Repositioning is essential to reflect the changed state of a business
Whether new to a marketplace or long-established in an industry set, the process of repositioning can be perceived as daunting for any company, product, or service brand.
However, in many instances repositioning is essential to reflect the changed state of a business or product lifecycle. It can also drive business, increase retention and improve overall audience perception. Despite the somewhat involved process, the upsides of a repositioning process far outweigh the relatively small investments of time and energy.
The D+i Creative team approaches repositioning projects with a step-by-step approach, founded in sound strategy, to ensure thoughtful and effective answers to the hard questions of differentiation, memorability and ownability. Here we’ve outlined our best practices for approaching a reposition and how that can inform a refreshed expression through key elements of your marketing.
Know your Company, Audience Perception and Competitive Set.
In order to create a thoughtful expression, it is essential to first gather necessary research and insight. This starts with a comprehensive overview of the company itself, from the history of the brand, understanding its current state and how it has evolved, marketplace positioning, and lastly identifying a target audience and business goals for the future. This is important not only for client stakeholders to review, but also for the creative team to fully immersive themselves in the foundational elements of the brand.
The next stage is to conduct a competitive audit of the industry and key competitors. This can inform questions such as: What is the brand’s key differentiator that sets it apart from competition? Does the current brand expression effectively communicate this differentiator?
Lastly, stakeholder insight should be gathered to understand current brand perceptions, particularly in how the brand is perceived by the audience. This initial background sets the groundwork for defining a brand DNA that will be inherent in all future expressions.
Collaboration is Key.
Once the groundwork is laid, a brand workshop offers an opportunity for key members of the creative team and stakeholders from the client side to collaborate. The workshop is meant to dive deeper than the original brand overview, discussing the future state of the brand in terms of desired perceptions, philosophical and functional points of distinction and brand personality. This will be incorporated into the creative team’s strategic recommendations directing the reposition brand and story, messaging, brand promise, and key insight that will flow into all marketing and communication efforts.
Express the Positioning.
Upon client review and approval of these strategic recommendations, the creative team can produce original creative options for a company identity that will serve as the cornerstone of the expression. Once selected, the agency will then prepare a formalized expression platform which describes the verbal and visual definition of the new positioning, from the primary identity to design patterns, color palette, typography, messaging, photography and illustration. These elements will serve as the creative foundation for all future marketing communications.
Bring it to Life.
With a creative foundation and unique expression established, elements of sales and marketing can be rolled out as necessary to fit an established marketing plan and launch strategy. The D+i Creative team has the ability to collaborate with an internal marketing department to create appropriate brand guidelines to inform the use of the visual and verbal tools. The creative team can also independently provide solutions for a redesigned website, product packaging, sales materials, social media assets, and other design production needs with the knowledge that everything is reflective of the new position and expression.
Wrap Up
With any foray into positioning it is important to be fully immersed in the current brand equity of the company, its pain points, goals, and marketplace perception. Making major position changes is not always a necessary measure, but when executed using a strategic and collaborative approach it can foster growth and progress toward key business goals.
