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Our Perspective

What this means for leaders navigating growth, change or transformation in their organisation.

The Real Risk

When leaders reach for a quick rebrand, they’re often treating symptoms while the cause goes unchecked. The hazard isn’t a new logo; it’s the signal you send when the story outpaces the substance. Customers notice gaps between promise and delivery faster than most boards expect, and once belief softens, it’s hard to recover. Deloitte notes that when trust is strong, 88% of customers are likely to repurchase, and companies with high trust can be valued up to four times their peers—so tinkering with appearances while fundamentals stand still is a costly bet.

The more profound issue is misdiagnosis. If the proposition, pricing, service model, or onboarding are the friction points, a rebrand diverts attention and budget while the real constraints harden. That’s why the smarter question isn’t “How do we refresh?” but “What’s truly holding back growth, and what must change to earn belief?”

Diagnose Before Design

You reduce risk by understanding the performance mechanics first: where value is created, where it leaks, and how customers actually decide. Only then should the brand evolve to reflect what’s been fixed. In our experience with mid‑market organisations, the turning point is a shared diagnosis that links commercial gaps to operational causes, not to cosmetics.

• Test whether you have a demand problem or a conversion problem; treat them differently.
• Map the customer journey to locate confidence breaks (e.g., onboarding drop-offs, service delays).
• Isolate the value story: what must be true in product, service, and pricing to make claims credible?

Sequence The Change

Brand should be the amplifier of real change, not its substitute. Sequencing matters because it creates momentum customers can feel and teams can deliver. Think of the brand as the external proof of internal progress, released when the experience is reliably better—not before.

• Fix the proposition and delivery model first; then align message, then refresh the system.
• Define a few non‑negotiables (service standards, pricing rules, onboarding time) and measure them.
• Tie the refresh to specific outcomes—conversion lift, referrals, and return on investment (ROI)—so the story earns its right.

Signal With Integrity

Trust is now a deciding factor, not a nice‑to‑have. A synthesis of research from Edelman, NielsenIQ, Kantar and McKinsey indicates that 71% of global consumers treat trust as a buy‑or‑boycott trigger, and Gen Z weights values and actions about 2.7 times more than older groups. That reality raises the bar: if the market senses a cosmetic reset, credibility falls; if it sees consistent behaviour, belief compounds.

The opportunity is to make the brand the visible wrapper for real improvements—clearer choices, smoother service, faster resolution. Lead with substance, then let design and narrative bring it to life. Over time, organisations that earn and then signal progress don’t just look different; they become easier to choose.

Sources:

• Challenging the Orthodoxies of Brand Trust — Deloitte
• The State of Brand Trust in 2025: Global Insights from Recent Studies — synthesis of Edelman, NielsenIQ, Kantar, McKinsey

1. Rebranding vs Brand Refresh: Principles for Success
2. Communicating Brand Change While Maintaining Trust
3. Rebranding: Aligning Strategy for Sustainable Growth