Inside this post we use our Four Truths Framework™ to uncover what brands are doing to get noticed and make it easy for buyers to choose them over others.
This month we explore the topic of.. CHANGE.
The Lie: Shaking up the look and feel of a brand’s image on a regular basis is good for business – it proves they’re cutting edge and a movin’ and a groovin’ with the times.
The Truth: Reinvention may have delighted Bowie and Madonna fans back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. But think twice before you steam ahead with a drastic overhaul in your brand image; because it’s unlikely to win any fresh plaudits and could even confuse, or deter, your existing fanbase.
Why?
In an increasingly unpredictable world, people crave the emotional anchor of familiarity. The visual, verbal, and emotional elements of a brand make it distinctive and recognisable – it’s the thing people remember when they’re in market for what you offer and ready to make a choice.
Be the change people want to see
Many brands feel pressured to overhaul their brand or their comms – sometimes both. But our buyers are quick to react when they don’t like it or simply don’t get it, as some of these brands discovered.
Cracker Barrel’s 2025 logo refresh tried to modernise a heritage brand and was accused of compromising its roots. Tropicana’s $35m packaging redesign removed its iconic orange-with-a-straw visual; shoppers didn’t recognise it and sales dropped 20% in two months. Gap’s 2010 logo switch lasted six days before public backlash forced a reversal.
It’s one of the reasons Direct Line Group has kept its dinky little red phone. It may not scream ‘cutting edge’. But it symbolises something reassuring that people value even more in the automation age; there’s a chance a human will be at the end of the line.
Of course, brands like McDonald’s have earned the right to experiment. Decades of consistency and cohesiveness means they can tweak and step out of ‘brand code’ territory without losing brand recognition.
But for lesser-known brands, especially in B2B, sudden change risks confusion.
Are human truths driving the change?
Any changes you make to your brand normally work best when they’re driven by insight. Pod, the electric charging subscription company, could see the cultural tide was turning – from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EV). But did this move feel comfortable?
Beyond concerns about costs and unreliable charging points, Pod uncovered a deeper human truth – people understand petrol, litres, miles. What they don’t instinctively understand is the price of a gigawatt hour.
So instead of overhauling its brand identity, Pod adjusted its messaging and offer. It introduced a fixed subscription based on miles – a metric that drivers already use to make decisions.
How solid are your brand’s foundations?
Before you feel tempted to give your brand the royal tweakment, ask yourself these questions:
- Are we reinforcing brand memory or diluting it?
Constant tweaks make it harder for people to remember you. - Are we recognised enough for a change to land?
- If awareness is low, consistency – not reinvention – should be the priority.
- Is this driven by human insight or internal pressure?
- Has something genuinely shifted in behaviour, expectation or product reality?
- Are we fixing the foundations or just repainting the façade?
At CMG, we help you to strengthen your brand foundation and we only encourage change, if it’s grounded in human insight.
You may also be interested in…
Recent research from System1 and Effie The Creative Dividend: A Practical Guide to Making Effectiveness Happen in Advertising Today 2026 shows that strong brands are built through consistent creative foundations over time. Memory structures don’t happen overnight. They’re formed, reinforced and strengthened through repetition – and it’s far easier to refresh what people already know than start again from scratch.
Plus..
Our Founder, Candace Gerlach, talking about the power of branding and what helps us distinguish one brand from another despite operating in the same category.
Our Head of Marketing, Luke Besant, discussing the benefits of getting your hands dirty, diagnosing, and addressing the problem vs. jumping to a rebuild.
If you have any thoughts on what brands need to consider before they make any changes, we’d love to hear from you.
