Communicate conducted a survey to identify how organisations now feel about rebranding: After the hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing of the economic downturn, organisations are asking searching questions about their brand.

As the UK emerges, punch drunk, from the worst recession in living memory, bodies in the private and public sectors have the chance to stop and think. After two years with noses to grindstones, organisations now have a chance to step back and think strategically about how they are perceived and how their brand is performing.

To that end, Communicate undertook a survey of UK organisations to examine how the economic downturn has affected attitudes to corporate branding – and with just over 200 client-side respondents, it also provided a glimpse into the immediate future of the rebranding market.

The recession has certainly focused minds. More than a third (38%) of organisations in the UK admit that they attach more importance to corporate branding than they did before the onset of the economic downturn.

But rather than prompting an identity crisis, the recession appears to have given respondents greater confidence in their own brands, with more than twice as many (32%) reporting that it positively affected their opinion of their brand, than those who said it was affected negatively (16%). “We’d been looking to refresh our image as it had seemed a bit out of date,” said one respondent. “But in the economic crisis, it seemed better to have a recognisable heritage.”

rformance during the recession and a further 33% said financial constraints brought on by the downturn were what made a rebrand less likely, 29% said it was because an economic crisis felt like the wrong time to change the brand. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, believes Daniel Dumoulin of brand insight agency Sundance London. “If we accept that two basic needs othis down to the brand’s better-than-expected pe(36%) now say they are less likely to rebrand than previously, the reasons appear to be as much pragmatic as bullish. Although 24% of those less likely to rebrand put However, while a third

identity and belonging, then recession times m
f human nature are around ake answering these needs even more acute. The corporate values can contribute to creating a sense of safety and protection.”

Interestingly, almost a third of respondents are either considering a rebrand (24%) or definitely rebranding (7%). “Our brand isn’t especially old,” said one. “But it feels important that we stand out in a crowded marketplace, even if it costs money in the short term.”

The appetite for rebranding is no surprise to some. “The results of the survey highlight the poorly perceived mier, MD at branding agency Appetite. “A tough trading environment is a golden opportunity to determine, establish or simply reinforce a competitive advantage. Rebranding is a terrific catalyst for change and, at its most successful, creates a positive momentum for business growth.”correlation between corporate branding and business performance, and it doesn’t come as a surprise,” says Nicolas Ma 

But Simon Bailey, UK CEO of branding consultancy The Brand Union warns that it’s not a time for snap judgements or quick turnarounds: “Rebranding can be an effective way to build or rebuild, trust and gain a competitive advantage. However, people as a rule tend to resist change, and the first question asked is always ‘Why?’” But if you can take your people with you, they can become powerful advocates who will show that this is not change for the sake of it, but a signpost of a new, improved direction the business is taking.”