The consistently changing digital age means many companies may deem it necessary to rebrand; after all, a business’ online image can make or break the whole company. Often, dynamic change is needed so brands can keep up with the competition. However, businesses do not always have to revolutionize their brand because of the pressure of the digital age, and may actually fare better by continuing their well-established image.
Established Brands Vs. New Brands
Consider an established store, perhaps selling clothing or homewares. Essential digital-orientated changes for them would be a move from an in-store consumer experience to an online one. In order to survive, the store must develop an attractive website that a customer can shop at without having to surrender the experience they are used to.
If the brand already has a loyal customer base – for example, John Lewis – then its online image can simply be a continuation of the image it already upholds and, with a high-functioning website, they do not necessarily need to revolutionize their current brand image.
However, with a smaller store like Select, which worked well on the high street as a cheaper clothing shop, a rebrand into a new and exciting online store could have potentially saved them from widespread closures and financial struggles. They could, for example, have revolutionized their image to offer more essential clothing and less trend-following options so customers wouldn’t be disappointed by the quality if they were ordering online. They might also have adopted a unique edge to compete with the super online stores such as ASOS.
Re-Branding
The digital age offers opportunities for easy rebranding, with companies like Squarespace making it easy for anyone to set up a professional website, and more and more online design options becoming available. Compared to the early days of the internet, it is far easier to keep a website up to date with new content and deals or to change the title page, layout or even logo. Changes can be implemented instantly but can be hugely valuable in keeping pace with the ever-changing digital environment.
Something which companies must consider nowadays is growing impatience from their online audience. If a webpage is too busy, overloading the viewer with information, they will be tempted to carry on scrolling or click away. The internet is too vast to spend excessive time searching one web page for what you need. Therefore, old-style sites where everything was displayed instantly are being converted to sleek modern sites where only the most important message is shown, with large memorable images, rather than many confusing messages at once.
A site that recently rebranded is Buzz Bingo, which is now welcoming customers with large images, a clear logo and a simple welcome message introducing customers to bingo. They are approaching digital changes well; bingo is something which could have easily become obsolete in the online era but companies like Buzz are making it approachable while clearly understanding their online consumer.
Online magazine Time Outdoors, on the other hand, is an example of a site in need of embracing change in a similar way to Buzz. It is clear the welcome page here is far too busy to obtain clear information, and the site would greatly benefit from one or just a few bold images and messages, with an organized menu to get to the rest.
The digital age is no doubt demanding and impacts all companies. Not all brands need to constantly revamp their online image but an updated presence which appears understanding of the consumer can benefit a business’s success no end, so the consequences of online branding should not be underestimated.