How to rebrand effectively
New York City’s recent rebrand was in the news, and many people were unhappy with the update to Milton Glaser’s iconic “I heart NY” logo. It was changed to “We Heart NYC,” in a sans serif font that felt like a quick imitation of the original, set in the classic-looking font American Typewriter. Sometimes, a rebrand can be necessary and do good things for your brand. But it’s important to keep some things in mind when making changes or bringing something new. Working with professional graphic designers, and considering how much actually needs to be changed can go a long way in launching an effective visual update.
Keep part of the original style
One of the things that could have done better with the updated NY campaign, was that the designers should have worked in the same font. They took a classic and tried to modernize it with a generic font and 3-Dimensional looking heart. Had they just changed the “I” to “We,” and left “NY” as is, this would have been an exciting and effective refresh of the city’s brand. Instead, it looked like an attempt to modernize the original.
When it comes to branding, consistency and uniformity in the look and style is important. It helps with recognition, and makes your product or service appear more reputable and memorable. A clean logo for any sort of organization is a good start, and elements of it should be kept throughout any other designs you create.
Evaluate where your brand stands
If your brand is not currently super well-known, or you’re just getting started, a refresh of your logos and social media layouts could be a great way to get people’s attention and make you stand out. If it’s working for you, though, consider smaller ways to refine your company’s style, wording, or appearance.
The old saying “if ain’t broke, don’t fix it” may be a bit of a cliche, but it reigns true in many situations. Change can be good and necessary, but sometimes that doesn’t mean a major overhaul. Rather, small updates can help things pop, and keeping iconic parts of an original can go a long way in branding effectiveness. In the NY logo situation, a simple word change from “I” to “We,” while keeping everything else the same, would have made for a more effective update.
Stephanie Sokol
Digital Content Manager