The art of reinvention: Why companies undergo brand refreshes
Jaguar's rebranding demonstrates the risks of logo changes in a competitive market. While aiming for modernity, the minimalist logo faced criticism for disconnecting from the brand's legacy. Successful refreshes require a balance between innovation and tradition.
A logo is more than a symbol; it reflects a brand’s identity, values, and aspirations. Yet, when it no longer resonates with an evolving market, companies turn to brand refreshes—an essential, albeit risky, practice in today’s dynamic landscape.
Jaguar’s recent rebranding serves as a compelling case study in the risks and rewards of reinvention. The Tata Motors-owned British luxury automaker adopted a minimalist logo and launched an ad campaign last month that downplays its iconic cars. While the brand aims to position itself as a modern contender in the electric era, the backlash highlights the delicate balance between innovation and alienation.
“In the case of Jaguar,” said S. Subramanyeswar, group CEO-India and chief strategy officer-APAC at MullenLowe Lintas Group, “the monogram looks like another luxury handbag logo. Since the new logo didn’t align with the perception consumers had of the brand, it faced severe backlash.”
Oscar Wilde’s words—‘There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about’—aptly capture Jaguar’s position. While its rebrand faced criticism, the attention ensures its relevance in a competitive market.
Why do companies refresh their brands?
Brand refreshes often arise from the need to stay relevant in a world where consumer preferences, business goals, and competitive pressures constantly evolve. According to Subramanyeswar, “The world has an evolving aesthetic, and brands need to reinvigorate or reinvent their look and feel to stay contemporary, aspirational, and relevant in the minds of audiences who are moving.” He adds that refreshes are often triggered by shifts in brand vision, market direction or competitive landscape.
While refreshing a logo or visual identity creates new energy and memory structures, it must remain rooted in brand strategy. Lulu Raghavan, president-APAC and managing director of India, Landor, a WPP company, agrees, emphasising that a brand refresh must go beyond aesthetics. Landor has worked on Tata.ev, British Petroleum, Huawei, Renault and Australian Open.
Also read | Jaguar rebrand is pink, diverse and doesn’t feature any cars
“A refresh enables the brand to stay relentlessly relevant. However, the logo should not be seen as the only manifestation of change,” Raghavan said. “It needs to be accompanied by a transformation of brand experience for a holistic refresh.”
At its best, a brand refresh signals transformation—whether it’s a new vision, expanded offerings, or a repositioning in the market. For heritage brands, this can mean maintaining legacy while shedding baggage. “Heritage brands not only have legacy but also baggage,” notes Raghavan. “Moving away from the legacy risks alienating the core and loyal customer base.”
The challenge of balancing legacy and change
The tension between innovation and tradition often defines the success of a brand refresh. As Subramanyeswar points out, humans inherently resist change, and dramatic overhauls risk alienating audiences. “The trick lies in attaining ‘fresh consistency’. Retaining elements of what people know ensures consumers still recognize their favourite brand.”
Raghavan echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that declining relevance or differentiation often triggers a refresh. However, meaningful change must resonate with consumers to avoid being perceived as superficial. Porsche’s recent rebrand exemplifies how legacy brands can modernize without losing their core identity. “Building upon the brand heritage, new technologies and designs were gradually integrated to contemporize the iconic brand while maintaining its essence,” Raghavan explains.
Also read | Jaguar reveals new logo and branding, but netizens complain ‘go back…’
This delicate balance is well captured in the words of Robert T. Blanchard, who in his parting essay at Procter & Gamble in 1999 eloquently summarised:
“A brand is the personification of a product, service, or even an entire company. Like any person, a brand has a body, personality, character, and reputation… A brand must mature and evolve over time, but its core beliefs and character should remain intact.”
How often should brands refresh?
The frequency of brand refreshes varies by industry, but careful timing is essential. Subramanyeswar suggests that while visual identities can evolve every two to three years, full logo overhauls should be far less frequent. “Every refresh is an opportunity to create new memory structures and new energy,” he says, “but it should always be rooted in brand strategy.”
Brands like Kia have exemplified this balance, modernizing their logos to align with forward-looking strategies while retaining their essence. In contrast, GAP’s infamous 2010 redesign serves as a cautionary tale. “They took a brand with memorable character and turned it into something generic and forgettable,” says Subramanyeswar.
Lessons from missteps
When brand refreshes fail, they can cause significant damage. Tropicana’s 2009 packaging overhaul replaced its iconic orange-with-a-straw imagery with a minimalist design. Loyal customers found the change too jarring, resulting in a 20% drop in sales—a $30 million loss in just two months.
Similarly, GAP’s sleek Helvetica font redesign alienated audiences so deeply that the company reverted to its old logo within a week. Subramanyeswar captures the emotional weight of such missteps: “Once a ‘gap’ is formed in a relationship, it won’t be the same again with the audience.”
Also read | Tata Motors' Tamil Nadu JLR manufacturing unit's operations may begin in 2025
Even recent examples, like Bud Light’s 2023 influencer campaign, show the risks of polarizing core audiences. A backlash led to boycotts, causing the once top-selling beer in the US to slip in rankings.
Striking the right balance: The art of reinvention
Some brand refreshes, however, have been widely accepted by consumers and experts alike. Mahindra’s twin-peak logo, Air India’s reimagined emblem, and Kia Motors’ modernized identity stand out as success stories. “Kia has rebranded beautifully. It looks futuristic, sophisticated with an edge, just like their cars,” says Subramanyeswar.
Experts emphasize that clean, minimalist logos resonate strongly in today’s market. Such designs, free from unnecessary complexity, work seamlessly across digital and physical platforms. “Non-metallic, flat logos are often perceived as approachable, creating a distinctive brand identity while fostering trust,” says Raghavan.
Ultimately, a successful refresh requires boldness rooted in strategy. “Brands take a long time to build and should be evolved very thoughtfully,” advises Raghavan. “Risk of failure should be mitigated by data-led insights and decision-making.”
Jaguar’s rebranding highlights the stakes of reinvention. Done right, a refresh can revitalize a company, attract new audiences, and ensure relevance in a competitive marketplace. But missteps risk eroding decades of brand equity. The key lies in evolving boldly while staying true to the brand’s roots.
Also read | Jaguar will transform into all-electric luxury brand says Chandrasekaran
In today’s fast-changing world, as Wilde’s words remind us, being talked about—whether positively or negatively—is far better than being forgotten.
Nitin Gupta, founder and managing director of marketing services company Asymmetrique, however, advises the critics need to be a bit measured in their savagery until the full story is out. “The real question is whether the rebranding is serving a business purpose or is it just an aimless exercise in creativity?”
History tells us that even iconic brands can become irrelevant if their product loses audience connect. Kodak, Nokia, Blackberry, Intel and so many more are proof, he says. “So then, isn’t it only fair to wait and see what Jaguar has up its sleeve when it comes to their product, which has rapidly been losing relevance with the luxury car-buying audience?”
“As someone who believes in building brands that serve the business, I think that Jaguar’s brand refresh is too early to call either way. And I’m always happy to be wrong in the short term, as long as I’m right in the long term,” Gupta said. “For now, I shall hold any judgment until the new product reveal is out.”
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First Published:2 Dec 2024, 05:15 AM IST
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