Fresh Paint Inc. has been around a long time. Starting as a seasonal, residential painting business, Fresh Paint has come a long way from the company it once was. Now serving only commercial, industrial, and manufacturing clients year-round with full-time production staff and a sales team, a fleet of trucks and a wide range of projects from industrial floor-coatings and large scale exteriors, to fine detailed work showcased in such projects as the Landmark atrium, the atrium project at Court International, and our specialty work at Lunds & Byerlys and Science Museum – just to name a few.
As we’ve grown, we’ve discovered new markets and developed new skills. We came from seasonal, humble beginnings, but we’re a very different company now. In 2016, we started to wonder if our Fresh Paint “brand” matched our image, capabilities, and growth. Was it time to take a good look at Fresh Paint Inc. and send her in for a 2017 facelift of sorts? In his article, “5 Reasons Why Rebranding is Necessary,” Roger Franklin* explains, “In every company there comes the day when shiny luster has worn off its branding and the company starts to wonder if the brand is doing more harm than good. Even industry giants rethink their brand: Pepsi has rebranded 11 time, Apple has done it three and Starbucks, four.” Franklin goes on to suggest several reasons why rebranding might be a good strategy:
When a Brand Needs a Makeover. It’s challenging to stay contemporary and fresh. Even the biggest companies in the world change their brand identity to keep up with the changes in their markets. Without rebranding and repositioning, competitors would encroach on their market share. Target is an excellent example of a brand that moved up in its market position though a calculated and strategic approach to its branding. Rejuvenating the basic elements – such as colors, typeface, or logo treatment – can honor your past and embrace the future.
Your Customer Evolves. As consumer behavior evolves, so should your brand. With so many choices available for your audience, your company must stay relevant and noticed. Today’s speed of business results in changes to the things that are important to the target audience (e.g. technology, pricing, convenience). A proactive, new brand is more powerful than fighting for client retention, or reacquiring your audience after they switch.
Repositioning Your Brand. As a company grows, its brand changes. Over time, the brand comes to stand for something different than it did in the beginning. Brands evolve to reach new audiences; the challenge is to introduce a position that connects with them. As a company matures, the initial identity can become a liability and keep a company from reaching its potential.
As we reviewed our current target market, our “ideal” client list, our list of goals for the next 5 years, we decided that Fresh paint Inc. is ready for that face lift – we are ready for a re-brand. We are excited to announce that we have hired Soulo Communications, a rebranding company, to help us in this endeavor. While we are ready and willing, the process is one that takes time to make sure it’s done well, and done right. We begin this month and the process will last approximately 18 months. Of course you will start to see some interesting changes, and you will also be involved in the process through some interviewing activities. The team at Soulo Communications will spend the next few months interviewing our staff, our vendors, and our clients to help discover and develop our existing, consistent “personality.” From there they will develop our brand, messaging, marketing strategy and outreach. Again, this is a long process and one we are not taking lightly. We are willing to take all the time we need to get it right. We hope you will enjoy the process as well as the outcome. Stay tuned… it’s going to be a FUN ride!
~Julie Stanke
