Rebranding is a delicate process, especially amidst ownership changes that can unsettle employees and customers. Change management is always a top priority, intertwining culture and brand internally. Other important steps include:
Define goals. We aimed for a swift transition, planning to unveil our new identity and website within three months to leverage industry buying cycles. We sought a name that conveyed meaning and was available as a .com. We set goals to preserve SEO equity across all websites and establish a differentiated brand with a compelling value proposition.
Work with smart people. Leveraging past relationships, we engaged a strategy and design firm to meet our tight timeline. Existing partnerships with a web developer and an SEO strategy firm streamlined our efforts.
Include stakeholders. Employees participated in values discussions led by HR to retain key aspects of existing cultures and shape the collective organization's values. Similar engagement occurred with customers via surveys and meetings, aligning their needs with our vision. Board members and investors were briefed early for support and insights.
Understand market forces, competitors, and customers. Our agency and internal research provided valuable market insights, shaping our strategy. This inclusive approach informed employees during Town Hall calls, fostering transparency and collaboration.
Find a name. Collaborating with product and executive teams, we brainstormed and vetted naming options. Employee input was solicited, leading to the selection of "HireRoad" as our new identity.
Operationalize the Brand. Early meetings with functional area owners facilitated alignment with the brand strategy and story. A framework was shared to guide departments in bringing the brand to life even before it was finalized.
Brand Identity. Guided by the brand strategy, the design agency explored logo, palette, and design options. The website served as the primary testing ground, ensuring alignment with brand values and storyline.
Ready, set, launch! After briefing the board and securing their approval, we launched internally via a SharePoint site. This introduces employees to the new finalized brand, emphasizing its promise, values, and mission and providing story elements via a company story deck and key collateral. Customers, media, and analysts were briefed on the changes and the new site brand was launched via new website, consolidated social media profiles, press release, new email addresses, and seemingly a thousand other elements. Less than a month later, we held an IRL global kickoff event for all customer-facing employees to practice telling the new story, show the new platform, and harness momentum from the launch.
