Planning a Rebrand? Things to consider when re-imaging signage
1. Establish your objectives
Determine what you want to achieve with the rebrand and set objectives for your signage. Do
you need the signage to last for the next 10 or 20 years? Do you want your new look to make
you stand out from the crowd, give yourself a competitive advantage? Do you need to do more
with your signage to engage your customers? It is important to be clear about what you want
to achieve and ensure all stakeholders are working towards the same outcome.
Things to consider:
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If your brand has a 7 to 10 year lifecycle, and you plan to rebrand at 10 years, there would be
no point spending more than needed procuring signs which have a 20 year lifecycle. Therefore
it’s important to establish how long you need your signage to last; this will help you to make
informed choices when it comes to choosing sign materials.
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Your signage is your connection to your customer. Have you considered integrating digital or
interactive technologies to engage your customers? Before you set your budget it is a good
idea to research your options and find out what other retailers are doing with the latest
technology. Then, if this is something you are going to consider, you can factor it into your
budgeting in step 2.
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Have you established a deadline? It is important you have a time frame set before moving onto
step 2.
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If your rebrand schedule is restricted, you may be required to increase your budget to meet
the deadline, which can also restrict your choice of materials to those that are readily
available. You’ll want make sure all stakeholders understand the timeframe and deadline they
are working to meet. If everyone is on the same page, this will avoid nasty surprises later.
2. Establish a budget
Once your objectives are finalized, you’ll want to set a budget. Be sure your budget
figures are realistic. Industry standards and material cost will have changed since your
last rebrand, so research your options and don’t set a budget based on your previous
rebrand spend.
Things to consider:
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When setting a budget it is important to consider your options for implementation of your new
brand. Will the new brand rollout at all locations in the same period?
Or, is your plan to
rebrand state-by-state, metro then regional? You might find you need to spend more to meet
your desired time frame.
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If your time frame is flexible, another option is to span the rollout over a 2 or 3 year period.
Doing this may allow you to stretch the budget, possibly spending more on the signage itself
and therefore being able to achieve a more exciting look.
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Consider the ongoing maintenance of the signage. Will you have an annual budget for
maintenance & repairs? If not, the life expectancy of the materials is something that needs to
be considered in step 3. After all, you want to ensure your brand continues to look its best
long after installation and warranties are up. Keep in mind, a brand that is not properly
maintained will deteriorate quickly and will also send mixed signals to your customers in the
retail environment.
3. Research your options
Once your budget is established, begin researching your options. The sign industry is everchanging with new technologies introduced every day. First speak to an industry expert before
determining your signage specifications. Living and breathing signage, people in the industry
have a great deal of technical knowledge to share.
Things to consider:
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When talking to industry experts, share your objectives and budget. They will be able to guide
you through the process and find something suitable to achieve your new look.
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Check the life expectancy of signage materials you are considering. Be sure to ask how they
will age and if you will need to factor in maintenance and the potential costs involved.
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Try colors, materials and working prototypes in the retail environment to get a true reflection
of the new brand. While you may think one color looks good in the office, it may look
completely different under natural light, in a different environment. Be sure to review your
options in sunlight and low-light. Also, consider other factors such as legibility, material
textures, illumination and the need for secondary messages.
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Have you considered environmentally friendly signage? With advances in technology, prices
have come down and environmentally friendly signage can reduce your ongoing costs.
4. Ensure Brand Consistency
You have now decided on the new look of your signage. To ensure consistency throughout the
retail environment you need to incorporate detailed signage guidelines into your Brand
Manual. These specifications need to be available to all stakeholders.
Things to consider:
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We encourage our clients to consider developing a Technical Sign Manual, which includes
detailed specifications for a family of signs. This Manual not only covers colors and fonts, but
also sizes and material specifications. Using this Manual for the rebrand will ensure brand
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consistency is achieved throughout the retail network. When we refer to a family of signs this
should include POS, way finding, interior signage, as well as exterior branding. The Sign
Manual needs to cover every signage touch point, and when used correctly this document will
ensure your branding is consistent across your retail network.
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Once the rebrand is complete the sign specifications (whether that’s a Brand Manual or a
Technical Sign Manual) need to be available to all stakeholders for future reference – i.e. new
stores, relocations. It’s taken a great deal of time and effort to rebrand your network, so you
want to ensure all future signage touch points meet the brand standards.
5. Collect information
Next you will need to undertake an audit of your stores to create artworks of the new
branding. We suggest while on site you take plenty of photos and obtain detailed
measurements, not just one or two photos of the store exterior. Having an abundance of
information will eliminate any guesswork and avoid revisiting the site unnecessarily.
Things to consider:
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We recommend you hang onto site audit photos and measurements for future reference, in
addition to artwork, permits and completion photos. Keeping these pertinent signage details
will not only help you down the road for future maintenance & repairs, but more importantly
when you are ready to rebrand again. If you keep accurate records of each and every site, not
just of the rebrand but any ongoing maintenance and repairs, you should be able to forego
the expense of site audits the next time you rebrand.
We know a rebranding project is complex, with many things to consider. When you next rebrand be
sure to take the time to carefully consider your signage options. Your signage is an important asset. It
is how your customer identifies your brand, and displayed in the retail environment, it is visible 24/7.
SignManager can help you successfully rebrand your signage. If you would like further information on
any of these points talk to one of our experts #1 865 270 6716 or visit us online;
www.signmanagers.com
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Australia
New Zealand
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