could. But you probably shouldn’t. Objectivity, process, and taste are worth the investment.

Q: What if people hate our new brand?
A: Some will. That’s normal and often a good sign, you’re probably being more distinctive. As long as your target audience gets it, you’re fine.

9. Useful Links

Ready to stop blending in?
A rebrand isn’t just about looking different, it’s about being impossible to ignore.